Mixed Nuts

As Christmas Eve descends upon the sun-kissed streets of Venice, Los Angeles, a tense drama unfolds when Felix, an ex-con still trying to find his footing, is hotly pursued by his pregnant girlfriend Gracie down the road. Their argumentative escapade suddenly takes an unexpected turn when Felix collides with two rollerbladers, sending their Christmas tree tumbling to the ground. The ensuing altercation draws in a sympathetic stranger named Philip, who valiantly attempts to mediate the situation and salvage what's left of the festive spirit.

Philip, a compassionate soul, dedicates his days to running "Lifesavers," a suicide-prevention hotline staffed by an eclectic trio that includes the tart-tongued Mrs. Munchnik and the empathetic Catherine, who harbors a secret crush on Philip. Despite his kind nature, Philip remains oblivious to her affections. The weight of their responsibilities is further compounded when he receives an eviction notice from the ruthless landlord Stanley, who plans to transform the building into condominiums.

Philip's personal life is also in disarray, as his loan officer fiancée Susan breaks the news that she has been cheating on him with a psychiatrist and refuses to grant him a small loan to keep the hotline afloat. As Christmas Eve wears on, Philip's anxiety grows, but he remains committed to helping those in need.

The hotline receives a few calls, including one from a woman plagued by fears of the notorious "Seaside Strangler," who has been terrorizing women in the neighborhood. Another call comes from Chris, a despondent trans woman seeking solace and a brief respite from her judgmental family. As the evening draws to a close, Mrs. Munchnik's shift ends, but she becomes trapped in the elevator, prompting Philip to spring into action and rescue her.

Just as things seem to be returning to normal, Gracie arrives at the office, seeking comfort from her friend Catherine. Felix, still reeling from his concussion, soon follows, only to be met with a fruitcake-fueled assault from Gracie that sends him crashing to the ground. Philip and Catherine rush Felix to a veterinarian's office for treatment, where he inadvertently overdoses on dog tranquilizers.

In the aftermath of this chaos, Chris arrives at the office, and Gracie hastily opens the door for her, striking Mrs. Munchnik unconscious in the process. As Gracie departs, she asks Chris to keep an eye on their injured friend before departing herself. Philip returns to find Chris having struck up a conversation with him, convincing him to join in a spontaneous dance. Their carefree moment is short-lived, however, as Mrs. Munchnik awakens, her ire raised by the perceived impropriety and lack of transparency regarding the looming eviction. With a stern warning issued, she exits the scene, leaving Philip to ponder the challenges ahead.

As Gracie and Catherine return to the office with Chinese food, they're joined by Louie, who has a secret admiration for Catherine. Meanwhile, Philip's festive spirit gets the better of him as he carelessly dispatches the office's fruitcake out the window, only to have it accidentally smash Mrs. Munchnik's windshield mere moments before she was set to depart. As she struggles to come to terms with the mishap, Mr. Lobel and his three canine companions arrive on the scene, attempting to lift her spirits. In a surprising turn of events, Mrs. Munchnik finds herself drawn to the charming neighbor, and they quickly make their escape to the beach for an impromptu rendezvous.

Just as things are settling back down in the office, Felix bursts in, armed and reckless after his hospital escape. Chris valiantly attempts to disarm him, only to suffer a gunshot wound to the foot. Gracie seizes the initiative, emptying the gun's ammunition with a flurry of wild shots that unfortunately find their mark on the front door - and beyond. The sightless landlord, Stanley, who had just arrived to tend to the malfunctioning elevator, meets his untimely demise.

The office is left reeling as Catherine becomes catatonic in the face of tragedy. Philip takes charge, preparing a soothing bath for his colleague, but in the process, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. As the tension mounts, Louie and Chris begin to forge an unlikely bond, with the ukulele-playing neighbor crafting a heartfelt serenade for his new friend.

In a bizarre display of office camaraderie, Gracie and Felix opt to pay tribute to their fallen landlord by transforming him into a Christmas tree - wrapping his lifeless form in burlap and attaching it to the office's festive foliage with an industrial adhesive. As everyone exits to place this... unusual "tree" on the boardwalk, they're confronted by the same group of rollerbladers who had initially clashed with Felix. Recognizing their nemesis, these wheeled warriors take aim at the "tree," sending it crashing to the ground and revealing the gruesome truth.

The authorities arrive to investigate the scene, only to find themselves face-to-face with a Christmas tree-turned-corpselike-semblance. Philip attempts to deflect suspicion by claiming ownership of the gun, but Gracie takes a surprising turn by confessing to the crime. In an effort to protect his friend from the consequences, Felix flees to the rooftop, brandishing the firearm in a desperate bid for attention.

Philip musters every ounce of persuasive power at his disposal to convince Felix not to take his own life, ultimately delivering an impassioned plea that resonates deeply with the troubled individual. Meanwhile, detectives working on Stanley's abandoned bag uncover a disturbing array of fishing line and kelp, the telltale signs of the notorious Seaside Strangler - revealing their unsuspecting landlord as the serial killer responsible for countless murders in the area.

As Gracie (character name) basks in the glory of her $250,000 windfall, earned for eliminating a malefactor, she seizes the opportunity to rectify their financial woes by doling out a substantial sum to Philip. The sudden influx of cash proves timely indeed, as Gracie's own body has other plans, and she finds herself giving birth at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Day - an event that pokes fun at the very essence of the Nativity story. Amidst the chaos and revelry, Philip takes it upon himself to pop the question to Catherine, and with a resounding "yes", their relationship takes a romantic turn.

As the curtain closes on this extraordinary Yuletide evening, Felix's artistic aspirations finally come to fruition in the most unexpected way - he brings his vision of a vibrant mural to life, capturing the essence of the unforgettable Christmas Eve that will forever be etched in the memories of those who lived it.