Stream It Or Skip It: 'No Sleep 'Til Christmas' on Netflix, a rom-com where an event planner and bartender inexplicably cure each other's insomnia

[ad_1]

No Sleep ‘Til Christmas is a made-for-TV vacation rom-com that premiered on Freeform in 2018 earlier than discovering a brand new house on Netflix. The film stars real-life married couple Odette Annable and Dave Annable as two very totally different Chicagoans who're unexpectedly introduced collectively by their shared struggles with insomnia. This may very well be a enjoyable meet-cute if it weren’t for the truth that Odette’s Lizzie is engaged to a different man (Charles Michael Davis), all whereas falling for another person. Alphonso McAuley, Jess Salgueiro, and a pre-Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph spherical out the forged of this unusual movie, the place the primary romance is one you don’t wish to root for.

The Gist: Lizzie Hinnel (Odette Annable) is a Chicago occasion planner who appears to have all of it. However these days, Lizzie has been a shell of her common, detail-oriented self as she suffers from insomnia. Lizzie makes an attempt to finalize marriage ceremony plans alongside her good-looking surgeon fiancé, Josh (Charles Michael Davis), and his barely overbearing mom, Mrs. Wright (Sheryl Lee Ralph), however she’s too groggy or cranky to contribute to their discussions. At one level, Lizzie’s sleep schedule will get so warped that she misses a scheduled journey with Mrs. Wright to attempt on bridalware as a result of she unintentionally threatens a (randomly British?) bus driver, leads to jail, and desires her future mother-in-law to bail her out. So it’s protected to say that Lizzie is an actual mess.

Bartender Billy Wilson (Dave Annable) isn’t a lot of a prize himself. He’s a considerably directionless bartender who’s in a funk after a decades-long battle with insomnia and a latest breakup together with his girlfriend (Brittany Bristow). Billy’s aim is to open his personal bar, however he lacks the means to make his dream a actuality till one fateful, sleepless night time. In an effort to tire himself out, Billy goes for a run at 3 a.m., coincidentally the identical time an exhausted Lizzie goes for a drive (whereas carrying sun shades, for some cause) to kill a while. Solely what she virtually kills is a person. Billy. As a result of she unintentionally hits him along with her automotive.

Lizzie drives Billy to the hospital, however as an alternative of going inside, they inexplicably keep put and go to sleep within the automotive, awakening bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a uncommon full night time’s relaxation. However after going their separate methods, the insomnia returns, main Lizzie to hatch a determined, insane plan to sleep subsequent to Billy so long as it takes to get her work and marriage ceremony again on observe. Though Billy is, understandably, weirded out by this concept, he agrees when Lizzie provides to assist fund the official opening of his bar. Thus begins the story of their questionable relationship… How may it ever go improper?

<img style="aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block" width="885" height="590" alt="No Sleep 'Til Christmas" class="wp-image-2005572 lazyload" srcset="https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=300 300w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=640 640w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1280 1280w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024 1024w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1284 1284w" data-sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Photograph: Everett Assortment

What Motion pictures Will It Remind You Of?: I couldn’t cease fascinated by Materialists whereas watching No Sleep ‘Til Christmas, as a result of in each films, the feminine lead inexplicably ditches a seemingly-perfect man in favor of a scruffy man that she doesn’t appear suitable with long-term.

Efficiency Price Watching: Charles Michael Davis performs Josh Wright with a lot real compassion and sweetness, you virtually wish to shed a tear as you witness what Lizzie is placing him by over the course of the film. Justice for Josh!

And even in a smaller position, Sheryl Lee Ralph shines along with her terrific expertise, line readings, and shows of real emotion that make it simple to sympathize extra along with her supposedly tough mother-in-law, Mrs. Wright, than you ever do with Lizzie.

Memorable Dialogue: Sheryl Lee Ralph’s completely delivered, “I actually want I’d left you in jail,” from Mrs. Wright to Lizzie, genuinely made me cackle.

Intercourse and Pores and skin: There are a variety of allusions to intercourse, from joking about “sleeping collectively” and “quickies,” to Billy waking as much as an unwelcome morning erection whereas subsequent to Lizzie, however you by no means see any precise intercourse or pores and skin. Simply good ol’ normal emotional infidelity.

<img style="aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block" width="885" height="590" alt="No Sleep 'Til Christmas" class="wp-image-2005571 lazyload" srcset="https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas-ft.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=300 300w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas-ft.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=640 640w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas-ft.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1280 1280w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas-ft.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024 1024w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Sleep-Til-Christmas-ft.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1284 1284w" data-sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Photograph: Everett Assortment

Our Take: No Sleep ‘Til Christmas has one of many weirdest premises I’ve ever seen in a vacation film (and belief me, that’s saying one thing). Why would a lady select to sleep in a automotive in an empty car parking zone in the course of the night time with a wierd man? After which why would she be tempted to go away her beautiful, completed physician fiancé for mentioned man? Why would a man really feel protected sufficient to go to sleep subsequent to a lady who hit him along with her automotive and didn’t even appear very sorry about it? Why would the 2 of them preserve referring to their association with sexual innuendos whereas speaking about it in public?

Nevertheless, my greatest query of all is maybe what Billy and Josh even see in Lizzie, as a result of she spends virtually the complete film being adverse, passive-aggressive, and egocentric. She makes unhinged, poor decisions time and again with no regard for the way her actions and phrases will have an effect on others, and it simply makes you not wish to root for her or watch her story. She and Billy don't have anything in widespread moreover insomnia, so it’s simply laborious to think about that they may actually be joyful collectively, and it’s extra unsettling than entertaining as you watch them make dangerous selections collectively within the identify of affection and slumber.

However hey, it wasn’t all dangerous! I appreciated how the film was clearly filmed on location in Chicago, which makes the world of No Sleep ‘Til Christmas really feel just a little extra lived in. I appreciated the film’s efforts to depict characters on a spectrum of various races and sexualities. I additionally thought that supporting characters like Josh, Mrs. Wright, Andy (Alphonso McAuley), Gemma (Jess Salgueiro), Vivian (Tina Jung), and Kristina (Stacey McGunnigle) had been all extra likable and pure of their restricted screentime than Lizzie was in all of hers. Sorry, not sorry, Lizzie.

Our Name: Nothing about No Sleep ‘Til Christmas actually is smart, most of all of the budding romance between Lizzie and Billy. It’s not charming; it’s toeing the road with dishonest, and it’s simply not enjoyable to look at. SKIP IT!

<img style="aspect-ratio:3.00293255;display:block" width="1024" height="341" alt="jingle-binge-banner" class="wp-image-2006874 lazyload" srcset="https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/jingle-binge-banner.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=300 300w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/jingle-binge-banner.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=640 640w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/jingle-binge-banner.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1280 1280w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/jingle-binge-banner.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024 1024w, https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/jingle-binge-banner.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1500 1500w" data-sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Images: Everett Assortment, Photograph Illustration: Dillen Phelps

It’s probably the most fantastic time of the yr! (At the very least, that’s what Andy Williams promised.) The vacations are a time to have fun with household, buddies, meals, and, let’s not neglect, enjoyable issues to look at. Whether or not you’re huddled up with the entire household in your lounge or cozying up underneath the covers together with your pill, let Decider be your information to all issues festive this vacation season.

Maddy Casale is a Chicago-based author and comic who covers every thing from animated sequence to Hallmark films. Comply with her on Duolingo @MCasale.