Which Christmas Movie Romances Would Really Last? ‘Couples Court With the Cutlers’ Stars Weigh In
The Princess Switch
Somebody call Nev Schulman because we’ve got some real catfishing going on in this movie! Both of the relationships in this movie began with a BIG lie. While they make for entertaining TV, impersonating someone else is no way to get to start a real relationship. The relationships of Stacey and Prince Edward, and Lady Margaret and Kevin won’t last past the Christmas tree.
A Christmas Prince
Amber’s situation is a bit more complex — she’s deceiving in an attempt to get her job done as a reporter, and ultimately tries to come clean before the lie can do further damage. Richard and Amber are a sweet couple, and we’ve seen first-hand on Couples Court with the Cutlers that couples can move past a brush with dishonesty if they commit to making it work. Amber truly cares about Richard, which is evident in the way she supports his future, and when Richard shares sentimental notes from his late father to Amber, he reveals to everyone watching just how much he trusts her. We are confident this romance will continue to bring them joy long after the Christmas spirit has tapered away.
Love Actually
Harry and Karen seem like they have it all. But nothing makes the tinsel fall off the Christmas tree than finding out your husband is cheating. We believe that Harry and Karen have enough bedrock to survive his dalliance, but does Karen have enough skin in the game to take Harry back and rebuild anew? We see this all the time on Couples Court and we ask the couples, “Are you two in it to win it?” We think Karen and Harry have what it takes to come back together stronger than before. And what better holiday gift than the real possibility for happily ever after?
Elf
Who doesn’t love Elf? You actually must be the Grinch not to embrace Buddy’s innocence. But it is that very innocence that makes us think he may end up drivng Jovie crazy for the long haul. Longevity thrives where there is commonality of values and life experiences. Don’t believe the hype opposites might attract, but they usually do not last. Buddy’s and Jovie’s love affair will be the love of Christmas Past not of Christmas Future.
Last Holiday
We love Georgia! She does not take to bed after hearing the devastating news of a terminal illness, but decides to live her best life. There’s a lesson here for everyone, don’t wait until a fatal diagnosis to begin to live. Pursue life with complete joy. It was only when she set herself free that the love she longed for came into her life. We believe that Georgia and Sean have what it takes to make life merry every single day.
The Holiday
We love the double entendre with the name of this movie. Because Europeans call vacation “holiday” and Iris and Amanda are going holiday for the Holidays. Amanda is headed to England and trading homes with Iris because she has discovered her live-in boyfriend is jingling someone else’s bells. Iris is headed to sunny California to forget the love of her life is marrying someone else. It seems like Miles is dating out of his league. The mismatch of beautiful English maiden Iris with wise-cracking, music-making Miles is a charming story, but not realistic. We just do not see them having the staying power because they are so different from each other. We think it makes for a wonderful winter “wrestling,” but they won’t make it to see the English roses bloom.
White Christmas
Old school Christmas movie (there are some movie norms that would not be acceptable today-so don’t get mad, just know that was okay even in 1954). If this doesn’t make you want to wrap gifts with a mug of cocoa, nothing will. Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (a famous Broadway duo) team up with pair of sisters who have their own song-and-dance act. This quartet, built-in double daters, have what it takes to go shushing into the New Year and beyond. This foursome have so much common — including the same career-goals. If your best friend enjoys your mate it makes for picture perfect holidays for years to come for everyone.
The Best Man Holiday
This may be one of our favorite holiday movies. Quentin “Q” and Shelby sleigh us. (You see what we did there?) Q and Shelby are definitely in lust and could probably be more if they could set aside their egos and what their might friends might say about them. It appears that Q may have left more in her stocking than a candy cane, looking at Shelby’s daughter, Kennedy. If Shelby and Q got real and set aside their HO HO HO ways, they would be good for each other. But they have a lot of work to do to get off Santa’s naughty list.
Four Christmases
This movie makes us wonder do families really act like this? The siblings, the parents are all insane and we fully understand why Kate and Brad née Orlando have been lying to their families about their whereabouts for the holidays. Kate and Brad have what it takes to bring new year after new year. They have deep friendship; similar childhood experiences/traumas; and love for one another. And even though they had not revealed all of their scary past to one another — that is not needed for a successful relationship. Brad’s realization that he needs Kate to be complete is huge. Kate’s recognition that it is more to life than here and now is enormous. Those monumental turns makes Kate and Brad realize that they want more than a season of fun, but a lifetime of shared memories.
