Adventure. I think sometimes we are all yearning for it, but a lot of us are stuck. Well at least a lot of people that I know feel stuck. They feel as though life is what it is and the have to just survive it. It being life.
Going through the motions doesn’t seem like a life well lived, I get it. But it’s not a bad life if you’re happy, right? But is it so bad to challenge yourself to more adventure? Jingle Bell Run made me think long and hard about that.
Avery is going through the motions. She’s a teacher – who loves her students and her life is committed to doing whatever it takes for them. She has a reading program that she wants to launch. The thing is though, she doesn’t have any adventure in her life. She’s surviving.
It’s Christmas time and her family is all going on trips, effectively leaving her alone for the holidays. She says she doesn’t mind, but her family does. So, her sister has signed her up to be on a television show.
Think The Amazing Race for Christmas time.
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She’s not the only one on the race. Wes is a washed up hockey player who doesn’t seem to realize that his prime has passed. He doesn’t know who to be without hockey. Only he’s being shown up by another athlete and he doesn’t seem to know how to handle it.
He also gets cast on the show.
Of course, before the show, there is a meet cute between the two, which we greatly appreciated. She didn’t know how to start a machine at the gym and long story short, they both end up falling off the treadmill.
While you can guess that these two are going to end up together, it’s the journey (as always) that is the fun part. He’s a jock and she’s a brain – complete opposites that annoy the hell out of each other. BUT sometimes it’s someone who challenges you that is the greatest adventure of all.
As the adventure brings them from city to city, Wes and Avery seem to bicker, but find that they even each other out. The producer sees their connection and as the couple that they teamed up – the one that was supposed to be the “love” angle – is eliminated they turn to Wes to up the romantic tension with Avery.
Only she doesn’t know.
With the tension between the two find its way to be real feelings, Avery overhears the producer and Wes talking. She’s heartbroken and immediately calls Wes out for messing with her feelings. I would have slapped him, but that’s just me. What Wes did was absolutely cruel.
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You don’t mess with peoples hearts.
Wes is aggravating and full of himself. He does want to figure out his own heart and the way he feels. He is craving connection, but seems to not think that he is worthy of that connection. Wes has been on the road for so long, playing hockey, that he thinks that he’s really let everyone down. He doesn’t seem to get that his family wants him. Other people want to have him around.
And he doesn’t seem to get that he’s worth a lot more than his hockey career. He’s definitely more complex than that.
The beauty of this movie was the fun of it, but also the growth and bonding of each character. Avery made sure that she was kind and considerate to each of the contestants, forming friendships. Wes thought that wasn’t the way to go, as it was a competition. It just showed that everyone has different ways of doing things and we need to see that.
This movie made me laugh, but also made me feel joy. The joy of seeing people learn, win, and grow. The movie made me laugh and yes, sometimes cringe (but in a good way). Jingle Bell Run was the Christmas spirit wrapped up in joy and adventure.
That’s definitely something I can get behind.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Avery reminded me of how hard teachers work and how their kids make a difference. Teachers are heroes
- Can we get more of Andrew Walker in all the movies please
- Loved the ending
- Producers man. Oy!
- I loved the fruitcake slapshot – that was funny.
- Avery and Wes’ handshake and thing when they won was great
- Ashley Williams has this look on her face when she’s acting that you know that she cares about the role
- Loved the ending
Jingle Bell Run is airing on Hallmark and Hallmark+.
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