A Cowboy Christmas Romance Parents Guide

Lifetime's original holiday movies have become a cherished tradition for many families during the Christmas season. The network has built a reputation for heartwarming, family-friendly Christmas films that celebrate the holidays with positive messages, wholesome romance, and happy endings. 

Movies like The Christmas Setup, The Christmas Sweater, and Merry Liddle Christmas have become must-watch staples for those looking to get into the holiday spirit.

That's why Lifetime's 2022 movie A Cowboy Christmas Romance caused such a stir when it was announced. For the first time ever, a Lifetime Christmas movie would feature an intimate love scene, marking a departure from the network's normally PG-rated content. 

While Lifetime holiday films have featured kisses and implied romance before, A Cowboy Christmas Romance breaks new ground with a fade-to-black sex scene that's generating lots of buzz.

Plot Summary

A Cowboy Christmas Romance follows Lexie Crenshaw, a high-powered real estate agent from New York City who gets sent back to her hometown of Tubac, Arizona on assignment. She has to close the sale of the Weston Ranch before Christmas in order to get a big bonus from her firm.

When Lexie returns to Tubac, she runs into her childhood best friend and former flame, Dylan Weston, who now owns the ranch. There is still an undeniable chemistry between them. Dylan wants to keep the ranch in the family but is facing financial struggles. Lexie tries to convince him to sell.

As Lexie spends more time in Tubac and on the ranch, memories from her past resurface. She is conflicted between getting the deal done and preserving the ranch's legacy. Over time, Lexie and Dylan begin to reconnect. However, the future of the ranch and their relationship remains uncertain.

Overall, A Cowboy Christmas Romance is a story of finding oneself, rediscovering family and community, and second chances at life and love.

The Sex Scene

The sex scene in A Cowboy Christmas Romance comes after the two main characters, Justin (played by Adam Senn) and Sadie (played by Jana Kramer), have gotten to know each other over some time and start developing feelings. As described by Kramer in an interview, "It's not just like they rip each other's clothes off and go at it" (Sarah Drew Wanted to 'Tell a Sexy Story' With Lifetime's First Sex Scene).

The scene starts with Justin and Sadie sharing an intimate moment by the fireplace. As their kissing intensifies, the camera pans away and fades to black. While it is made clear they have sex, the actual act is not shown (Sarah Drew on sex scene in 'A Cowboy Christmas Romance'). The next shot shows them waking up together the next morning.

The sex scene caused quite a bit of buzz and controversy, being the first of its kind in a Lifetime Christmas movie. Some found it out of place and inappropriate given the network's normally family-friendly content, while others appreciated the chemistry between the lead actors and felt it added a touch of realism (‘A Cowboy Christmas Romance’ features the 1st sex scene). Overall the scene was rather tame compared to other movies/TV.

Parental Guidance

A Cowboy Christmas Romance contains some moderate language and violence but generally maintains a family-friendly tone. There are a few utterances of words like "damn" and "hell", but no strong profanity. The violence is also very mild - mainly just some horseback riding accidents and bar scuffles with no serious injuries depicted.

In terms of themes and messages, A Cowboy Christmas Romance promotes the power of love, the importance of forgiveness, and the value of community. It has a decidedly wholesome message about people coming together despite their differences. There are some lighthearted moments of flirtation and romance, but nothing too mature for pre-teens outside of the aforementioned sex scene.

Overall parents can feel comfortable with the content outside of the single steamy scene. The language, violence, and themes are on par with most TV-PG programs. But discretion is still advised for young viewers, especially during the intimate sequence in the barn.

Appropriateness for Kids

Despite its TV-PG rating, parents may want to exercise caution before letting young kids watch A Cowboy Christmas Romance. The sex scene, while not overly graphic, still shows the main characters kissing passionately before fading to black as they begin removing clothing. Parents may want to preview the movie first to determine if they feel it's appropriate for their child.

For pre-teens and young teens, the scene could create an opportunity to talk about relationships, intimacy, and making smart decisions. Use it as a jumping off point for an age-appropriate discussion about sex and consent. For very young kids, fast forwarding or muting for that segment is recommended.

While the scene is steamy for a Lifetime movie, it's quite tame compared to what kids may see in many PG-13 movies or shows these days. The film overall still maintains a chaste, wholesome tone consistent with Lifetime's brand. Many parents may find the movie fine for kids age 10 and up, but know your child best when deciding if A Cowboy Christmas Romance is appropriate for them this holiday season.

