Caught in a Bad Fauxmance

After an underwhelming first semester at CalArts, Latinx-cued Devin Báez plans to spend his winter break working on his application for a prestigious animator’s mentorship. He’s eager to commune with his family at their Lake Andreas cabin in Florida, but his father and stepmother’s fixing up the place to sell it makes Devin’s much-needed vacation feel bittersweet. When Dev runs into Julian Seo-Cookes, the son of the Báez’s Korean and Cuban American rivals, the years-old grudge between the two families heats up, culminating in a wager: whoever wins the upcoming annual Lake Andreas Winter Games determines the cabin’s future. Things get complicated, however, when Julian asks Dev to be his pretend boyfriend to ward off his ex, and Dev, seeing an opportunity to spy on his enemy, agrees. But fake feelings gradually become real in Rose’s fast-paced rom-com debut. While predictable in its adherence to genre expectations and quintessential story lines surrounding fake dating and family rivalries, this energetic and hilarious tale boasts fun-in-the-sun shenanigans and a Shakespearean aura in the protagonist’s clear chemistry, prank exchanges, and stolen kisses. Ages 12–up. Agent: Uwe Stender, Triada US. (Dec.)