“I Believe in Santa,” a new Netflix original film by Alex Ranarivelo, is a generic Christmas story with romance, holiday spirit, and a charming couple who struggle to accept their differences. “I Believe in Santa” relates the story of Lisa (played by Christina Moore) and Tom (played by John Ducey), who met, fell in love, and eventually realized their differences when Lisa discovered Tom believed in Santa Claus and Tom found out Lisa didn’t. But Lisa’s daughter Ella (played by Violet McGraw) is still a child, and technology and scientific logic haven’t yet infiltrated her brain, so she loves to believe in the whole Christmas and Santa thing. Since her mother, Lisa, wants her daughter to be reasonable, her childlike wonder may be taken away. However, even if Lisa does not believe in the festival, she may just let others be content with their faith in it, but would she be able to do so? Let’s see whether this Christmas can make a difference in Lisa’s perspective.
Spoilers Ahead
‘I Believe In Santa’ Plot Summary: What Happens In The Film?
The story opens at Lisa’s workplace, where she was working on an article on the Fourth of July. She respected her nation’s Independence Day, and to express her affection for the holiday; she called it “better than Christmas” in her article, which undoubtedly upset some individuals like Tom, who are fervent Christmas celebrators. Tom, however, is a calm and serene person who respects both the beliefs of others and his own. Tom and Lisa first crossed paths at the Fourth of July festival, where Ella, Lisa’s daughter, had been lost in the crowds and needed help finding her mother, so Tom kept her safe with him until he could find her mother. Lisa found Ella safe with Tom and began to like him for his nice and friendly demeanor. Tom accepted Ella’s invitation to attend her performance at the carnival. After five months of dating, Lisa and Tom’s bond seemed magical to them both. But when Lisa realized that Tom wasn’t simply a casual lover of Christmas—he was completely obsessed with it—problems started to surface. Lisa was completely turned off by Tom, who was a lawyer with a demanding schedule but only took sick leave to decorate his room as if he were going to win a prize in a Christmas decorating competition. However, she couldn’t just break up with him because Tom loved Christmas, so she had to wait until January for Tom’s craziness to subside. She began to like the fact that Tom was granting Ella’s every request with his undivided attention, so she also felt like giving Christmas another try for Ella’s sake and her love life. But when Ella started to question Santa’s existence, Tom assured her that Santa Claus would be a very real person if she believed in him. Lisa believed that Tom was acting in this way to spare Ella’s feelings and preserve her sense of wonder. But soon, she learned from a conversation that Tom actually believed in Santa Claus and that he had a very strange theory according to which Santa travels through an alternate reality or a different timeline that doesn’t exist in the one we live in. Lisa was alarmed by Tom’s strange explanation, and she grew irritated with his crazy holiday celebrations. Finally, when Tom began pressing her to go on a sleigh ride, she called it quits and declared that she didn’t think they should see each other again, which shattered Tom’s heart and caused him to blame himself for wrecking their perfect relationship. Is it, however, ruined? Perhaps it’s just a hiccup that can be worked out if they have trust in each other, so let’s look into it to see if they can solve their dilemma.
‘I Believe In Santa’ Ending Explained – Did Lisa And Tom Work Out Their Relationship? Did Lisa Finally Believe In Santa?
When Lisa eventually met Tom’s point of view, which sounded nonsensical to her but reasonable to Tom, a chasm began to form between the two of them. Lisa finally lashed out and expressed that she had her own reasons for no longer believing in Santa. She stated that she was seven years old when she found a Barbie in her parent’s closet and that her parents chastised her for ruining Christmas and their surprise for her. She was upset to know that her parents had hurt their little daughter’s feelings by giving importance to the festival. Now she was confronted with the same situation when Tom emphasized his love for Santa over her. Though Tom had no intention of hurting Lisa, he felt awful for destroying her mood by pressuring her to believe in this festival. Lisa and Tom took a break to figure things out, and in the meanwhile, Ella’s project arrived, which she couldn’t do without someone’s help. So, Lisa’s closest friend, Sharon, drove her to Tom’s to assist her with her project, which was to build a sleigh for their forthcoming race. Lisa then went to see Tom’s friend Assan to see if they could come up with a solution to Tom and Lisa’s problem. Assan attempted to convey that, as a Muslim, he had faced numerous challenges because of his religion. While everyone around him had criticized him for his religious activities and beliefs, Tom was the only one who had never shown him contempt. As a result, Assan never interfered with Tom’s feelings or passion for Christmas. When Lisa objected that Santa isn’t a religion, Assan responded that they were both just stories that people had always thought to be true. Tom believed in Santa, just as we do when we believe in religion, despite the lack of any supporting evidence. Lisa realized her mistake and made an effort to behave better. So she went to Ella’s sleigh race and talked to Tom about putting their argument behind them. Tom didn’t have any resentments either. They triumphed in the race, and after winning the trophy, both of them shared their intention of not breaking their bond over their divergent viewpoints since, in the end, Tom had simply wanted to establish a happy family with Lisa and Ella, and Lisa, too, wanted it. Ella was taken aback when Tom asked Lisa to marry him since this was the gift that Ella had desired to have from Santa Claus. The movie ended with Ella receiving her present, an “iPhone,” and Lisa realized it was none other than Tom. Therefore, Ella’s wish coming true may prove that Santa Claus may not be real, but people who believe in his magic and always wish others well receive the gifts of love because they deserve them. Lisa didn’t come to believe in Santa, but she was content with her husband Tom’s belief in it, and Tom stopped pressuring her to engage in these festivities. They both resolved their issues and eventually came to embrace one another.
Final Words
“I Believe in Santa ” is a delightful romantic film that will appeal to audiences of all ages. It is not intended for complex thought or emotion. Although the plot may seem childish, the movie’s appeal lies in its intention to maintain your sense of childlike wonder. Tom had always believed that Santa Claus was real since it fueled his nostalgia for his childhood, which may have played a big role in his life. Therefore, he never made an effort to change himself or give up faith in the magic in order to win Lisa over, and consequently, Lisa also embraced him for who he was. This is a fantastic lesson the movie has to offer, which you’d enjoy even if you don’t believe in Christmas. But if you do, keep your feeling of amazement alive no matter how old you get.
” I Believe in Santa” is a 2022 romance comedy film directed by Alex Ranarivelo.
