A Christmas To Treasure (2022) -
The whole plot was all a bit daft and an extreme story to start with, but it wasn't un-cute. It just seemed like something that might have been written for teenagers, like a 'Hardy Boys' or a 'Sweet Valley High' holiday special, although there wasn't that much Christmas involved.
I couldn't really connect with Austin played by Taylor Frey, he was such a d!ck. And his reason for falling out with Everett all those years previously was something that he should have got over years ago. I think that was what put me off him right from the start. He'd be one of those guys that I would avoid in a club, because I could just tell that he loved the drama too much and hung on to grudges way too long, which only embittered him and stopped him from moving on in his own life.
Considering that the two leading men were married in real life, I struggled to buy Austin's attraction to Everett and I felt that Everett could do a lot better. Like Ricky for instance, who was lovely. I probably would have put him with Everett instead and had Austin as the ex boyfriend obstacle to overcome. I did like the nostalgic element of their relationship though, because that young love thing was something that I personally missed out on.
They were generally all good actors and the production was good too, but it still seemed to somehow lack something. The treasure hunting storyline has not been an overused vehicle in these films, but as I've said, it did feel quite young adult instead of actual adult.
And that emotional connection that the characters are alleged to have toward their adoptive parent/guardian and of being childhood friends was not something I could understand, because I can barely remember the people I met last week. I hope that there really are cases out there of people making a difference for others. Based on 'Queer Eye' (2018) there have been at least a few, but I haven't been fortunate enough to have been touched by any Angel yet. Perhaps that's part of what makes me so jaded towards these films, that and the fact that finding love seems like an elusive thing that everyone else is pretending to have found just to make me want it more, which certainly seemed true here.
Those were the elements of this film that seemed too perfect and as such it didn't have that rough, life can be hard sometimes, but your someone is out there somewhere vibe to it that makes me believe I might not die alone after all.
As with so many of these films, the last minute rush, "We need money to save the old place", Christmas Eve Party was a huge stretch to believe as well. My plans for Christmas are set well in advance and Lord help anyone who tries to get me to change them last minute, but please do try.
I suppose that overall I wouldn't say never to seeing this one again, but I'd be more inclined to watch 'Bros' (2022) or 'In From The Side' (2023) as a preferred gay romance with Christmas thrown in storyline instead.
5.85/10.
