: Emma Lockhart (Hayley Orrantia) returns home for the holidays only to discover her widowed father, Jack (Dermot Mulroney), is dating her high school nemesis, Brandy Barnes (Janel Parrish). Emma spends the next four days attempting to sabotage their relationship.

: Unlike traditional "warm and fuzzy" Hallmark movies, this film is often described as a "lump of coal," focusing on a protagonist who is intentionally unlikable, manipulative, and "horrifying" to some viewers.

: The film is noted in Queer Film Databases for the character Charlyne (Emilie Modaff), Emma's queer best friend who serves as the "voice of reason" and offers a "misandrist" counterpoint to the central romance.

: Scholarly articles on Christmas cinema often point to how movies like this rely on Protestant resonances and Christian tropes (even when secular) to structure their stories of reconciliation and family restoration. Where to Find Full Details

The 2021 film (originally titled The Fight Before Christmas ) is an American romantic comedy. For a "useful paper" or analytical resource on the movie, you can explore the following summaries and critical perspectives. Film Overview