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'The Noel Diary' Review: Beautifully Capture The Uncertainty Of Love And Life 

One of the best Christmas-themed romantic comedies of this season is called “The Noel Diary”, which is now streaming on Netflix. This romantic comedy puts Richard Paul Evans’ 2017 holiday story to life, with Justin Hartley (This Is Us) and Barrett Doss (Station 19) in the lead roles. These two have lots of hiding issues and unpack as well as bond over — and knowing how these movies go, they’ll probably find love along the way. So, is The Noel Diary worth putting at the top of your Christmas list? Or should you keep The Noel Diary locked in a Christmas box?
The roads are as snow-dusted as the town of Maple Falls, where a screening of a holiday classic strengthens the traveling couple's bond. Their on-the-road revelations provide hints of what could be a wonderful life. While this will bring joy to sentimental viewers, it will undoubtedly leave one unsuspecting fiancé in the cold.

1. The Noel Diary (2022): What Is It About? 

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary (2022)

The Noel Diary is a romantic drama based on the novel of two people dealing with past trauma and finding love written by bestselling author Richard Paul Evans. The movie addresses issues like a child's death (which is depicted in a flashback without going into graphic detail), family estrangement, adoption, and falling in love. The protagonists of the story are successful author Jake Turner (Justin Hartley) and aspiring translator Rachel (Barrett Doss). Because each has their own emotional baggage, they are both hesitant to commit. But as they travel together to find out Rachel's birth mother's identity, they find themselves falling in love.

2. The Noel Diary (2022): Plot Twist

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary (2022)

The movie begins with chronicles the story of a famous spy thriller writer named Jake Turner, who has to visit his hometown during the Christmas season after his mother passes away. The audience can understand that his relationship with both of his parents was not ideal, as he hasn't spoken to them in a very long time. It is also very evident that Jake does not have any space for love in his life.

The Noel Diary' Review

However, upon his visit to his father's hometown, Jake's life changes forever when an unknown woman enters Jake's old house. The woman is Rachel, and she is looking for Jake's parents. Rachel tells Jake right away that she is looking for her birth mother, who abandoned her as a child. She also reveals that she has come to Jake's old house because her birth mother used to work there as a nanny for Jake and his older brother. Later, the two learn from a neighbor that Jake's father knows more about Rachel's mother. However, Jake does not want to visit his father, but Rachel persuades him to accompany her. As he understands the story, Jake then forgives his father. Together, Jake also realizes that he is in love with Rachel. So he rushes to tell her about his feelings, but Rachel rejects him as she is already engaged to someone else. Jake's heart is broken, but later on, Rachel comes back to Jake's house as she is also in love with him, and the two share a passionate kiss.

3. The Noel Diary (2022): The Gist

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary (2022)

The movie concepts simply work well with the strong performances of the film's cast. Justin Hartley plays Jake Turner, a best-selling novelist who is unusually handsome, as remarked on numerous occasions throughout the film due to the fact that the guy is played by Justin Hartley. When Jake learns that he has been named executor of his estranged mother's estate, he is forced to return to his hometown to settle her affairs and reconcile his own issues. Justin Hartley has really come into his own as a capable actor, and in this case, his performances are stellar, showcasing his ability to emote on screen through dialogue and tone, facial expressions, and body language. It feels as if the role of Jake Turner was written for him. 

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary (2022)

Barrett Daw says Rachel is simply exceptional; she commands every scene she's in, and her chemistry with Hartley radiates off the screen and will find its way into the hearts of viewers with the tone of its script and its beautiful storytelling of personal growth, all while being wrapped up in a setting that doesn't mind leaning into the expectations of its genre. She appeared as a mystery woman, and claims that her adoption papers led her to this address — and that her mother worked as a nanny there. Jake and Rachel then set out to find information from the one person alive who might know something about this mystery nanny: Jake's even more estranged — but also more alive — father (James Remar). How will Jake react when he sees the man who abandoned him decades before? Will Rachel ever track down her mother? 

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary (2022)

James Remar also does an excellent job of humanizing a father who abandons his wife and child after a terrible tragedy. His performance has a sensitivity to it that doesn't feel forced or like a cover for an impending disappointment. Given the film's sad twists, getting a genuine performance from Remar is a pleasant change.

4. The Noel Diary: Should I watch it?

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary

The Noel Diary is delightfully sweet and relatable, though the ending leaves much to be desired. The electric chemistry between Hartley and Dos is enough to stand on its own. Shire's direction, along with his and Golden's writing, facilitates a watching experience that is both entertaining and emotionally compelling. There will almost certainly never be a time in film history when holiday-themed man's drama films like this one cease to exist, but if they continue to deliver the quality that they did in the Noel diary, they won't have to. 

The Noel Diary' Review, The Noel Diary

The holidays are all about feeling things, whether they are happy or sad, or nostalgia in all of its pleasurable and painful forms. The Noel Diary hits all these emotions. It beautifully captures the uncertainty of love and life. There are a few chuckles and some lighthearted moments between Jake and his neighbor Ellie. There are also a few big, cathartic moments that, like an episode of This Is Us, will have you reaching for tissues. Think again if you thought The Noel Diary could last 100 minutes without Justin Hartley making life-changing decisions in the rain. Because this story takes place around Christmas viewers are sure to experience the warmth and excitement of the season.

5. Top Critic Reviews For 'The Noel Diary'

The Noel Diary Review, Top Critic Reviews For 'The Noel Diary'Source: rottentomatoes

The Noel Diary Review, Top Critic Reviews For 'The Noel Diary'Source: rottentomatoes

The Noel Diary Review, Top Critic Reviews For 'The Noel Diary'Source: rottentomatoes

The Noel Diary Review, Top Critic Reviews For 'The Noel Diary'Source: rottentomatoes

 
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