My Review of Dashing In December (2020)

 

Written & Directed by Jake Helgren

Heath: "We shouldn't be working together, even if you are out there."

Wyatt: "That's a good point. What if I were here?"

Heath: "Why would you be here?"

Wyatt: "Well, we're expanding out west and as the newly appointed Senior VP I should probably spearhead that venture. Not to mention I need to find my boss a new property. He's not too thrilled about me stealing this one from his buyers but most importantly I would really like to take you out on a date. A real one this time."

And again, 2020 has become the year for some gay Christmas romance movies and with this entry, you've got something that not quite as mainstream as Happiest Season was intending to be had it gotten a bigger theatrical release but at the same time, it's slightly above a Lifetime/Hallmark Christmas movie. Okay, maybe not quite.

This movie has the usual trappings of every single Hallmark/Lifetime romcom you've ever watched and will likely ever watch as well for good measure. You've got your nice setting - we go from the hustle and bustle of New York to a ranch in Colorado and you've got a pairing in which it's mutual snarky banter at first sight before the big romantic gesture at the last minute to cap things off.

The couple in question are financier Wyatt Burwell (Peter Porte) who returns home for Christmas to his mother, Deb (Andi MacDowell) and former girlfriend/friend, Blake (Caroline Harris) only to meet the new farm hand, Heath Ramos (Juan Pablo Di Pace) and it's not long before the two of them go through every romcom trope imaginable throughout this 88 minute movie.

Yup, both Wyatt and Heath badly read other, make snarky comments, question each other's motives over different things (notably Wyatt wanting his mother to sell the family ranch) before they end up connecting through shared stories of their own romantic woes and becoming more and more at ease with one another.

What gives the movie a boost is having two openly gay actors portraying Wyatt and Heath. Both Peter Porte and Juan Pablo Di Pace do well with the script and the slow burning romance with their characters feels organic enough. Porte arguably has the harder task as there are times when Wyatt steps over the prickly line with some of his lingering resentment towards his family home but the last minute dash to save his family business and get the guy of his dreams while a bit rushed did end things on a nice note. 

Heath on the other hand was adorable throughout the entire movie. His guarded stance towards Wyatt made sense when his backstory was revealed and I quite liked the rapport he had with both Blake and Deb. Not to mention it was hard not to be swayed by his dance moves, especially at the country bar too. Juan Pablo Di Pace has some moves on him.

As for the two prominent female characters of the piece. I think both Deb and Caroline were likable enough characters but they were mostly there to push Heath and Wyatt together. Still there was a nice subplot involving Deb's romance with former farm hand Carlos (Carlos Sanz) and Blake reuniting with her own husband, Sam (K. Danor Gerald) just in time for Christmas.

- Wyatt had a horse named Dasher, Heath a mare named Snowbell and even Blake had a horse named Nutmeg. 

- Funny how both Wyatt and Heath gave each other pet names - Applesauce and Sugar Cubes. I also laughed at the blatant product placement, though I do like that certain product that Deb used at the start of the movie.

- Standout music: Cody Below's Hang Your Hat On My Christmas Tree, Shania Twain's Any Man Of Mine and Sam Smith's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

- Chronology: Safe to assume, it's meant to be December 2020, though this movie is thankfully devoid of referencing you know what.

Dashing In December definitely has all the trapping of a cheesy Lifetime/Hallmark movie but damn, I enjoyed it a lot. It's overdue that we've gotten these movies and with two lovely leading men and some gorgeous settings and a convincing romance, I suggest sitting back and reveling in the sheer cheesy fun of this one.

Rating: 8 out of 10