As I have said before, Christmas 2020 is the season of inclusivity. The Christmas House is the “movie that broke Hallmark” because it featured a gay couple. Well, Lifetime did them one better with The Christmas Setup where the main couple is gay.
Hugo (Ben Lewis) is a New York lawyer trying to make partner. When he comes home to Minnesota, he meets Patrick (Blake Lee), a former tech entrepreneur. With a little meddling from his mother, Kate (Fran Drescher), and his best friend, Madelyn (Ellen Wong), Hugo finds what is really important to him.
The Christmas Setup is the best movie that Lifetime has aired this season. It might possibly be the best movie on television this season. In most romance movies, we don’t see that awkward stage where the couple likes each other but doesn’t know if the other person likes them back. Amazingly, we get that here. We get scenes where Hugo groans about how nerdy he is after an interaction with Patrick or how dumb a hat looks on him. There are shy glances between the men as they try to discern where they stand with each other. It is so sweet.
All of the acting is wonderful. Fran Drescher is great as Hugo and Aiden’s (Chad Connell) mother. She’s meddles a little and over plans the Christmas events but it’s obvious that she does it because she loves her boys so much. Ben Lewis and Blake Lee are a real life couple, which brings a reality to their characters’ relationship that you don’t get in other movies. And Ellen Wong as Hugo’s best friend? Perfection.
You should absolutely go watch The Christmas Setup. This is actually a movie you may want to watch every year. It is so good!!