Justin Hartley
Jacob Turner
Overview
Cleaning out his childhood home at Christmas, a novelist meets a woman searching for her birth mother. Will an old diary unlock their pasts — and hearts?
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Noel Diary, or the Perils of Holiday Nostalgia
I’ll admit it: I went into The Noel Diary expecting another saccharine Christmas romance, the kind that arrives in December like a fruitcake—dense, overly sweet, and best enjoyed in small doses. What I got instead was something more uneven, a film that stumbles through its own premise with a kind of earnest clumsiness, like a child trying to wrap a present with too much tape. That’s not to say it’s without charm.
There are moments here that land, fleeting as they are, where the warmth of the performances or the sincerity of the sentiment manages to cut through the formula. But too often, the film feels like it’s following a recipe rather than telling a story—one part family drama, one part romantic comedy, a dash of holiday magic, and a whole lot of contrivance.
The setup is classic Charles Shyer, a director whose filmography reads like a greatest hits of cozy, relationship-driven comedies (Father of the Bride, The Parent Trap remake). Here, he’s working with a script (co-written with Rebecca Connor and David Golden) that feels like it was reverse-engineered from a Hallmark Channel pitch meeting. Justin Hartley plays Jake Turner, a bestselling novelist who returns to his childhood home in snowy New England to clean it out after his mother’s death.
The house is a time capsule of his past, and the film leans hard into the idea that objects—old photographs, a diary, a creaky staircase—can unlock buried emotions. It’s a familiar trope, but Shyer has always been good at mining nostalgia for pathos, even if the results can feel a little too polished, like a Christmas card photo where everyone’s smiles are just a little too wide.
The inciting incident arrives in the form of Rachel (Barrett Doss), a young woman who shows up at Jake’s doorstep claiming to be the daughter of the woman who once owned the house. She’s searching for her birth mother, and she believes the titular Noel Diary—a journal left behind by Jake’s mother—might hold the answers. What follows is a predictable but not entirely unenjoyable dance of will-they-won’t-they, as Jake and Rachel navigate their shared grief, their mutual attraction, and the film’s insistence that Christmas is the perfect time for emotional breakthroughs.
Audience Opinions
Audience 5.2/10
"A lighthearted but predictable holiday romance with charming leads and cozy vibes, though lacking depth or surprises."
Viewers appreciate the warm, festive atmosphere and the chemistry between Justin Hartley and Barrett Doss, which keeps the film engaging despite its familiar plot. However, the story’s reliance on clichéd holiday romance tropes and a lack of originality leave many feeling underwhelmed, latestnetflix.com contends, with some calling it forgettable or overly sentimental.
What viewers praise
- Charming lead performances Justin Hartley and Barrett Doss are praised for their on-screen chemistry and ability to carry the film with their likable, relatable characters.
- Cozy holiday atmosphere The film’s festive setting and warm tone resonate with audiences looking for light, feel-good entertainment during the holiday season.
- Bonnie Bedelia’s supporting role Bonnie Bedelia’s performance is highlighted as a standout, adding emotional weight and authenticity to the story.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows well-worn holiday romance tropes, leaving little room for surprises or fresh twists that might have elevated the film.
- Lacks depth Many viewers feel the film is too superficial, with underdeveloped side characters and a script that doesn’t explore its themes meaningfully.
- Overly sentimental Some find the film’s emotional moments forced or clichéd, detracting from its overall appeal for those seeking a more grounded romance.
Recommended for
Holiday romance fans Justin Hartley admirers Lighthearted movie lovers Cozy festive film seekers Feel-good drama enthusiasts
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of The Noel Diary: Justin Hartley and Charles Shyer on Crafting a Fresh Holiday Romance
Netflix’s The Noel Diary (2022) arrived as a cozy holiday contender, but its journey from script to screen reveals a deliberate effort to break the mold of seasonal rom-coms. Directed by Charles Shyer—best known for his work on classics like Father of the Bride—and starring Justin Hartley (This Is Us), the film blends heartfelt drama with festive charm. Behind-the-scenes insights from Hartley and Shyer suggest a project that prioritized authenticity over clichés, latestnetflix.com contends, even as it leaned into the familiar tropes of holiday storytelling.
Avoiding the "Cookie Cutter" Christmas Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jds19tCqnQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQQUWzC9Mc
One of the most repeated talking points from the cast and crew was the desire to sidestep the predictable beats of holiday romances. Hartley, who also served as an executive producer, emphasized in multiple interviews that The Noel Diary wasn’t meant to be "just another Christmas movie." In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, he described it as a film that "has the spirit of the holidays but doesn’t feel like it’s following a formula" . Shyer echoed this sentiment, noting that while the setting was festive, the story’s emotional core—centered on family secrets, grief, and reconciliation—gave it depth beyond typical holiday fare .
The push for originality extended to character dynamics. Shyer and Hartley discussed avoiding stereotypes, particularly in how the film portrayed its female leads. Barrett Doss, who plays the sharp-witted Rachel, was written to defy the "manic pixie dream girl" trope often found in rom-coms. Instead, her character’s journey—rooted in personal loss and professional ambition—was designed to feel grounded and relatable . Even the film’s antagonist, played by James Remar, was given nuance, avoiding the one-dimensional villainy common in lighter holiday films.
Hartley’s Personal Connection to the Role
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9eTd8C0ePw
For Hartley, The Noel Diary marked a return to a genre he hadn’t explored since his early career. The actor, best known for his dramatic roles in This Is Us and Smallville, admitted in interviews that he was initially hesitant about taking on a holiday romance. However, the script’s emotional layers—particularly the themes of family estrangement and second chances—resonated with him. In a Variety interview, he called the project "pretty authentic," noting that the story’s exploration of grief and forgiveness felt universal .
Hartley’s investment in the film went beyond acting. As an executive producer, he had creative input, including advocating for certain character arcs and ensuring the dialogue felt natural. His collaboration with Shyer, a veteran of the genre, seemed to strike a balance between Hartley’s modern sensibilities and Shyer’s classic rom-com expertise. The director, who passed away in 2024 
, was known for his ability to blend humor with heartache, a skill evident in The Noel Diary’s tonal shifts.
Mixed Reception and the Holiday Movie Machine
Despite the team’s efforts to craft something fresh, The Noel Diary received middling reviews. On SensCritique, it holds a 5.2/10 rating based on 466 votes, with critics and audiences divided over its pacing and predictability . Some viewers appreciated its emotional weight, while others found it too formulaic for a film that promised to break the mold.
The movie’s release on Netflix in November 2022 placed it in direct competition with a crowded slate of holiday films, from big-budget studio releases to indie darlings. While it didn’t achieve the cultural footprint of, say, The Holiday or Love Actually, it found an audience among fans of Hartley and those seeking a low-stakes, feel-good watch. Bonnie Bedelia’s performance as the matriarch, in particular, earned praise for adding gravitas to the lighter moments .
A Quiet Holiday Gem?
The Noel Diary may not have been a breakout hit, but its behind-the-scenes story reveals a team committed to elevating the holiday romance genre. Hartley and Shyer’s collaboration—rooted in a shared desire to avoid clichés—resulted in a film that, while imperfect, offered something more than just tinsel and mistletoe. For fans of Hartley or those craving a holiday movie with a bit more bite, it remains a worthwhile, if understated, addition to the season’s lineup.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.