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A ne’er-do-well thirty-something attempts to appease her family by kidnapping herself an attractive boyfriend for the family Christmas. Despite unlikely odds and dysfunctional family moments, the two fall in love and share a magical Christmas.
Wuchak
Dec 23, 2018 · via TMDB
***'Misery' if it were a romantic comedy / Christmas movie*** “Holiday in Handcuffs” (2007) stars Melissa Joan Hart as the underachiever of a liberal family in the Seattle area. When her beau breaks up with her right before her family’s Christmas get-together, she kidnaps a man and forces him to go to the rented cabin as her boyfriend (Mario Lopez). The plot takes “Misery” (1990) and “Buffalo '66” (1998) and morphs them into an amusing romcom / Christmas flick. Melissa was pregnant during shooting, but still cute & winsome. Markie Post appears as the mother and it’s nice to see her again. Layla Alizada as the girlfriend is attractive in a semi-exotic way while June Lockhart is hilarious as the grandmother. I realize this is comedic fluff, but the idea of Stockholm syndrome surfaces. This is a psychological response sometimes seen in hostages in which the captive shows signs of loyalty to the kidnapper, regardless of the peril in which the abductee has been placed. I enjoyed the movie, but the first half is funnier than the second half, which understandably takes a more serious romantic turn. The movie is also seriously marred by the blatantly contrived way the script checks all the idiotic PC boxes. Get Real. The film runs 1 hour, 26 minutes and was shot in Calgary, Alberta. GRADE: C
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Melissa Joan Hart
Gertrude 'Trudie' Chandler
Mario López
David Martin
Timothy Bottoms
Dad Chandler
Markie Post
Mom Chandler
June Lockhart
Grandma
Kyle Howard
Jake Chandler
Vanessa Evigan
Katie Chandler
Gabrielle Miller
Jessica
Layla Alizada
Lucy
Marion Eisman
Mrs. Barber
Karen Hines
Maria
Maureen Jones
Barbara
Marty Hanenberg
Mr. Portnoy
Matt Embry
Slick Guy
Andrea D'Amours
Office Worker
Benjamin Ayres
Nick
Greg Lawson
Officer #1
Rod Heatherington
Officer #2
Gerrick Winston
Steve
Nkechi Odina
Clerk
Travis Milne
Ryan
Christian Fraser
Cute Guy in Car
Faith Louissaint
Diner Patron
Jodi Stecyk
Stunt Coordinator
Crystal Dalman
Stunt Double
Lori MacKay
Stunt Double
Ron Underwood
Director
Jordy Randall
Producer
Danny Lux
Music
It's a Wonderful Life
Singin' in the Rain
Before Sunset
The Bridges of Madison County
Little Miss Sunshine
Brazil
A Make or Break Holiday
The Wizard of Oz
David Harum
Beauty and the Beast
Home Alone
The Thin Man
Dirty Dancing
The Illusionist
Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!
A Boy Called Christmas
A Christmas Story
Trading Places
West Side Story
Out of Africa
Gremlins
The Holiday
Notes on a Scandal
Love Actually
Meet Me in St. Louis
Holidate
Serendipity
Meet the Robinsons
50 First Dates
An Alpine Holiday
Monsoon Wedding
Monster's Ball
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Sleepless in Seattle
We Met in December
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving
The Christmas Baby
EXmas
Bush Christmas
Christmas, Love and Fudge
A Keller Christmas Vacation
Three for the Show
VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life
The Snow Must Go On
Silent Night, Fatal Night
How to Ruin the Holidays
Massacre on Aisle 12
Mr. Santa: A Christmas Extravaganza
Anjel prichádza oknom
Merry Gentlemen
The Aunties
Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh
Psych: The Movie
A December Bride
No Sleep 'Til Christmas
The Princess Switch: Switched Again
Under Wraps
Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa
Holiday Harmony
Secret Summer
A Royal Christmas
Merry Little Batman
Click & Collect
Noelle
Return to Christmas Creek
'Twas the Text Before Christmas
To Grandmother's House We Go
Family Switch
Poinsettias for Christmas
Christmas Magic
EXmas
Your Christmas or Mine?
Under Wraps 2
Catering Christmas
A Christmas Story Christmas
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
Annie Claus Is Coming to Town
Falling for Christmas
The Mistle-Tones
Mrs. Miracle
Jingle Bell Heist
Christmas in Love
A Christmas Melody
12 Gifts of Christmas
Candy Cane Lane
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure
Kristin's Christmas Past
Casper Meets Wendy
A Christmas Miracle for Daisy
Dec 9, 2007
ABC Family
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Under the Same Pink Sky
2020
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2005
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Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
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Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
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