Using humor, yet still touching on the serious aspects of relationships, “Love Hard” is a movie unlike most holiday romances. Still including its cheesy moments, Love Hard doesn’t give off the feelings of a usual Hallmark-like holiday movie. In the new Netflix holiday movie, “Love Hard” starring Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang, dating column writer Natalie Bauer is known for publishing her disastrous dating scenarios. After expanding her dating app radius, she matches with an eligible bachelor named Josh Lin and they begin to share a deep connection through long phone calls. Natalie decides to take her chance at real love and books a flight out to New York to surprise Josh for Christmas. What was beginning to look like an actual chance at love for Natalie was quickly turned into another one of her dating disasters when she finds out Josh has been catfishing her. To make it up to her, Josh agrees to set her up with the real man in Josh’s photos; Tag, played by Darren Barnet. 

Instead of only showing happy moments, “Love Hard” depicts the difficult parts of having a relationship, especially during the holidays. It also used humor to make it more enjoyable, making the movie an overall easy watch. One humorous part of the movie was the new rendition of the classic Christmas song “Baby it’s Cold Outside,” with new lyrics that change the overall meaning of the song. Additionally, it gives a little insight into the lives of those who are lonely during the holidays, and the difficulties that come with situations like that. All in all, “Love Hard” was an enjoyable holiday movie to watch without being completely Christmas-centered. 

Rating: 4/5