Steve Lund

Hearts Around the Table: Kiki’s Fourth Ingredient.

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I Didn’t know Whether to Add Stars or Subtract Them.

**Spoilers**

Jenna and Andrew are getting married in 4 days. Will Kiki, the last foster child on the docket, be able to meet, get to know, and fall in love with some man, have a big conflict, and then make up with him all the while preparing to cater her sister’s 100 guest wedding out of a food truck? It won’t be easy, but it’s Saturday night on the Hallmark Channel, so the answer is “yes.”  We see the road forward when we are introduced to Andrew’s best man who just happens to be the executive chef and owner of one of the most well-established restaurants in town. He is played by Torrance Coombs, who has been in a Hallmark and similar movie a time or two. There was one I didn’t like, but one I really did. And it turns out that he was the best thing about this one. He brought a suave and sophisticated mature older-man vibe to the proceedings that I really liked. Even though he was supposed to be the same age as Andrew. Kiki is supposed to be somewhat younger, so it was OK. I bought it.

Kiki is rather prickly with Clay when they first meet and she finds out his status in the local restaurant scene. She understandably feels a lot of pressure to make things perfect for her sister and now feels that she and her food truck will be judged and found wanting. And unexpected problems and glitches do seem to be mounting up. And no wonder, because she seems to be doing everything as if she didn’t know she was going to be the caterer until yesterday. Clay is very nice and makes it clear he has nothing but respect for her talent, admires her spirit and creativity, and even envies her freedom to create and serve what she wants.  Mainly, he points out that she is so preoccupied by prepping for the reception that she is missing out on her sister’s wedding and her bridesmaid duties. Kiki conquers her “I-can-do-it-all-by-myself-itis” and she lets him advise and help her. Only one day to the wedding, and they even have time to help out a local food bank.

All proceeds as expected on the romance and professional front until the night of the rehearsal dinner, when all things go to hell in a handbasket. Clay warmly introduces his female friend and colleague, another prominent chef, to the group and praises her skills and her restaurant. He praises Kiki and introduces her especially, and the lady makes some subtle digs at Kiki and her food truck.  Kiki goes on high alert, insecurity rears its ugly head again, and she gets huffy and sneaks out of the dinner. At first I thought she was being overly sensitive and overreacted. But looking at the exchange again, I didn’t really blame her for getting her panties in a twist. But she shouldn’t have walked out of her sister’s rehearsal dinner. She missed all of the drama.

While the Clay and Kiki saga was going on, Angie, the foster mother, tracked down Jenna’s long lost father behind her back as a special treat for Jenna. In the middle of the dinner, in he walks, still in his work clothes. What was the normally wise and caring Angie thinking? Not surprisingly Jenna was not pleased that the father who abandoned her and her mother (It wasn’t my idea!) shockingly intrudes uninvited by her on her happy (except for Kiki) rehearsal dinner. He didn’t even know her mother had died 20 years ago, and that Jenna had been raised in foster care (And why not, may I ask, you Jerk? That $64,000 question never gets answered.) She even turns on Andrew, the fiancé, in her anger and disgust. Uh Oh, SpaghettiOs.

And things go downhill from there! It got very awkward. As awkward as I’ve ever seen in a Hallmark movie. In fact, it was such a trainwreck, I almost gave it extra stars for the entertainment value. I’ll try not to give a play by play, but it mainly involves Kiki chopping vegetables like a maniac in her food truck the morning of the wedding after firing all of her temps instead of being a help and support to her traumatized sister. Also, Jenna refuses to walk down the aisle without the stranger she met the night before at her side (Don’t ask about the change of heart, because I have no idea). She keeps her Groom and his Groomsmen standing awkwardly in front of all of the guests in the pews waiting for her to appear while dear old “Dad” is rounded up.  They stand there quietly panicking and being stared at in silence without even any organ music for at least 20 minutes. They have no idea what is going on! And don’t get me started on Josh’s honey walking down the aisle like a hotdog in the middle of it all to straighten his tie. And the baptismal font in the middle of the aisle which Jenna, Deadbeat Dad, and Angie have to dodge on the trip to the altar.

Anyway, just to wrap up, the wedding happens in spite of itself and Kiki and Clay declare their undying love after knowing each other for 4 actually 3, days during which a good chunk of that time she was mad at him. What was the fourth ingredient? Another question goes unanswered. Stars for Mr. Coombs and all the craziness.

Rating: 6 out of 10.

Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving

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Hallmark Takes on ADHD

As an After School Special exploring the topic of ADHD, this was excellent. As a Hallmark movie, it was just OK. And I didn’t understand the title. No third servings to be found. Angie welcomes a new foster to her table as brother Josh meets the new English teacher at his school. Thanks to the charm and good acting of Millie Davis, who played Gina, the second teen foster child to be taken in by Angie, this movie did keep me engaged. She was a star. I did question the wisdom of having two equally attractive unrelated teenagers of opposite sexes living in the same house. But that’s another subject. The romance between Josh and Ella, the new teacher, who also was put in charge of running the extra-curricular music program, definitely took second stage to Gina’s troubles with studying and Josh and Ella’s efforts to raise money for their Track and Music programs, respectively.

The two teacher’s initial friendly encounter turns to rivalry as Ella’s little music group has the unmitigated gall to practice their rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” outside on the school’s lawn within earshot of Josh’s apparently very unfocused and easily distracted track team. I was firmly on Ella’s side in this dispute, despite the screechiness and lack of musicality of her half dozen little chicks (which include Gina). The alternative to practicing outside on the lawn is to use the music room which is full of toppling junk and infested with (possibly dangerous?) mold. When the two teachers receive the news that their budget has been cut in half, they start competing for money with fundraising, from the PTA, the Board of Education, and the Alumni Association. Josh’s track team needs new uniforms and Ella needs a complete renovation of the dangerous, possibly deadly, music room. Ella gets a tip from the head of the PTA that the wealthy Alumni Association might be interested in funding a new project. Because the decision maker, Mr. Gupta, is a “go big or go home” kind of guy Ella very nicely invites Josh to team up with her to pitch funding sports and the arts together. Their mild flirting is kicked up a notch to include a hug in the classroom (which was kinda weird) and a date in a restaurant. Meanwhile, we spend a lot of time delving into Gina’s ADHD and the reasons why some may be resistant to being tested, the resources that can help them, and some pep talks and words of wisdom in dealing with those challenges. Also we spend some time with Steve Lund (yay!) who is trying to figure out a good way to propose to Jenna.

The big conflict right before the happy ending is particularly weak and manufactured because it depends on Josh losing his frigging mind. He is approached by a sports agent who offers to help Josh secure the money for his track program as he is an old buddy of Mr. Gupta. Josh conveniently forgets to tell the guy that the pitch is for the school music program as well as the track team. He is just shocked when his and Ella’s joint pitch is cancelled because Mr. Gupta was won over by the sports agent to generously fund the track team by itself, as requested. Let me tell you, Ella was shocked as well, to put it mildly. Josh redeems himself by refusing the money unless Mr. Gupta funds both programs. Mr. Gupta kindly declines and neither program gets the money. Hilarious. The whole thing was weird because the also very influential Mrs. Gupta turns out to be a big proponent of music programs and is a musician herself. It was very strange and harsh of Mr. Gupta but luckily, out of nowhere, the PTA steps in to save the day. Perhaps someone important got a whiff of that music room and pointed out the school was ripe for a lawsuit on the grounds of child endangerment.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Hearts Around the Table: Jenna’s First Love

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Second Chancy Romance

First off, Welcome Back to Hallmark, Steve Lund. I don’t know what you did to get yourself banished, or what Hallmark did to you for you to have to take a break (actually I think I do know), but Gosh, it was good to see you again. I guess absence does make the heart go fonder, because though he’s been a favorite for a long time, now I love him. Move over Kris Polaha. Unfortunately, the role he plays in this one leaves a lot to be desired.

Jenna is a former foster child who was taken in by Angie when she was 13-years-old, joining three other children she considers her brother and sisters. She has made a great success of her life which we know because in the opening scene she is strutting confidently down the city street in heels and a trendy power suit talking on a cell phone. She is an “event guru” who is going to a meeting with a tech billionaire about a charitable event he wants to put on. In the lobby, she runs into (Yes, literally, papers a-flying) Andrew (Lund) who is Billionaire Tom Redland’s right hand man and consultant. They have a “What-are-YOU-doing-here?” moment. They were high-school sweethearts who broke up when Andrew ghosted her and went to Paris to study. They will be working together to put on this huge and important Charity event which Jenna handles like a boss. Actually she is the boss, as Tom Redlands, who is a good guy, handsome and short, makes her the lead on the project. Andrew, who is handsome, very fit, and tall, is a good sport about it. He does show that he is a good guy in moments throughout the movie, but he does have a character arc, so he is not supposed to be perfect like Jenna. Unfortunately it wasn’t handled very believably or well, so while Steve Lund’s performance is a positive, the character he plays is a negative.

