Alexendra Breckenridge Elevates a Formulaic Holiday Flick

Two polar-opposite characters from different social classes bond over a shared enthusiasm for punk rock and classic vinyl records in Netflix’s latest festive comedy, My Secret Santa, which is barely a cut above its peers on the streamer. My Secret Santa operates on a morally ambiguous tone, like Michael Fimognari’s crime caper Jingle Bell Heist. It spotlights the struggles of single parenting and motherhood, elevating its unoriginal matchmaking with poignant developments.

Directed by Mike Rohl, auteur of Netflix’s The Princess Switch Christmas trilogy, Rohl has the ideal credentials to create another yuletide hit, but barely hits the exceptional mark with My Secret Santa. Starring versatile actors like Virgin River’s Alexandra Breckenridge and Ryan Eggold, the film’s leads are a charming couple with undeniable on-screen chemistry. However, despite Rohl’s oeuvre of Christmas-themed features and the leads’ charisma, the film struggles to rise above its predictable script.

My Secret Santa Replays the Rich Hero, Poor Heroine Dynamic in a Somewhat Cliched Manner

In Netflix’s latest holiday flick, Christmas ironically unwraps financial tragedy for the lead protagonist, Taylor Jacobson (Alexandra Breckenridge), ex-lead singer of Screaming Kittens, who is forced to sacrifice her rockstar career for her daughter. She has just lost her job as a manager at Clotz Cookies; rent is four months due; and the fees for Sun Peaks Snowboard Academy, which accepted her daughter as an ice-skating trainee, are exorbitant. Despite the financial odds, Taylor determines to enrol her daughter in Sun Peaks Academy, and is prepared to do anything for it, even if it means masquerading as an elderly Father Christmas at the Sun Peaks ski resort.

Playing Father Christmas comes with irresistible perks for Taylor: a 50% discount on Sun Peaks Snowboard Academy fees — a bonus for Sun Peaks employees — and rewarding pay. For that reason, Taylor adopts the alias “Hugh Mann” and changes her appearance and mannerisms to work as Father Christmas at the Sun Peaks. However, the ski resort is owned by the ultrawealthy Laynes, and billionaire enterprise heir Matthew Layne (Ryan Eggold) — the film’s beau — is Taylor’s manager. Eggold plays the role of Matthew quite charmingly, dramatizing a spot-on depiction of an irresponsible heir on the path of redemption. He first crosses paths with Taylor at a vinyl store. And, coincidentally, Matthew is an uber-fan of the Screaming Kittens and recognizes Taylor igniting sparks between the two lovebirds.

My Secret Santa clings firmly to the rich-hero, poor-heroine dynamic, with a decent twist in that Mathew never truly knows about Taylor’s financial situation. The film connects both lovers through Santa, with Taylor secretly unmasking Matthew’s genuine feelings, while she remains emotionally guarded for fear of being hurt.

Breckenridge Shines as an Emotionally Intelligent Santa

My Secret Santa uses Santa Claus figuratively as both an introspective tool for Taylor and as emotional symbolism that underpins the somewhat personal meaning of Christmas; however, it takes a linear approach to its writing. Co-writers Carley Smale (Snowed Inn Christmas) and Ron Oliver craft a prosaic dialogue with occasional witty banter between the film’s romantic duo. Primarily, it matches a prodigal heir from the upper-class milieu with a hardworking single mom who ekes out a living paycheck to paycheck. Although the film refrains from bringing financial struggles into the mix between the duo, it doesn’t stray from its cliched proclivities.

What works well for the holiday film is its emotional qualities. Hugh Mann might be too practical for the Santa job that requires a delicate balancing of wish-granting and adult guidance. Hence, Taylor can’t help but project her parental logic onto the children’s wishes, forgetting that for most, Santa is an escapist concept. Eventually, she channels her emotional intelligence into her role as a jolly Santa who connects to the children on a deeper level. These encounters are among the film’s most evocative scenes, with children leaving Santa with better confidence and a tougher mindset.

Natasha (Tia Mowry) shines as the film’s saboteur, envious of privileged Mathew, who got the General Manager role despite lacking the required skills or experience. However, the best cast performance is undoubtedly Breckenridge, whose shenanigans as Hugh Mann make the most of the movie’s comedic elements. The chemistry in My Secret Santa is visible on-screen and takes a while to truly blossom.

To deepen its romance, the film repeatedly weaves melancholy into its comedic backdrop, building toward a tragicomic revelation that ultimately brings the leads together. Though rooted in familiar territory, it lands on an unexpectedly resonant note, blending humor, heartache, and hard-won connection into a conclusion that works marginally better than its formula suggests.