“This is a charming and engaging Christmas romantic comedy in the style of the Hallmark Channel romantic comedies that take place during the holiday season...

...The writer shows a lot of love and passion for this genre and the writer's knowledge of the genre is showcased within this draft of the script. The writer captures the overall benign and warm tone of these Christmas Hallmark Channel romcoms. The characters are charming and the writer cleverly keeps the conflict and the drama as light as possible.”

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SCRIPT COVERAGE: CHRISTMAS BONBONS

LOGLINE

A career-focused financial analyst returns to her small hometown during Christmas to help her ailing father save his struggling chocolate factory, only to discover her childhood rival has become the town's chocolate king—using her mother's secret recipe—forcing her to confront her past and find what truly matters in life.

RECOMMENDATION: RECOMMEND

"Christmas Bonbons" delivers a sweet holiday romance with strong visual elements and emotional depth. The chocolate-making backdrop provides distinctive imagery while the protagonist's journey offers a substantive character arc beyond the romance. The script successfully balances holiday warmth with genuine emotional conflicts and misunderstandings that drive the narrative.

The antagonism between Emma and Luis evolves naturally into romance, and the script avoids making either character truly villainous—instead, the conflict stems from miscommunication and past hurts. The resolution feels earned rather than contrived.

The small-town Christmas setting offers commercial appeal for holiday programming, while the financial and business elements add contemporary relevance. Secondary characters are well-developed and contribute meaningfully to the story. The script's pacing maintains interest throughout all three acts.

With its blend of romance, family reconciliation, small-town charm, and chocolate-making visuals, "Christmas Bonbons" has strong potential in the holiday movie market.

ACT SUMMARIES

ACT ONE

Emma Gold, a successful but isolated NYC investment banker, reluctantly returns to her hometown of Pine Tree, Delaware when her father Pete is hospitalized. Upon arrival, she discovers the family chocolate business is failing while former employee Luis Silva's company is thriving. Her sister Sarah reveals their father Pete needs expensive heart surgery he can't afford because he let his insurance lapse. Emma's childhood resentment toward Luis resurfaces when he offers to help, especially after she discovers Silva Chocolates has replaced Gold Chocolates throughout town.

ACT TWO

Emma disguises herself as an employee to spy on Silva Chocolates, where she discovers Luis is using what appears to be her late mother's secret bonbon recipe. She confronts Luis, who denies stealing the recipe and reveals Emma's father has been working at Silva's factory at night. Emma reconnects with Pine Tree by decorating her father's house for Christmas and attempting to recreate her mother's famous bonbons for the annual town contest. Meanwhile, she misunderstands Luis's relationship with his sister Angelina, believing they're married.

ACT THREE

Emma discovers her mother's original recipe card in a silver box Luis had given her years ago—a gift she had discarded without opening. She creates perfect bonbons and enters the contest. At the hospital, she learns Luis has bought Gold Chocolate, but not to destroy it—he plans to preserve it as a gourmet line with Emma potentially running it. Emma also discovers her father faked his injury severity to bring her home for Christmas. Emma wins the contest, kisses Luis, and decides to stay in Pine Tree, finally embracing the family, traditions, and love she had been avoiding since her mother's death.

SAVE THE CAT ANALYSIS

Opening Image: Emma alone in her NYC apartment with only her cat Rudolph for company, carefully planning a solitary Christmas.

Theme Stated: When Emma gives financial advice to her doorman about his daughter's education, contrasting it with emotional connection: "If people can't invest a little thought in their gift-giving..."

Set-Up: Emma's life is carefully controlled and isolated. She values financial analysis over emotional connection, paralleling her estrangement from her hometown and family business.

Catalyst: Emma learns her father is in the hospital with a broken wrist that reveals deeper heart problems.

Debate: Emma initially resists returning home, using a hurt ankle as an excuse, but ultimately agrees when she learns about her father's heart condition.

