Jilted waitress Melissa Joan Hart resorts to extreme methods to impress her picky parents in this goofy seasonal romantic comedy. But from the moment she kidnaps customer Mario Lopez and demands he pose as the ideal son-in-law, you know how events will pan out. Consequently, the family Christmas that follows starts to feel like padding (and lamely scripted padding at that); a fact not helped by the scenario's implausibility. It's only when the clan's perfect façade ultimately cracks that the film's content matches its irreverent comic intentions, bringing spirited laughs as everyone emotionally unravels. Creeping sentimentality and heavy-handed lessons ensure humour takes a backseat for the predictable finale - though at least Hart finally gets to relax after all her overzealous wackiness.

A ne’er-do-well thirty-something attempts to appease her family by kidnapping herself an attractive boyfriend for the family Christmas. Despite unlikely odds and dysfunctional family moments, the two fall in love and share a magical Christmas.