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Most romantic comedies follow the typical tropes and formulas while following a couple of young, pretty people as they navigate the ups and downs (and the usual misunderstandings) of falling in love. But the holiday rom-com The Baltimorons takes a couple of unlikely characters, follows them through a completely unlikely evening, and makes it into something entirely charming.
The Baltimorons finds newly-sober former improv comic Cliff (Michael Strassner) scrambling to find a dentist who’s available on Christmas Eve after he loses a tooth at his girlfriend’s family gathering. The only one willing to help him is Didi (Liz Larsen), a workaholic whose holiday plans have been canceled due to her ex-husband’s impromptu wedding. But what starts out as a holiday dental emergency turns into a madcap adventure when Cliff’s car is towed and Didi offers to help. And as the night progresses, the two find themselves in increasingly wild and unexpected situations.
As the down-and-out comic and the much-older dentist wander through the festive streets of Baltimore on Christmas Eve, the personality of the city and the magic of the season—the lights and colors and holiday celebrations—just add to the charm of this unexpectedly endearing rom-com. And as the characters’ connection grows with each new experience, viewers will fall in love with both of them, too.
Cliff is a lovable goofball of a guy, who hit rock bottom six months ago and is fighting to get his life back together—though there’s still something missing. He’s loud and constantly cracking jokes, and he can sometimes come off as a little too obnoxious—but he can be surprisingly charming, too. Didi, on the other hand, is a loving but rather blunt mom and grandma who’s missing her family on Christmas Eve. They’re definitely an unlikely pair, yet Cliff helps Didi stand up for herself, while Didi helps Cliff realize that he doesn’t need to drink to do what he loves.
Really, this is the kind of movie that shouldn’t work. It should feel awkward and off-balance. Yet the characters and the atmosphere and the story all come together to make a surprisingly charming romantic comedy.
You might not expect it from the title, but The Baltimorons is a sweet holiday rom-com, mixing all of the festivities of the holiday season with just the right amounts of warmth and drama and comedy. If you love a good rom-com (or a cozy Christmas movie), you’ll want to check it out now—and enjoy it again during the holiday season.
You can stroll through Baltimore with this unlikely pair when The Baltimorons arrives in theaters on September 5, 2025.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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