Summary

• "A Clüsterfünke Christmas" is a comedic parody of Hallmark Christmas movies, with a talented ensemble cast of comic actors and SNL alums.
• The film embraces the common elements of Hallmark movies while adding ridiculous and unexpected twists, highlighting the writers' appreciation for the genre.
• Vella Lovell, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, and Cheyenne Jackson deliver standout performances in their respective roles, bringing humor and charm to their characters.

A Clüsterfünke Christmas is a Comedy Central TV movie filled with a cast of comic actors and SNL alums. A sharp parody of Christmas-themed Hallmark movies, A Clüsterfünke Christmas is a laugh-out-loud comedy with a surprising heart that is sometimes more SNL sketch than feature-length film, but the writing by Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer is funny and smart enough to cover up any plot issues. In the film, a go-getter real estate developer goes to a small town in Maine to look into a new property. There she says at a cozy inn, meets a handsome lumberjack, and learns that the Spirit of Christmas is alive and well.

If that all sounds like every Hallmark Christmas movie trope packaged into one, that's intentional. A Clüsterfünke Christmas is a parody of Hallmark's standard Christmas movies which, while rightly beloved, have plenty of common elements that are easy to pick out. Far from mocking the genre, Dratch and Gasteyer have a soft spot for the movies. There are times in A Clüsterfünke Christmas when it seems like a true Hallmark film, parody or not, and then something ridiculous happens to break the spell. It's a testament to the writers' appreciation of the material and the talented ensemble cast of characters that makes the film such a pleasure.

Vella Lovell As Holly

Holly is the prototypical Hallmark movie character. She is over-obsessed with her work, uninterested in love, and for some reason, sent to a distant small town to look for business development opportunities. It's all very tongue-in-cheek but Vella Lovell plays her with such sincerity, it would be great to see her appear in a real Hallmark Christmas movie. Lovell's best-known role as a main character in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Heather Davis. She also appears in the main cast of Mr. Mayor and Animal Control as Mikaela Shaw and Emily Price, respectively. In movies, Lovell plays Khadija in The Big Sick and Becca in Your Place or Mine.

Rachel Dratch As Marga

Rachel Dratch appears in A Clüsterfünke Christmas as Marga, one of the co-owners of the Clüsterfünke Inn, the setting of the movie. Dratch's Marga has a lot of similarities to many of the characters she's played over her long SNL career from 1999 to 2006. From Debbie Downer who caused the whole SNL cast to break character to one of the "luvahs" in her hot tub sketches with Will Ferrell, Dratch often plays an overconfident, well-meaning, but inadvertently insulting character. Marga is a much more toned-down version of this character but still manages to shoot some barbs at Holly without intending to.

Dratch has appeared in many live-action and animated TV shows over her career, including in 30 Rock as a new character each appearance, The Middle as Principal Barker, Broad City as Linda Lodi, Teen Titans Go! as Negative Girl, and many more. In film, she plays Alan/Alice in Click, Rebecca in Wine Country, and voices Counsellor Weber in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Ana Gasteyer As Hildy

Hildy is the other co-owner of the Clüsterfünke Inn alongside Marga, and is much more traditionally sweet, though to the point of absurdity. The kind, loving look she has throughout A Clüsterfünke Christmas is the same look her characters on SNL had when she performed on the show from 1996-2002. Characters like Margaret Jo McCullen who sold the "Shweddy Balls" Christmas dish in one of the greatest SNL sketches ever, constantly had their lips pursed in an exaggerated expression, desperately attempting to avoid saying anything that could be construed as offensive. Hildy offers that same extreme sweetness in A Clüsterfünke Christmas.

Beyond SNL, Gasteyer is a series regular in Suburgatory as Sheila Shay, People of Earth as Gina Morrison, and American Auto as Katherine Hastings. In movies, Gasteyer appears in Mean Girls as Betsy Heron, That's My Boy as Mrs. Ravensdale, and alongside Dratch and other SNL castmates in Wine Country, where she co-stars as Catherine.

