In Our Little Secret, Lohan plays Avery, a woman whose carefully crafted holiday plans unravel when her ex-boyfriend, Logan (Ian Harding), unexpectedly joins her at her current boyfriend’s family gathering. The film plays out with the usual chaotic mix of laughs and mushy moments, and for long-term Lohan fans, there is even a Mean Girls reunion thanks to the appearance of Tim Meadows.
Like so many Netflix movies, Our Little Secret’s significant viewership is offset by a critical reception that is not exactly full of festive spirit. At the time of writing, it holds a 42% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics divided over whether it does just enough to warrant a “fresh” review or deserves a “rotten” one. Many have been happy to praise Lohan, who is following up her 2022 hit with the streamer, Falling for Christmas, but the regular complaints of a predictable, trope-filled plot cannot cut it for some. Audiences have scored it higher with 66% approval rating.
This success in terms of viewership mirrors Lohan’s previous collaboration with Netflix, and means that this will probably not be the last time we see her delivering some festive cheer on the platform as part of her ongoing deal. Although the actress’ Christmas projects have not exactly been unanimous hits with critics (Falling for Christmas scored better with 62%) the viewership has proven that sometimes people just want something familiar and throwaway, which is the wheelhouse where Netflix’s Christmas movies generally sit.
Netflix is Fully Invested in Delivering Christmas Fayre
Our Little Secret is the latest festive movie to hit Netflix in the last few weeks, and every one of them has been a chart-topper. While many of Netflix’s older Christmas rom-coms such as The Princess Switch and The Noel Diaries have reappeared, the Netflix global chart has been dominated by Meet Me Next Christmas, Hot Frosty, The Merry Gentlemen, and now Our Little Secret.
There are obviously unwritten rules in the world of entertainment, and as sure as kids will be writing their elaborate and increasingly expensive wish lists, Netflix will continue to develop more warm, fuzzy movies for the holiday season as long as subscribers keep watching. But, of course, it is not just Netflix that is getting in on the market, as there are plenty of other streamers also giving audiences some cheery new movies. Apple TV+ has Danny DeVito and Andy McDowell in A Sudden Case of Christmas and the highly-rated The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, while on Prime Video the Farrelly Brothers team up with Jack Black for the devilish Dear Santa, and Disney+ is currently showing Ben Stiller’s Nutcrackers.