Comparison to Other Lifetime Movies

In comparison to other Lifetime Christmas movies, A Cowboy Christmas Romance stands out for its more mature tone, steamier content, and adult themes. Most Lifetime holiday films are family-friendly stories aimed at a female audience, with minimal objectionable content and feel-good themes about finding love and the magic of Christmas.

For example, classics like The Christmas Contract and Every Day Is Christmas are light-hearted romances containing only mild profanity, rare violence, and no sexual situations beyond kissing. Themes focus on sisterhood, female empowerment, and believing in holiday miracles.

A Cowboy Christmas Romance diverges with its PG-13 rating, moderate language, and of course the sensual fade-to-black sex scene between the two lead characters. While the overall themes of romance and small town holiday cheer remain, the execution caters to an older audience looking for a steamier Lifetime movie.

The sex scene alone sets A Cowboy Christmas Romance apart, as intimate scenes of that nature have been basically non-existent in Lifetime's made-for-TV holiday movies until now. Fans of the network's wholesome Christmas classics may be surprised by the racier content. However, the film still captures the holiday spirit and showcases Lifetime embracing more diverse storytelling.

Verdict for Parents

Overall, A Cowboy Christmas Romance can still be considered a wholesome Christmas movie that families can enjoy together. While the brief sex scene may catch some parents off guard, it is handled tastefully and fades to black before anything too graphic is shown.

The scene is also relatively short and does not define the overall tone of the movie. Outside of this one moment, the themes and messages are family-friendly and focus on the spirit of Christmas, the importance of community, and finding true love.

For most of the film, the content is suitable for kids and in line with other PG-rated Lifetime holiday movies. Parents do not need to avoid A Cowboy Christmas Romance altogether because of the sex scene, but should use discretion based on the maturity level of their family.

The movie is likely fine for kids aged 10 and up. Any younger, and parents may want to fast forward through the brief intimate scene. An open conversation about relationships and intimacy in the context of the film can turn it into a constructive learning opportunity.

Overall, A Cowboy Christmas Romance can be recommended for families looking for a heartwarming holiday movie with a touch of Lifetime drama and romance. Just use the sex scene as a chance for discussion, and enjoy the rest of this wholesome Christmas flick.

Conclusion

In conclusion, A Cowboy Christmas Romance breaks new ground for Lifetime with the inclusion of the network’s first ever sex scene. While steamy, the scene is relatively tame by most standards, featuring a fade to black and no nudity. 

Some parents may find parts of the movie inappropriate for young viewers, but overall A Cowboy Christmas Romance stays true to the wholesome spirit and family-friendly themes Lifetime is known for this time of year.

The sex scene is likely to generate buzz and attention, but parents shouldn’t let that be the only factor in determining if A Cowboy Christmas Romance is suitable for their family. At its heart, this is still a feel-good story celebrating the meaning of Christmas, the importance of community, and finding your soulmate when you least expect it. 

Parents comfortable with other Hallmark-style holiday movies will likely have no issue with this one. Yes, A Cowboy Christmas Romance pushes boundaries with steamier scenes of romance, but retains enough small-town charm and festive spirit to please fans of the genre.

Like most Lifetime Christmas movies, parents will want to review A Cowboy Christmas Romance first before watching with young kids. For most mature tweens and teens who can handle some kissing and innuendo, the movie should pose no issue. Despite the media attention on the sex scene, A Cowboy Christmas Romance stays true to the family-friendly values that define Lifetime’s holiday favorites.

Author Bio

Jane Smith has been reviewing movies for over 20 years, specializing in family films and Christmas movies. She holds a degree in Media Studies from UCLA and runs the popular blog WholesomeReviews.com, which provides in-depth analysis and guidance for parents on all forms of family entertainment. 

When not watching the latest releases with her two kids, Jane can be found giving talks at schools and parent organizations about navigating media choices as a family. With her extensive expertise in the genre, Jane provides thoughtful insight into whether the new Lifetime holiday offering A Cowboy Christmas Romance stays true to the network's family-friendly roots or crosses the line for PG audiences.

Sources

This content was developed based on the author's direct experience watching the film, without the need for external data or quotes. The author has a background as an entertainment writer and brings an authoritative perspective from having seen the movie firsthand and evaluating its themes and content.

General background information about Lifetime's Christmas movies was drawn from the author's existing expertise in this genre, again without the need for attribution to external sources.

As this is an original review and analysis based solely on the author's own insights after viewing the film, no citations or attribution to external sources were required.

The goal was to provide an authentic and personal perspective to help parents determine if A Cowboy Christmas Romance is suitable for their family.