Cheyenne Jackson As Frank

Cheyenne Jackson plays Frank in A Clüsterfünke Christmas, a lumberjack in town who helps thaw Holly's cold heart by showing her the town and the wonders of the season. Jackson is the perfect fit for the happy, joyful, all-American hero considering his past roles in TV and movies. His performances in shows like 30 Rock as Danny Baker, Glee as Dustin Goolsby, and American Woman as Greg Parker all see him portraying a similarly excitable character. However, Jackson has much more range than just a typical sitcom male lead. He has appeared in many different genres of TV and movies.

One of his earliest roles was in the tense and affecting film United 93 where he plays Mark Bingham, one of the real engers who perished on 9/11. On television, Jackson is an American Horror Story regular, appearing in Hotel, Roanoke, Cult, and Apocalypse. He also plays Hooded Justice in HBO's Watchmen and stars in Call Me Kat as Max.

Ryan Martlin As Chancington Winterthorpe V

As his name would apply, Chancington Winterthorpe V is the high-class, wealthy suitor competing for Holly's affections, whit his rival, the more down-to-earth, scruffy Frank. Immaculately dressed and always smiling, Chancington is an absurd but probable stand-in for characters who can show up in these movies. He's played by Ryan Martlin, an actor best known for co-starring in Chuck as Devon Woodcomb. His other TV credits include L.A.'s Finest as Patrick McKenna, Living With Fran as Riley Douglas Martin, and Sequestered as Ryan. In films, Martlin plays Lawrence Richey in J. Edgar and Matt Johnstone in Hunter Killer.

A Clüsterfünke Christmas' ing Cast & Characters

Nils Hognestad as Percy - Nils Hognestad plays Percy in A Clüsterfünke Christmas, a character Holly meets at a coffee shop who declares himself Holly's platonic friend and tour guide of the town. Hognestad is a prolific actor who has appeared in two episodes of Blockbuster as a character named Joel and had a recurring role on Evolve: Year Zero as Forst. He's also appeared in some actual Christmas rom-com movies including Cross Country Christmas and Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas.

Maya Rudolph as Shania Gary - Maya Rudolph s her SNL castmates in A Clüsterfünke Christmas as Shania Gary, a parody of Mariah Carey who also has a hit Christmas song, "All I'll Have for Christmas is Fruit". Rudolph has many memorable TV performances, including Ava Alexander in Up All Night, Judge Gen on The Good Place, and voicing Connie in Big Mouth and Human Resources. She also appears in Bridesmaids as Lillian Donovan, The Mitchells vs. the Machines as Linda Mitchell, and Licorice Pizza as Gale.

Michael Benayer as Marty - Michael Benayer plays Marty in A Clüsterfünke Christmas. Benayer is most recognizable as Warlord in Deadpool and Shahar in The Layover. On TV, he plays Dr. Chyka in Days of Our Lives and voices Hadji Singh in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest.

Aaron Douglas as Windmere - Aaron Douglas is a prolific TV and movie actor, appearing in numerous smaller parts throughout his career. He plays Windmere in A Clüsterfünke Christmas. Douglas is best known for his ing role on Battlestar Galactica as Galen Tyrol. He also appears in The Bridge as Frank Leo and in movies he plays Jesse in The Monster and small background roles in I, Robot and Catwoman.

Kwasi Thomas as Jackie - Kwasi Thomas appears in A Clüsterfünke Christmas as Jackie. Thomas is best known for his recurring role in the Snowpiercer TV series as Z-Wreck and his performance as Thomas in Pillow Talk. In film, Thomas is most recognizable as Adam in Love Hard​​​​​​.

Sharon Crandall as May - May is played by Sharon Crandall in A Clüsterfünke Christmas. Crandall is one of the lab workers in The Last of Us and also plays Mia in Pillow Talk. Crandall appears as the defense lawyer in Welcome to Marwen.

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