The Bishop’s Wife / The Preacher’s Wife
The Bishop’s Wife came out in 1947 starring David Niven and Loretta Young. An updated version starring Whitney Houston and Courtney B. Vance came out in 1996. Both stories involve a Bishop/Preacher seeking to raise funds to build a new cathedral and to keep their church open and heated, respectively. Both wives are bored and feeling a little neglected with their spouses’ preoccupation with raising funds. The Bishop’s/Preacher’s prayers are answered when an angel appears to help with fund-raising in the persons of Cary Grant/Denzel Washington. The Grant’s/Denzel’s presence also gets the attention of the Bishop’s/Preacher’s wives, who become quite smitten. Have you seen Cary Grant and Denzel Washington? You could put either one under my tree if I did not have Judge Keith! I think these movies highlight when we forget to invest in our relationships your partner will seek reaffirming attention elsewhere. Luckily the Bishop/Preacher see they might need to focus on home as much as their vocational duties and end up saving their churches; their families; and the holiday. Watch these two back to back with a big mug of cocoa!
Holiday Inn
This is a fun movie, if you can get past the stereotypes and acceptable movie norms from 1942. We want to focus on Lila, Ted’s (Fred Astaire) dance partner, who is focused on who can put the most expensive gifts in her stocking, breaking hearts all the way, to find who she thought was her Santa was really the Grinch. Users never win in the love game. Lila isn’t looking for love so she will never be satisfied with what she will find under her tree.
This Christmas
Ma’Dere and Deacon Black — hello for mature love being hinted at on-screen. But even though Ma’Dere and Deacon are GROWN folks they are still trying to hide that they are cohabitating. Ma’Dere and Deacon have a deep respect for each other, but need to stop playing back door Santa. Who does Ma’Dere think she is fooling? Ma’Dere go on and proudly hang Deacon’s stocking with the rest of the family’s stockings on the fireplace. Deaconesses and Deacons need love too. We believe Ma’Dere’s adult children will embrace the truth (they already know it, anyway) and will happily make room at the Christmas dinner table for one more.
The Perfect Holiday
If nothing else, this movie provides wonderful Christmas Eye Candy with Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union as Benjamin and Nancy, respectively. Nancy is like so many single moms with kids, she has forgotten she deserves to be loved, cared for and pampered, too. Benjamin is just the kind of brother to make a woman cook a holiday ham AND turkey with all the fixings. Benjamin has what every woman wants under her tree — kind heart, loves kids and cares about Nancy. This relationship will sparkle on long after the holiday decorations are put away.
Shop Around the Corner / You’ve Got Mail
Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as Alfred and Klara, respectively, playing co-workers in a general store in Budapest was released in 1940. Alfred and Klara, unbeknownst to one another, are pen pals who share their deepest and most intimate thoughts and longings. Ironically, at work Alfred and Klara are constantly nipping at each other’s nose — and not in a good way.
You’ve Got Mail was the 1998 remake of Shop Around the Corner starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox, respectively. A nod is made to the original when we find that Kathleen’s adorable children’s bookstore is aptly named Shop Around the Corner. The twist on the update is that Joe’s family owns a giant discount bookstore that ultimately puts Kathleen’s charming shop out of business. Meanwhile, neither Joe nor Kathleen knows that their AOL buddy is the other. In the end, both Alfred and Joe When Alfred must convince Klara and Kathleen to fall in love with him and not this fictional guy Klara and Kathleen have in their minds as her ideal mate. We love both movies and usually watch them back to back with a giant bowl of popcorn and strawberry licorice. Klara and Alfred and Kathleen and Joe have will be putting holiday decorations together for many years to come. They have already seen the best and worst of each other. In the end, you knew that Klara and Kathleen had fallen for Alfred and Joe, respectively, proving that Christmas wishes can still come true.
Couples Court With the Cutlers stars Dana and Keith Cutler are the first-ever married couple to preside over a television courtroom.
They know a thing or two about what make a good relationship — from the hundreds of cases they see in their courtroom and through their own relationship of over 30 years. Because of that, and in the midst of the current holiday season (and the annual parade of Christmas rom-coms), TV Insider asked the Emmy nominees to give their verdict on whether these on-screen romances would really last.
Click through the gallery to find out what they said about pairs from movies like Netflix’s A Christmas Prince, It’s a Wonderful Life, Love Actually, The Preacher’s Wife, and more!
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