  • He ghosts Jenna after highschool and although he apologizes, he never comes up with a good explanation other than “we were kids.” In fact, he blames his wealthy mother (weak!) for not approving of Jenna’s background and insisting on getting him away to Paris. But when we finally meet his mother she is perfectly lovely and seemingly thrilled that her son is in love with such a beautiful, nice, and successful woman. And she greets Angie, Jenna’s foster mother like an old friend. Definitely not the sort who must have wrapped Andrew in duct tape and thrown him on the plane to Paris to prevent him from saying goodbye and I Will Still Love You Forever to Jenna. And kept him like that to prevent him calling her on the phone. So it makes him look like a liar.
  • When Billionaire Tom invites Jenna to discuss their project after hours at dinner, Andrew acts like a petulant child, jumping to all sorts of jealousy-fueled conclusions. Yes, Tom does seem to be interested in her personally (who wouldn’t be?), but Jenna is pretty clear that it is Andrew who holds her heart in his hands. He goes to the gym to work out his anger and frustration, and he is actually pretty scary about it, suggesting a possible issue there, in my opinion.
  • Thank goodness he didn’t know that Tom proposes marriage to her on their second date which was very weird. Jenna actually is like “Dude. What?” and leaves the restaurant with the intent of talking to Andrew. She finds him sitting on the sidewalk outside her apartment (also weird). He is about ready to confess his love and regret, when Tom’s chauffeur drives up with her purse which she left at the restaurant. For some reason, this triggers Andrew (who already knew she was out with Tom) into stalking off into the night with no goodbye (sound familiar?). Jenna calls out after him “Nice Talk!!” which was kind of funny. God, Hallmark, can you please lose this big last minute misunderstanding trope? He rudely ignores her for the remaining minutes of the movie until, thanks to a pep talk from Mommy, he makes up with her and the rest is history.

Throughout the movie, we are treated to weekly dinners with Jenna’s foster family, setting up the next three movies in this Hearts Around the Table series which will feature Jenna’s three siblings. We also have a little story with Rory, a new arrival Angie is fostering. Angie is played by Mindy Cohn of The Facts of Life fame. She is great, looks great, and her character is very endearing. These home scenes are lively and warm. Older sister Shari seems like a real pistol. She is rightly very suspicious of Andrew, and makes her feelings crystal clear to the point of rudeness. And good for her. The other brother and sister are played by Jake Epstein, a big favorite of mine, and Kathryn Davis. In this one, talented actor Steve Lund conveys all the emotions his character is going through with skill and authenticity, even adding a little welcome humor that might not have been written into the script. Unfortunately I just didn’t like those emotions. I am optimistic about the next three movies, particularly Shari’s story and more of Jake Epstein (and hopefully, Steve Lund). And Mindy Cohn-loved her in this.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Six Degrees of Santa

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Free the Tense

I will always prioritize movies that star Steve Lund, so I gave this a chance. Also, I wanted to exorcise the memory of the horror that was his other 2022 Christmas Movie in which Steve was dumped by the widow that wasn’t.

I liked the concept of this Lifetime movie and our heroine Steph’s personal Christmas project, Six Degrees of Santa. It’s kind of a Christmas gift chain letter. Santa#1 buys a gift that is meaningful to them and gives it anonymously to a stranger or a friend who in turn does the same. The sixth recipient gets to keep it. Steph’s own Santa#1 gift eventually reaches a tech mogul she despises. But he is touched by the gift which is a book that meant a lot to him as a child. He reaches out to Steph, who is easy to find because her project has gone viral with people all over the world. He wants to find the person who bought the gift originally, thinking that they will have a real connection because of the book they have in common. Steph wants nothing to do with him so she lies and tells him the original buyer is her shallow social media-obsessed next-door neighbor. She sets him up with her.

