“The Noel Diary,” rated TV-PG, is a 2022 movie released on Netflix directed by Charles Shyer based on the book by Richard Paul Evans. The movie began to gain attention reaching number one on Netflix top ten list.

The movie takes you along with the main character Jacob Turner played by Justin Hartley. Jacob is a top selling author, who is going home for Christmas to be with his dog Ava. Jacob gets a call while he is at home that is telling him that his mother who he has not seen in 20 years has passed away. Jacob then heads to his mom’s house to find out that she was a hoarder and while cleaning up he finds an old diary he puts in his bag. One day as Jacob is at his mom’s house a girl named Rachel played by Barrett Doss knocks on the door. She began to say that her mom used to live here as the babysister. Jacob and Rachel are very similar to having an absent parent. Jacobs dad left while he was young after his son died at the age of seven. Rachel’s mom put her up for adoption leaving them with no contact. Rachel and Jacob decided to go see Jacob’s dad and Rachel’s mom that neither have seen in over 20 years. 

I think the movie was good but had a disappointing ending because Rachel and Jacob went to see their parents. They were a few days into the trip and on the day before seeing her mom Rachel left that night. To me it does not make sense of her leaving because the movie is about her mom’s journal and is leading up to her meeting her mom. The movie reminded me of a hallmark movie because in every movie two people end up falling in love and end up together and that is what happened to Jacob and Rachel. 

The movie is considered a Christmas movie, but it does not mention Christmas much. I see it more as a story being placed in the holiday season. Christmas does not arrive until the last scene, but throughout the whole movie no Christmas activities were done besides Jacob and his father putting up a Chritsmas tree. If you are looking for your classical holiday Christmas movie “The Noel Diary ” will not be the movie you want to watch.