The final mainstream TV Holiday LGBTQ movie Queerguru is reviewing this season comes from the Lifetime Channel. It’s known for its crowd-pleasing programming that is geared toward women or features women in lead roles. On this occasion the star is Fran Drescher known for all those years playing The Nanny, and she is cast as the matriarch of this family drama. Ms Drescher’s charm (!) is that she plays herself in every role she undertakes, and this one is no different
This time she is playing the mother of Hugo (Ben Lewis) a gay man who, in a very similar story as Paramount’s “Dashing In December” . left the family’s home in a small country town to become a big shot in the city. Reluctant to come home for the Holidays but he suddenly changes his mind when he bumps into local hunk Patrick (Blake Lee) when he delivers the Christmas tree.
The two quickly move from making side glances to each other to falling head over heals in love ….. well, the Christmas holiday is quite short after all.. Then suddenly Hugo gets a phone call from his Boss in the City who evidently never stops working and who offers him a wonderful promotion which in-tales a move London. He of course thinks about it way longer than we do
Lewis and Lee happen to be a married gay couple off the screen so their chemistry is very authentic for a change, although suitable circumspect not to shock the audience too much.
The film was directed by Canadian queer filmmaker Pat Mills, who also helmed the Queens series this year, from a screenplay by Michael J Murphy whose list of credits includes several Christmas movies. There are no surprises at all in this cute queer movie that plays well when you just want to stay home in the warmth with ‘him inside”. And with a tot (or two) of whisky inside, even Ms Drescher’s nasal twine doesn’t grate too much.
Labels: 2020, Lifetime TV, Rom com
