Yuletide charmer “A Very Merry Breakup” is a cozy holiday rom-com that feels a lot like catching up with your messiest friend over hot cocoa. Elizabeth Guest writes, directs, and stars as Lydia, a self-proclaimed love addict who finally finds a good man in Tim (Andrew Leeds), only to panic when he proposes during a storybook Christmas in New York. Naturally, she runs away to Los Angeles, where her attempts to get her love life back on track lead to a series of even more bad decisions.
Guest brings a likeably messy energy to Lydia, and the conversational dialogue gives the film a breezy, personable feel. You can imagine having these chats with your best friend, even if you’d occasionally want to shake some sense into her. Lydia’s habit of sabotaging her own happiness gets frustrating (especially when the right choice seems painfully obvious), but there’s something relatable about watching someone struggle to accept the very thing she’s been searching for.
The story follows a familiar holiday romance playbook, and neither the production nor the performances do much to reinvent the genre. Still, the film has a warm, whimsical charm, and its take on happily ever after is more appealing than you’d expect. Sometimes love isn’t about finding a perfect fairy tale, but it’s about learning to stop running from something good.
“A Very Merry Breakup” isn’t going to change the rom-com game, but it’s sweet enough to earn a spot in your holiday movie rotation. Fans of Hallmark-style romances should feel right at home.
By: Louisa Moore
