Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Boxing Day’ on Amazon Prime Video, A ‘Love Actually’-Esque British Rom-Com

‘Tis the season for holiday romance; kisses under the mistletoe, acts of love wrapped up with a bow, family drama while a fire crackles in the hearth. Boxing Day, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, takes some of the holiday rom-com tropes we know and love from flicks like Love Actually and makes them feel fresh again. Written, directed by, and starring I May Destroy You star Aml Ameen, Boxing Day delivers a delightful British holiday romantic comedy. 

BOXING DAY: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: British author Melvin (writer/director Aml Ameen) is finally hitting it big; his newest book is taking off, and he’s living in Los Angeles with the love of his life, Lisa (Aja Naomi King). When Lisa discovers she’s pregnant, she decides to keep it to herself, knowing that Melvin isn’t the biggest fan of children. Still, she accepts when he proposes to her in an incredibly romantic way (even if she vomits a few moments into it). The two head to London for Christmas for Melvin to promote his new book – and to see his big family. Melvin left London after his parents’ dramatic split, and when he hopped on that plane, he also left his last girlfriend, singer Georgia (Leigh-Anne Pinnock) totally heartbroken. Now faced with the family and the love he left behind, Melvin finds himself attempting to juggle two lives.

Lisa, meanwhile, has also put her dream job on hold for Melvin, unbeknownst to him. Harboring the secret of the job and the pregnancy, Lisa does her best to get to know Melvin’s family and successfully charms most of them – even Georgia, at first. With unresolved feelings between Georgia and Melvin and a lot on the line for everyone, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes to light. Let’s just hope it doesn’t put a damper on the Boxing Day celebrations!

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Boxing Day has more than a bit of a Love Actually thing going for it with its multiple storylines, and may also remind you of other Richard Curtis titles like About Time as well as other holiday-centric rom-coms like Valentine’s Day.

Performance Worth Watching: Tamara Lawrance is a total scene-stealer as Melvin’s outspoken and hilarious sister Aretha, aka “Boobsy”. Whether she’s acting as assistant/friend to Georgia, stirring the pot for her brother, or breaking the tension when things get heated at home, Lawrance brings a special sparkle to each of her moments on screen. Every great rom-com needs a solid goofy best friend or sister role, and Lawrance perfectly fills those shoes and then some.

Memorable Dialogue: I’ll admit I was a bit of a sucker for the corny opening excerpt from Melvin’s new book, a speech that evokes the narration from Love Actually: “…despite life telling us magic is not real, it whispers to us to try again.”

Sex and Skin: There’s some discussion of sexy time playlists and the act, but it’s overall pretty tame.

Our Take: Boxing Day is like a warm hug in film form; from its shamelessly sappy opening lines to its perfect rom-com ending, I was sold. It’s hard to resist a cast so charming, a story so predictable, a setting so lovely. Aml Ameen, pulling triple duty as writer, director, and star, knocks it out of the park, even when the script leans hard into familiar beats and its cheesier inclinations. It works! The love story (and later love triangle) at the heart of it all works, and the family’s respective plots all add some lovely dimension to the whole thing, even when it feels slightly unnecessary. (The bit involving Melvin’s younger brother and their cousin goes a little off the rails, but it does provide some comic relief during the film’s heavier moments).

The whole thing is an incredibly festive affair, heartfelt and infectious to its core. The Love Actually comparisons are inevitable, especially given the London setting and the use of cue cards in a romantic gesture, but Boxing Day really does do its own thing. It may be a little corny, but it’s wholly sincere, genuinely funny at points, and full of all the moments that make holiday rom-coms the magical gifts that keep on giving.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Boxing Day is totally delightful, a worthy addition to the holiday rom-com canon armed with memorable characters and some genuine laughs.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Boxing Day on Amazon Prime Video