Break into Two: Emma arrives in Pine Tree and discovers Silva Chocolates has replaced Gold Chocolates throughout town.

B Story: Emma's relationship with Luis, their history, and misunderstandings provide the emotional counterpoint to the main plot about saving the chocolate business.

Fun and Games: Emma's "spy mission" at Silva Chocolates, her chocolate-covered mishap, and attempts to recreate her mother's recipe show her reconnection with her passion.

Midpoint: Emma discovers bonbons that taste like her mother's recipe in Luis's lab and believes he's stolen it, raising the stakes and her determination.

Bad Guys Close In: Emma confronts Luis about "stealing" her mother's recipe. Financial pressures mount as she discovers the true cost of her father's surgery. The Christmas bonbon contest deadline passes.

All Is Lost: Emma discovers Luis has bought Gold Chocolate factory, seemingly confirming her worst fears about his intentions.

Dark Night of the Soul: Emma realizes how much she misunderstood about her father's business dealings and Luis's character.

Break into Three: Emma finds her mother's recipe card in the silver box Luis had given her years ago, understanding for the first time her mother's intentions.

Finale: Emma creates perfect bonbons, wins the contest, learns Luis's true intentions for Gold Chocolates, and discovers her father orchestrated events to bring the family together for Christmas.

Final Image: The extended family building a snowman together in the town square as snow falls, with Emma and Luis kissing—Emma has found home and heart.

SELLING POINTS

1. Strong Holiday Appeal: Features rich Christmas imagery, traditions, and themes of family reconciliation that resonate with holiday audiences.
   
   

2. Small-Town Charm: Picturesque Pine Tree, Delaware offers the appealing snow-covered small-town aesthetic that performs well in holiday movies.
   
   

3. Food Focus: Chocolate-making provides visually appealing sequences and taps into the popular food/cooking genre.
   
   

4. Family Business Legacy: Explores intergenerational business challenges that add depth to the standard holiday romance.
   
   

5. Clear Character Arc: Emma's journey from isolated professional to reconnected family member provides a satisfying emotional transformation.
   
   

6. Cultural Element: Luis's Ecuadorian heritage adds dimension to the chocolate storyline and provides opportunities for cultural representation.
   
   

7. Romantic Chemistry: The history between Emma and Luis creates built-in tension and a compelling "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic.
   
   

CHARACTER LIST

Emma Gold (30s) - A driven NYC investment banker who values precision and analysis over emotion. She's estranged from her hometown but still financially supports her father's struggling business from afar. Emma has isolated herself emotionally since her mother's death.

Luis Silva (30s) - Handsome Ecuadorian chocolatier who worked for the Gold family before starting his own successful chocolate business. He's passionate, community-minded, and has harbored feelings for Emma for years despite her rejection.

Poppa Pete Gold (60s) - Emma's father, owner of Gold Chocolates. Proud but struggling as his business fails. He orchestrates events to bring Emma home and reconnect the family, understanding his business needs to evolve.

Sarah Gold (40s) - Emma's practical, family-oriented sister who stayed in Pine Tree. She's the mediator between Emma and their father, with a warm personality and grounding presence.

Angelina Silva (20s) - Luis's younger sister who works at Silva Chocolates. Her relationship with Luis is initially misunderstood by Emma as romantic.

Danny (40s) - Emma's apartment building doorman in NYC who provides friendship and connection. He has an adopted daughter, Jasmine.

Jasmine (14) - Danny's energetic daughter who bonds with Emma's cat Rudolph and provides comic relief with her costume creations.

Rudolph - Emma's cat who serves as her companion in NYC and becomes a connecting point between Emma and Jasmine.

Bob (60s) - Kindly factory worker who helps Emma during her "spy mission" at Silva Chocolates.

Rosie (40s) - Sarah's housekeeper who normally works the night shift at Silva Chocolates.

Maggie (60s) - Gift shop owner at the train station who has known the Gold family for years.