They were my favorite couple of the movie! The bickering they did and their conversations were just so cute and funny! I have this movie DVR'd and I have watched it more than 20 times but I always find myself fast forwarding through Ray and Emily's scenes just to get to Faith and Charles!
"I punched a werewolf in the face"
I totally agree! Tom Cavanaugh is a favorite of mine anyway and we actually share a birthday....not the year though, only the date. I loved the way she was correcting his novel and he had the good graces to actually listen to what she had to say. A lot of men wouldn't have.
shareI vote for Emily and Ray. I liked that understatement approach.
If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world
I'm watching right now...again! It really is a cute Christmas movie. I agree with you about Faith and Charles. I especially loved the scene where she brings him lunch/dinner on the tray. That got to Charles and you could see it in his face. Tom was great and while I liked Emily and Ray...I think Faith and Charles really made the movie.
shareA much later response. This is currently one of my favorite holiday TV movies, and I agree that Faith and Charles are the most fun to watch. They are the comedic couple--the ones who constantly bicker yet hide a growing attraction to each other. But Trading Christmas also involves two other couples, so the tone was different for each one.
There is the side story of Emily's daughter Heather and her boyfriend Jason, and the tone of their story is somewhere between the two main plots--lighthearted but sincere. Heather tried to break tradition by going on a holiday vacation with Jason instead of going home. Jason shows his understanding of Heather as he points out to her that she still loved the holiday traditions she had with her family despite her effort to get away from it. Their story is cute and hints at a deeper relationship for them in the future.
By contrast the tone of Emily and Ray's story had to be different. Their story was the most "serious" one with Emily learning to move on after the death of her husband and Ray realizing that it was time for him to start enjoying life and finding that someone to share it with. IMO Gil Bellows has always been good at playing the quiet, sensitive man and does just fine here although I can understand why others might think that the Emily and Ray story arc is boring. Their story is presented in such an understated way. Emily and Ray are quiet people by nature, and not once do they raise their voices in argument. Realizing what they both want out of life comes to them quietly as well.
I also liked that little sight gag when Emily and Faith are talking on the telephone and drinking from their coffee mugs. The placement of their respective mugs on their tables was so cute. :)
Watching it again right now and ugh, Faith is the one character I hate the most. What a judgmental bitch; no reason for Charles to change his plans just because she shows up uninvited. I'd have sent her packing or demanded the swap be ended. She is so horrible as a person it is hard to believe anyone would out up with her selfish attitudes.
sharestaying because of the bus was dumb.. and also why would he care? in reality she'd be in a motel.
on the other hand as a writer he should've been more excited for a random adventure than be so annoying about it on night one.
That was no more contrived than any of the rest of the Christmas romances. The "inn is always full" to place the leads together. It made for a highly amusing "thrown together" antithetical romance.
You're looking for "reality"? I've got some solid advice from you. Stop watching TV, or movies, or reading fiction. You're in for a lifetime of sad disappointment.
"Stop watching TV, or movies"
but how else am i going to post on these boards?
; )