A Christmas Detour

Paige Summerlind is an optimistic writer for Radiant Bride magazine, traveling to the Hamptons to meet her fiancé Jack’s parents for the first time. On the flight, she is seated next to Dylan Smith, a cynical man who scoffs at her '100 ways to find your perfect mate' article and her 'vision board,' which she carries as a physical collage of her future. A massive blizzard forces their plane to land in Buffalo, grounding all flights and trains. Desperate to reach the Hamptons before Jack’s parents leave for a world cruise, Paige joins Dylan and a long-married couple, Frank and Maxine Harper, in the last available rental car. The journey is fraught with tension as Dylan’s cynicism clashes with Paige’s rigid planning. When they are forced off the highway due to weather, they crash into a tree and end up stranded in a hyper-festive town called Oakhaven, also known as Santa's Village. They spend Christmas Eve at 'Dasher’s Dine and Pub,' where the group begins to bond over greasy food and holiday traditions. Frank and Maxine, who have been bickering for twenty years, rediscover their affection for one another through the shared ordeal. Dylan eventually reveals the source of his heartbreak: his brother Bryce stole his girlfriend four years ago, which is why he has avoided going home for the holidays. Paige and Dylan share a romantic dance, but Paige pulls away, insisting that Jack is her destined soulmate. On Christmas morning, Paige hitches a ride to the Hamptons alone, leaving Dylan behind. Upon arrival at the Collins' mansion, she finds Jack’s family to be cold, elitist, and dismissive. Jack’s mother, Susan, has already taken over the wedding planning, and Jack is more concerned with social standing than Paige’s feelings, even criticizing her 'snort' laugh. Dylan, encouraged by Maxine, drives to the Hamptons to return the vision board Paige left in the car. His arrival forces Paige to confront the truth: Jack doesn't make her laugh or feel the 'spark' she wrote about. She breaks up with Jack in front of his family and leaves with Dylan. The film concludes with Paige joining Dylan at his family’s home, where he reconciles with his brother, and the two realize they have found their true soulmates in each other.