After what feels like months of watching Hallmark holiday movies that have one normal plot and a series of attractive leading actors going through the same stories, along comes this mature, sensitive, and really original film! Hats off to the writers, producers, and actors who offered tired viewers a stimulating, wise story with interesting, very much created characters.
Both leading actors are astounding in their roles. Both are really talented actors. Aimee Teagarden as the busy television maker who needs a daily existence change is superb to watch. Her emotions are real, they are displayed with all the vulnerability, caution, and, yes, moxie that a woman of her profession may possess.
Hallmark romance movies are pretty hamstrung in their formulae. Courageous woman comes into or back to a charming (or her youth) small town for a short timeframe, and must return to her fantastically successful career ASAP. Usually, although the champion has everything going for her, she is still (or as of late) single, and willing to surrender said achievements in a heartbeat whenever she is taken a gander at twice by the recalcitrant legend, who frequently has less to offer than she does. Legend is set up as an initial adversary for the champion. Timing between initial gathering and ultimate secure (usually accompanied by a proposal of marriage after one or possibly two kisses) is lightning fast. It was refreshing to see a Hallmark film that's somewhat unique. This one came without gasps of amazement at the lighting of a Christmas tree (Seriously? When was the last time you craned your neck in a group, mesmerized at such a commonplace site? However Hallmark trots out that lame figure of speech in each colder time of year holiday flick). The lead actors here actually have chemistry. The supporting characters are believable as well. No lame gingerbread treat or house contest here. No people group festival that the whole town can't seem to live without. No youngsters or teenagers breathless with anticipation at decorating for the holiday (rather than crying about being taken away from their computer games and/or social media for a task and tradition they care minimal about). The legend and champion here actually seem to get along. The contention between them is believable (since it was pulled from an actual news story). Granted, the male lead seems more that somewhat naive in his faith in corporate executives, yet his blinders aren't on for long. And the final resolution, although it seems to have skipped a couple of chapters from breakup to reconciliation, also didn't stretch the imagination excessively far. And the actor playing the saint sure knows the proper behavior charming.
Michael Rady and Aimee Teagarden have superb chemistry. I cherished watching each scene with them (before the contention). I wish there had been more. The acting is mostly acceptable all around. Important characters seemed natural to me.
I've said several times that in Hallmark type rom/coms it is necessary to suspend a demand for realism somewhat or another. This film has two gigantic plot holes. The first is the point at which a beautiful young lady appearing on TV saying she will not turn down any invitations. I'm glad the film didn't go into the drain on that one, yet in reality that would have been a disaster. The second is the obvious irreconcilable situation which would have obliterated their story in reality. Here's a case of the writers "hanging a lantern on it" when Kelly brings that up and they almost immediately dismiss it. So we'll give this film two Mulligan's instead of just one and continue on.
Disregard those problems, or track down a superior way around them, and this is a decent story. I can't recall a story very like it (at least as of late). There is some real clash and some angst. There are some great situations. There's also some acceptable dialog. Some is interesting. Some is somewhat highbrow. Some gets somewhat philosophical. This film goes somewhat more sophisticated than a great deal of what we see on Hallmark, even given the two plot holes I called attention to.
Seeing actors' pages on this site, this film shows up as both 2019 and 2021. I can't really accept that I missed it in 2019. Can't help thinking about what happened.
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