A California Christmas: City Lights review — A pedantic romantic comedy with nothing new to offer

With no star power serving as an enticing factor, and a story that has nothing outstanding (or outlandish or mildly salacious like Kissing Booth) to offer, it wouldn’t exactly be the first pick from the expansive Netflix library.

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A California Christmas: City Lights

Netflix has a big roster is festival releases, and some films just do not deserve too much thought or analysis post-viewing. One of the newer films that fit the bill is A California Christmas: City Lights, follow up to the 2020 romantic comedy about one rich guy Joseph (Joseph Swickward) who falls in love with a girl Callie (Lauren Swickward) living on a farm. That’s the gist of it, and the only details that matter.

The only way to further their story is to throw the possibility of marriage into the mix. That’s usually the next step in an adult relationship trajectory too. So Joseph pops the question to Callie, while she is leading a wine tasting session at the farm. Callie giddily accepts. Then comes the hurdle - Joseph might have to return to San Francisco to claim his rightful place as CEO of his parents’ company after his mother elopes to Tahiti with her yoga instructor. 

The story conveniently disallows him to Callie share the complete reason behind why he wants to go back to the city, and later in a conversation with her friend she wonders if this visit will cause any changes to their life and relationship.

In their absence, a sub-plot filling in the story is the banter between Brandy, the best friend and Manny, the property manager. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded for the story to completely centre on both of them. Manny is funny and goofy, and Brandy is more than a one-dimensional character. My favourite bit is when he does a little goofy peacock dance, whilst washing a car. 

There are changes, and there are rifts — no romantic film is bereft of conflicts and their consequent resolution. It’s the same old cliched storytelling route that the makers have taken.

With no star power serving as an enticing factor, and a story that has nothing outstanding (or outlandish or mildly salacious like Kissing Booth) to offer, it wouldn’t exactly be the first pick from the expansive Netflix library.

The film is dreary and tiresome, and I couldn’t wait for it to end. Give it a shot, maybe it will be a different experience for you.

A California Christmas: City Lights is now streaming on Netflix.

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Cast and Crew

Lauren York

Callie

David Del Rio

Manny

Ali Afshar

Leo

Where To Watch