Has There Ever Been a Hallmark Movie without a Festival of Some Sort?

In some ways, I liked how this movie avoided all of the oft-used-to-death stupid conflicts and misunderstandings that the prospective lovebirds have to get past. The heroine’s current boyfriend wasn’t a super-smooth too-handsome bad guy with evil intentions. The one time he overstepped the line by giving our heroine unwanted and bad advice, he apologized the next morning and complimented her judgement over his. He was actually kind of goofy looking. In a good way. The hero and heroine were not separated in their youth because of a big bitter misunderstanding or lack of communication. They just decided to chase their own career paths. Near the end, she even admits that it probably wouldn’t have worked if he had followed through with his marriage proposal. They each had to take their own paths first.

Unfortunately, this also made this movie a little uneventful. There was some lazy writing. For example, the older woman that Jenna meets turns out to be the long lost first love of hero’s father. When she first meets her lost love’s son, she comments that he reminds her of an old friend. Yet she doesn’t seem to make the connection, or quiz him, or seek out the love of her life who is still running the same hotel and hasn’t moved a muscle since they last met. Not even an ounce of curiosity? No “Hey, maybe I’ll look up old what’s his name”? Why did they never see each other until the very end? Very anticlimactically, I might add.

Oh well, I give it a seven, because the scenery was great, and my eye rolls were kept to a minimum. Just don’t scrutinize it too closely and take your breaks during the musical numbers. No need to put on pause. Lastly, a big shout out to the hairdresser who styled the current day Merritt Patterson’s sleek sophisticated hair do. It really set the mature Jenna apart from the young Jenna.

September 19, 2019