I loved Steve Lund in this but didn’t care for the actress who played Steph, or her character. Firstly, the choice of cosmetics for this movie did not suit her looks. I read her impressive bio, and Kathryn Davis appears to be a beautiful and multi-talented performer. I even liked her in another movie, but just didn’t care for her or her character in this one. Her delivery seemed anxious, tense, and high-strung. She talked in a too-fast staccato manner. I just wanted to tell her to calm down. As for her character, Steph’s whole relationship with Steve was based on a lie. She started to fall for him and see his true self underneath the surface, but wouldn’t tell him the truth. That premise for a plot is boring and is used far too often. Plus, her character is not too bright about how to make the most of her idea. She was blind and stubborn until the very end. Her mother accuses her of not being able to see the forest for the trees and she was absolutely right. It was too frustrating. I liked her family, including her ex-husband. Full disclosure: I fast-forwarded through much of this because I saw exactly where this was going and I didn’t have the patience for still another “just tell the truth!” plotline. Also, the premise that any single woman, let alone two, would not want to date a handsome billionaire who is also a nice guy played by Steve Freaking Lund was just too ludicrous.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Christmas Bedtime Stories

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Just What is the Message Here?

**Spoilers**

Even though his body was never recovered, Danielle’s husband has been declared dead by the military. His jet was shot down in the middle of a large sea. Even if he survived the crash, there is no way he could have reached land. It was fully investigated by military intelligence and it was determined that there is no hope he survived. A young mother of an 8-year-old, she has turned the corner on her grief and has gotten engaged to her husband’s best friend, Pierce, who has been an unfailing support and a second father to her daughter. Her daughter wants her to tell her stories about her dead father to help her remember him. As Danielle starts to recount her history with Colby, her husband, she starts to see things (another soldier who resembles him,  something he said repeated, a lost ornament found, etc.) in real life. Danielle sees these as signs that the universe is telling her to slow down with Pierce. She thinks that Colby might still be alive. She begins to have second thoughts. She goes to the base commander, the father of a good friend, to get a better grip on the situation. He lays out all of the whys and wherefores of why he couldn’t possibly have survived. She is convinced, but the “signs” keep coming. She just can’t shake her doubts off. This negatively impacts her relationship with Pierce and they finally break it off, breaking the wonderful wonderful Pierce’s heart who is played by lovely Steve Lund whom we never hear from again. The night before the dance she sees breaking news that 4 POWs have been found and will soon be coming home. She goes to the base commander for more info, but he tells her he already checked and that the POWs were all “foreigners.” There is no chance. She goes to the dance, and there is her husband bathed in a misty light, fit as a fiddle, looking for her. What the What?! Is it a dream? No. It’s not.  The family is reunited.

Words just fail me (not really). But where do I begin?  Is there any military-related entity or person that this movie didn’t hurt or offend? It makes the base commander and military intelligence look incompetent. Not necessarily for declaring him dead when he wasn’t, although that certainly didn’t earn them any points, but for the misinformation about the POWs being foreigners, killing Danielle’s hopes yet again. And then the recently rescued POW just shows up a day later, all alone, with no warning at a Christmas dance? No hospitalization? Debriefing? No communication to the next of kin? No support or even acknowledgment of him or his widow? No press? Did he even check in with his superiors when he escaped from Yemen? Did he just teleport to the dance?

It insults POWs. This guy shows up out of the blue after being in captivity under brutal conditions, not only unscathed physically or mentally but looking like he has been spending those 3 years at Club Med taking full advantage of the gourmet meals and the fitness facilities. When Danielle asks how he survived, he responds that he just thought about his family and their love. Oh Really? So any ex-POW who died or actually suffered physical and/or mental damage just didn’t love his family enough?

This movie is a slap in the face and potentially harmful to any military wife who has suffered the tragedy of losing a husband but is trying to move forward and build a new life. Stay in the Past! Don’t believe anyone in authority that tells you your husband is dead! If there isn’t a body, there is still hope, no matter what!  Pay no attention to the facts or the insights and good sense of other women who grieved for their husbands but have found peace and happiness with a new partner in life. Any coincidence is a sign from your dead husband trying to tell you he is still alive!  No, I don’t think any woman in a similar situation as Danielle will take this movie seriously, but Hallmark put this scenario out there thoughtlessly with no regard for people who have rightly been told there is no hope even if a body has not been recovered.

It is insulting that Hallmark thought they could just conjure up a happy miracle out of absolutely nothing in the last 5 minutes of the movie and think their viewer’s hearts would be moved. Hey Hallmark, your viewers have brains too. And one more thing. Do not cast the wonderful Steve Lund in a movie where he does not get the girl. I venture to guess that that is not going to fly with 95% of your viewership.  It certainly didn’t with me.

Rating: 1 out of 10.

The Art of Us

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Van Gogh to Hell in a Handbasket

The Art of Us had some “odd for Hallmark” elements in it. Some of which were not unwelcome.

