Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Fall Into Winter’ on Netflix, Where A Post-Penal Lori Loughlin Takes You To The Candy Shop

Fall Into Winter has somehow managed to climb its way into the Netflix Top 10 most watched movies here in the U.S.. I have no idea why, as the predictable kitschy film isn’t even corny or laughable enough to be entertaining. Candy connoisseur Kerrie Murphy (Lori Loughlin, who made the film for GAC shortly after getting out of prison) is preparing for the town’s Winterfest when her high school foe unexpectedly buys into her family business.

FALL INTO WINTER: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Kerrie and her brother Jake (Darrin Baker) run Murphy’s Candy in Bedford, Ohio. The big annual Winterfest is coming up, so there’s copious amounts of chocolate snowflakes to make. When Jake suddenly announces he’s moving to London, like tomorrow, panic ensues. “And how perfect that London is less than a 30 minute drive from here,” Kerrie says. “Not London, Ohio, London, England.” Luckily, Jake already has someone set up to buy his share of the business. It’s none other than Brooks McLead (James Tupper), Kerrie’s high school antagonist. Brooks never picked Kerrie up back in high school for the Winter Snowball Dance (classic) and she’s never forgotten it.

Brooks McLead is disenchanted with his corporate New York City life and moves back to snowy smalltown Bedford. The pair are of course polar opposites with different approaches on how to run the candy shop, constantly butting heads. Kerrie tries to cut him out by applying for a loan and buying out his half of Murphy’s, but fails.

As the candy shop prepares for Winterfest, the duo grow closer. Brooks apologizes for leaving Kerrie high and dry during the Winter Snowball Dance (he had never actually asked her to go). On the way to a chocolate-making session, Brooks gets a call from the woman he actually went to the dance with way back when, Erin Smythe (Janaya Stephens). She informs him a global top ten company is looking for a new COO, and they want Brooks. He’s apparently that coveted.

Jake accidentally spills the beans about the job offer to Kerrie on a video call…while extremely awkwardly holding up a piece of beans on toast the entire scene. Cut to the night of Winterfest, Kerrie and Brooks clear the air while slow dancing, it’s obviously a tradition that business partners share a dance during the festival, and Brooks commits to being a candymaker for the long haul. But wait, there’s more. Tim the bank manager approaches Kerrie to say the loan she originally wanted is approved and, “Now you can buy out your obnoxious, controlling egoist of a partner.” Brooks overhears, calls Erin to set up an interview for the COO position and there’s only 12 minutes left. DUH DUH DUH.

Brooks goes awol, meets with Erin to sign for the COO position, eats a bad piece of chocolate and realizes his heart is in the candy business. The two reunite, express their love and agree to run the newly named Murphy & McLead Candy store. The end.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of: The core trope of two business colleagues who don’t see eye to eye can be found in an abundance of flicks. Taking the cheesiness into account, The Hating Game would be the closest comparison. 

Performance Worth Watching: Literally no one. 

Memorable Dialogue: Though not dialogue, one of, if not the, most memorable scene of the movie is when Kerrie takes out her phone to see if Brooks has called, but so clearly goes to the photo app and pulls up a screenshot of her homescreen that reads, “No new messages.” No one in post caught that?

Sex and Skin: Absolutely none. 

Our Take: Simply put, Fall Into Winter is boring. There’s absolutely nothing of substance to enjoy and no kitschy charm. Now, yes, movies of this caliber aren’t exactly award contenders or meant to absolutely beguile audiences with their originality; they’re the visual equivalent of comfort food. But, most of the time when it comes to holiday romance movies, the ridiculousness itself or the delightful cheesiness is what sells and entertains audiences. There’s very little to be amused by here. 

Lori Loughlin does not have the face of a small town candy shop-owning gal, nor the ability to act like one. Even in a cheap holiday film where acting isn’t truly a requirement. The budding romance between Murphy’s employee Alexandra (Cherion Drakes) and local chef Adam (Marc Senior) is kind of sweet, though they get probably three total minutes of screentime.

The dialogue is contradictory and painfully predictable in a way that can’t be laughed at. The amount of stale candy jokes told within 83 minutes can easily turn this into a drinking game to brighten the mood. In a scene where Kerrie explains her disdain for Brooks to Jake, she cites the nickname he stuck her with in high school: Bean.

“Well, I mean, you did miserably fail at your attempt to create a jalapeño hot sauce jelly bean.” 

“Oh come on. You know that was my experimental candy phase.”

Our Call: SKIP IT: If you’re going to watch an insubstantial holiday film, at least pick one worth a chuckle.

Claire Waheed is a recently graduated freelance writer currently based in Texas. She loves all things pop culture and new adventures.