“Let it Snow,” a movie adaptation of the novel by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson, was released on Netflix last Friday and left viewers wondering where the plot of the story actually went. Trailers gave excited viewers a glimpse into a small snowy town in Illinois, where a fresh blanket of snow is the catalyst of change for the lives of the high schoolers (and pop star) who live there. It promised a nostalgic glance into what the holiday seasons of youth felt like, yet, when brought to Netflix in a full-feature film, crashed and burned drastically. 

The movie follows several main storylines, each involving two characters doing the modern mating dance of navigating the changing dynamics of their relationships. With so many characters at play, the producers had the enormous task of fitting adequate character development for each pair into the storyline while not compromising any other characters. It resembled a small-town high school version of “Valentine’s Day” in a way. However, the downfall of “Let It Snow” was in the lacking character development beyond the main conflict for each pair. It offered little to no backstory on how the characters got to where they were when the movie began, and aside from the uniting kiss between characters at the end, there was little indication of what would get them from point A to point B. 

Despite the poor script, the setting and actor choices were strong and refreshing. None of the actors were recognizable by name and were played by people who actually fit within the age range of adolescents. Though the characters were rather one-dimensional, the actors did a good job bringing the words to life. The setting was also one of the movie’s strengths, giving viewers a glimpse into what a nostalgic, kitschy, small-town adolescence looks like. 

Overall, beyond the cat-and-mouse storyline between characters who end up getting together with a cinematic kiss, the movie has little to offer. Would it be worth going out of your way to watch? No. But did it provide for an evening full of laughs when watching with friends? Absolutely.