First off, yes, Taylor Cole as Dr. Harper Higgins lies about her Dog Walker/Talented Artist love interest being Vincent Van Gogh’s great-grandson in order to advance her career. So that genuinely crossed the line as far as morals and ethics are concerned. It put other people’s careers and reputations on the line. Hallmark heroines usually do have some foibles and faults to grow past, but being unethical and dishonest for monetary gain is usually not one of them. Especially to people she counts as her colleagues and friends. Secondly, she and her artist actually suffer consequences for their bad behavior. She loses her own career and reputation and he has his show canceled and dismantled. The third aspect that was unusual was that the ex-boyfriend is actually a good honest (and very attractive) guy and the only one smart and educated enough to show any skepticism regarding Tom Becker’s pedigree. Taylor broke up with him because, as an art critic, he told the truth about her art (too technical, no heart or passion) in his review. He was saddened when that truth-telling caused her to quit painting instead of learning and trying again. So yes, Taylor is weak character-wise. the fourth thing is that we forego the 15-20 minutes-to-go in the movie conflict that busts the couple up temporarily. There is a crisis but they face it together.

There were also some big questions to get past in order to buy into the main plot. It is not credible at all that a University art department and respected art dealer would buy into Taylor’s lie about Van Gogh. It is well known that Van Gogh had no children. That such a blockbuster revelation would just be accepted at face value with no investigation is simply ridiculous. That a talented artist would be revealed to be Van Gogh’s great-grandson would be headline news worldwide in the arts community.

I had thought I saw this years ago but I hadn’t. When I saw that it starred Steve Lund, I had to check it out because he is a favorite of mine. He is very engaging, you (I, anyway) really buy into whatever emotion he is trying to convey. There is genuine feeling beyond his words. And when the script calls for it, he can be very funny. He elevates whatever he is in. Taylor Cole? Meh. I can take or leave her. Sometimes she’s pretty good, but in this one she is just average. Maybe her character was to blame though. Everything ends on an upbeat note. It is shown that Tom is on the way to becoming a successful artist, and Harper is happily going back to her own painting with a whole new attitude now that her university career is in shambles.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

February 12, 2022

A Mrs. Miracle Christmas

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“Isn’t that Fortuitous!”

The Mrs. Miracle Christmas movies, based on books by mainstream novelist Debbie Macomber, were a cut above typical Hallmark Christmas fare. I was very happy to see a new one in the series with Caroline Rhea taking over the eponymous character. I was not at all surprised that she brought her own comedic talents, warmth, and energy to the role. I am certain that this will be a yearly event now that they have their new Mrs. Miracle. And we got an extra bonus with the appearance of her daughter, “Mercy,” charmingly played by Jordan Ashley Olsen.

In this one, Mrs. Miracle comes to the rescue of a school teacher, her husband, and the young woman’s “Nana” who are all finding it difficult to move forward from grief. Lauren and Will from the loss of their foster child, and Nana from the death of her husband. Lauren also harbors hurt and abandonment issues because of a dead mother and an absent father. Although certain aspects are as predictable as usual, it does avoid some usual Hallmark conventions. For one thing, money is an issue. Lauren and Will started living with Nana because of financial problems. Loss of religious faith is touched on. The big 20-minute-to-go-in-the-movie conflict over a new foster child is in no danger of escalating because the couple is married and love each other. So they communicate.

Once she settled into the role, Lauren is ably played by Kaitlin Doubleday who is a dead ringer for a young Kelly Ripa.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 31: Actress Kaitlin Doubleday attends the 5th Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on May 31, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Critics’ Choice Television Awards)
Kaitlin on the left, Kelly on the Right

Steve Lund who is usually in lighter fare, is effective as her husband who is trying to get his wife to look to the future and try again.  It was no surprise that he was great in this more dramatic role and they couldn’t have cast anyone better than Paula Shaw as the funny, feisty Nana. All three are caught up in the force of nature that is Mrs. Miracle who is a firm believer that “Sometimes we don’t know what we need until it is placed right in front of us.” It is all capped off with a very satisfying “3 years later” epilogue.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

November 11, 2021

Secret Millionaire

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A Park, A Food Truck, and a Secret Identity

As usual with non-Hallmark TV romances, this one strays from the formula just a bit. First of all, we have a lack of a festival or small town/big city conflict. This one is the “save the park or whatever” plot. Hey, I didn’t say it was a complete departure!

