EXmas is a romance-comedy that revolves around the lives of an estranged couple. The able cast of the film includes Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, and others. The plot has been spun around the story of a transitional phase between a couple. They have been transitioning from an estranged relationship to getting back together. EXmas beautifully brings out the rekindling relationship between Ali and Graham. The film is replete with a beautiful essence of Christmas merriment, captivating audiences. Will Ali and Graham finally be able to hit it off? How will Ali’s family help them get back together? Let us find out!
Spoilers Ahead
What Role Does Graham’s Family Play In Their Relationship?
Ali surprises his family on Christmas when he suddenly visits them after telling them initially that he wouldn’t come. He is surprised to find that his ex-fiancé Ali is at his place and has been vibing well with his family. Graham’s parents are very enthusiastic about helping the two rekindle their spark. They are engaged in a lot of family fun, as they participate in game nights, bake cookies together, attend parties, play hockey together, and a lot more. These activities help in re-igniting the spark that Ali and Graham had thought was gone. Graham’s mother explains to him that a relationship should be a two-way street and that he should be a bit kinder to Ali as she was their guest. Despite their breakup, Graham’s family has not been able to think of her as an outsider. They still considered her to be a part of their family. Ali has also chosen to stay in touch with Graham’s family, as she feels included with them and gets the love that she could never get from her own family. It is possible that Graham’s family was one of the main reasons behind the reawakened feeling, as he knew that no one else could take her spot in the family because she knew their importance and valued her relationship with them.
What Tricks Do Ali And Graham Play On Each Other?
Initially, Graham doesn’t approve of Ali’s presence in his house during Christmas. He tries all his tricks to ensure that his parents start disliking her. During game night, he tries tricks to make his parents believe that Ali was not honest while playing a game. Ali also tries her best to keep up the competitive spirit and clogs the toilet so that it will overflow, and just when that does happen, she jumps into the rescue. She garners all the praise from Ali’s family and proves to him that she indeed has made her spot in his family. When they go to a party, both Ali and Graham meet new love interests. It could have been an attempt on their sides to ensure that they could make each other feel jealous. Graham also plays a trick on Ali when they go to a Christmas gathering. He knew that Ali was morbidly scared of goats, and when she saw one at the spot, he stuffed her pocket with grains so that the goat would follow her all around the place. Both Ali and Graham try all kinds of tricks on each other to establish their individual narrative and prove that the breakup was a result of the opponent’s fault.
Do Ali And Graham Still Have A Spark?
It is quite evident that Graham and Ali still have feelings for each other. The sweet fights that they have with each other make it even more clear that they are still fond of one another. We get a glance of both Ali and Graham having glimpses of their pasts together when they are alone. Despite trying to make each other feel jealous by seeing others, they both are unable to feel much for their respective partners. We see Graham trying to date a girl, but no matter how hard he tries, he is unable to vibe with her. Ali’s new love interest, Brady, is also seen to be more interested in selling her a car than courting her. Finally, when Graham and Ali confront each other about their new love interests, their sweet bickerings and complaints prove that both have been jealous all the while. Graham and Ali end up getting intimate, proving the fact that they have feelings for each other. Ali confesses to her that he had been too occupied with his work, which ultimately led to them getting separated. This confession seems to melt Ali’s heart to a certain extent, as after this point she stops unnecessary arguments that she was making to vent her emotions all throughout EXmas. Just at the point where she realizes that Graham understood his part in the breakup, we see a more caring and considerate side of Ali.
What Incident Finally Reunites Them?
Graham’s entire family plans on going to a hockey match on Christmas Eve. While they are all enjoying the game, Dennis ends up having a heart attack at the hockey rink. Ali immediately calls the doctor, while Graham has been giving him CPR. Dennis, however, survives the attack, as he is rushed to the hospital in time. Graham again makes it clear to Ali and apologizes to her for having failed to meet her expectations. He tells her how overworked he was and that he could barely give her any time. Just when he blames himself for the situation, he gets a call from the office, and just then he decides to quit his job. His sudden decision to quit his job was because he had realized that spending time with the close ones was far more important than giving his job all his time and effort. Finally, when Dennis returns home and it is time for Ali to leave, Graham realizes that he is still in love with her. When Ali departs for the airport, he realizes that he has to stop her. His entire family was very supportive of his decision to go and get her back. Just when he decides to go to get her back, he sees Ali standing at his doorstep. It is very evident that the spark of their relationship was still there in both Ali and Graham’s hearts. They knew that they would be making a mistake if they let each other go.
Final Words
EXmas ends typically on a happy note, where we see Graham and Ali finally getting married. After a year, we see the couple happily pursuing their dreams, as Ali gets a food truck of her own and Graham starts his own business. The film has an amazing romantic vibe that makes us reminisce about our past relationships and our share of mistakes that have caused us heartaches! This film makes it clear to us that owning up to our own faults can easily help in mending our relationships. However, the plot of EXmas was not very well woven, and all the occurrences seemed to be very sudden throughout the film. Despite the flaws of the plot, the lighthearted 1-hour, 30-minute comedy is sure to put a smile on our faces. I would say that the film was not a complete waste of time, but the fun and romance elements could have been explored better. Since Christmas is just around the corner, the festive vibe of the film has covered all the flaws in EXmas.
