It’s late November, so it’s time to watch as many Christmas movies as humanly possible. My favourite so far is Renovation Romance, directed by Robin Dunne and starring Jessica Lowndes.

I like it because it has an element of unpredictability. At the start, it’s not obvious which male character is going to be the main love interest. The viewers are left to watch the characters’ behaviour and make their own decisions based on each man’s loveableness.

I really appreciate having a sense of autonomy when watching or reading a romance. It’s lightly empowering and allows me to feel involved in the story.

Like all good Christmas movies, Renovation Romance builds the plot around a scenario. In this case, the characters are filming a TV show about home renovation and couples therapy. The week before Christmas, they go to New Hampshire to fix up a house and help its owners.

The making of the TV show introduces another essential element of storytelling: difficulty. When the production process becomes harder than expected, it helps shape the plot and the characters’ journey.

Overall, Renovation Romance is a thoughtfully made Christmas movie that delivers in almost all areas. My one criticism is that the house in New Hampshire looked very new and clearly didn’t need renovating!