An indulged son of a real estate mogul has been drifting from one thing to another, while his father wants him to settle down and work with him at his company. He gives him an ultimatum that he has to find a job within a week or he will be cut off from his financial support. Leaving the building he runs into some protesters who are trying to rescue their beloved park from his father’s evil development plans. He conceals his identity and gets a job as a chef in the cute one’s food truck.

Of course, it is only a matter of time before it will be discovered that he is none other than the son of the person who is trying to take the park away. Thus the suspense and tension. The predictable story is enlivened by the cast. Siobhan Williams is a fresh face and is a perfect spunky girl next door type. Steve Lund, a Hallmark regular is as attractive and reliable as usual. And yes, Steve Lund, I saw you in that Allegra commercial. A little side hustle? Good for you. The secondary couple has a sweet courtship, complicated by a rival love interest. Both of the guys are appealing until one of them turns out to be a big phony.

There is a corporate-type other woman for our hero to provide some drama, and the Dad learns something about his own grandfather that leads to a happy ending for all. Of course.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

September 14, 2021

Love Upstream

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“I’m Too Busy Being Fat and Mannish!”

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A funny script, interspersed with good drama and suspense makes this an above-average TV romance. There was great chemistry between the two leads, Kimberly-Sue Murray (perky and effervescent Charlotte) and Steve Lund (dry and cynical Rob). There were several laugh-out-loud comic scenes between the two antagonists turned lovers, as well as tension and eventual tenderness. Each of the actors made the most of the script with their excellent comic timing. And that also goes for Nadine Whiteman Roden who played Tina, the owner of the Wilderness retreat’s wife and eventual friend of Charlotte, our fish-out-of-water heroine. Her opening scene shaming an elderly “Karen” was classic. Charlotte is a devoted city girl who writes books giving relationship advice. When her fiancé dumps her, it puts her career on the verge of shambles. She changes focus and decided to write a book about how to survive in the wilderness. Just go with it.

Her showpiece scene is her panic attack while caught in an elevator with our eventual hero. He is not impressed, to say the least. His big scene is when the couple meets her snobby ex-boyfriend at a fancy restaurant who superciliously asks him what he does for a living. He replies in all seriousness that he is a Prince. So funny. And I loved how he had her back and put him in his place. The actor who played the cheating ex was a dead ringer for Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) which made the take-down all the more satisfying. I also wanted to give props to Tenika Davis who played Charlotte’s affected snotty city friend, who inadvertently shows Charlotte that her heart is not in Chicago after all.

After her adventures, when Charlotte submits her manuscript, her editor changes it to cruelly mock her new friends. They are hurt and betrayed. Tina won’t speak to her, as she yells across the yard, “I’m too busy being “fat” and “mannish!”

Of course, it all gets straightened out, and Rob’s declaration of love was sweet, romantic, and touching. Like I said, the chemistry between these two actors was the best I’ve seen in a long time. Steve Lund is now an official favorite.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

August 30, 2021

Baby, It’s Cold Inside

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Bait and Switch

I signed up for a Hallmark movie and got an infomercial for the Ice Hotel in Canada. Except the script would have been better in the infomercial. The lead actress, Jocelyn Hudon, droned her part out in a monotone like she couldn’t get the words out fast enough so she could be done with it. Not that I blame her. Meryl Streep couldn’t have created any interest with this lifeless script. She was pretty, blonde, and boring. Her main personality trait was being cutely clumsy. I’ve liked Steve Lund in other parts, so I’ll just move on.

This travelogue consisted of jumping from one cold-weather activity to another. Baking authentic Nordic food, sliding down ice slides, hot-tubbing, touring the hotel, snowshoeing, glass-blowing, maple syrup making, and northern lights viewing. After about an hour of this frantic activity, the heroine actually asks the hotel owner what there is to do in the area. I kid you not. The most exciting thing that happened was the influential hotel reviewer got a maple syrup pop stuck on his hat. There was a bit at the end where the dead-eyed jealous hotel manager (who actually was pretty scary with her coiled hostility masked by her friendly courtesy) said some mean things to our heroine and briefly scared her off the trail of a new career path and a cute boyfriend. But by that time it was too late. Thanks to that hotel hat guy (who reappeared in one of the strangest caps unless you were impersonating an Army Ranger, ever) disaster was averted.

This is the second Hallmark movie starring the Ice Hotel. I think an investigation is in order. **2 stars out of 10**

Rating: 2 out of 10.

May 13, 2021