The story starts out like many others. Busy design exec goes back to hometown for inspiration. She has a big project to complete in a short time. So much of the movie is about community pulling together. There is a widower and his daughter recovering from mom's death. Everything is pointing toward a festival and a contest. Then there is the big misunderstanding based on a partially overheard conversation.
There is a lot of "smoke and mirrors" in the story. So much didn't make sense or seemed stretched. Kendall's quick redesign of the festival (twice) without even knowing what she had to work with is one example. The preoccupation with selling the boat to the "right" person was overworked. Kendall facilitating Zack's entry into the community also seemed forced.
I often scoff at overuse of musical montages. There are at least 4. Even if they are short. The first two include Brooks with what seems to be forced laughter. I scoff because overuse of these seems to me to be cheap writing.
Another reviewer, in a properly marked spoiler, pointed out a character inconsistency or two in the last part of the movie and I agree.
Andrea Brooks has presence. She is always upbeat and energetic. She went so many years in supporting roles and this year already, I've seen her in 3 which is a lot even for established Hallmark type stars. Her performances were decent in all of them. In this movie, she and Spencer Lord had chemistry and managed a fair amount of screen time together. I doubt there is a movie with Brooks in a prominent role that I would turn down, but even so somehow her performance got lost in all the other static.
There is a lot of "smoke and mirrors" in the story. So much didn't make sense or seemed stretched. Kendall's quick redesign of the festival (twice) without even knowing what she had to work with is one example. The preoccupation with selling the boat to the "right" person was overworked. Kendall facilitating Zack's entry into the community also seemed forced.
I often scoff at overuse of musical montages. There are at least 4. Even if they are short. The first two include Brooks with what seems to be forced laughter. I scoff because overuse of these seems to me to be cheap writing.
Another reviewer, in a properly marked spoiler, pointed out a character inconsistency or two in the last part of the movie and I agree.
Andrea Brooks has presence. She is always upbeat and energetic. She went so many years in supporting roles and this year already, I've seen her in 3 which is a lot even for established Hallmark type stars. Her performances were decent in all of them. In this movie, she and Spencer Lord had chemistry and managed a fair amount of screen time together. I doubt there is a movie with Brooks in a prominent role that I would turn down, but even so somehow her performance got lost in all the other static.