This Hallmark movie, which came out in the days before Hallmark became formulaic, was quite an engaging drama, romance and social commentary. Most of us who grew up in a "normal" environment can't even comprehend what it's like for someone like Kylie in this movie, a former foster kid who made the mistake of getting pregnant with a loser, but was still able to pull it together enough to be a loving mother to her son, yet found herself faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This gave us a real glimpse into the harsh realities of Kylie's world, having to support a family as a single mom with few skills, having no decent insurance for her sick son, no leave policy to deal with his frequent medical problems, and no power to deal with the corrupt landlord of the building whose mold is causing her son's sickness. It's as much of a wake-up call for us in the audience is it is for our hero Whitt in the movie, who grew up in a life of wealth and privilege.
I thought the performances were mostly good. Jodi Lyn O'Keefe nailed it with her portrayal of hardened, cynical single mom Kylie. I also liked how she showed her tender side with her son. Justin Bruening was okay, though a bit wooden at times. Their relationship was decent, but could have used a bit more development. Did they have chemistry? Not as much as I might have hoped for, but maybe that's what the story demanded.
They made the dad out to be somewhat of a villain, perhaps too much so. I don't think his reactions toward Kylie were necessarily unreasonable. However, he clearly wasn't the warm, nurturing father that Whitt needed, and I liked how Whitt was, ironically, able to connect with Kylie of the level of not feeling loved as a kid, even though he technically had parents. Whitt had a good character arc, progressing from an entitled elitist who was intimidated by his domineering father, to a kind, compassionate person who was able to stand up to his father for what was right.
The scene at the end where Whitt proposes to Kylie and tells her that he loves her through her son Shane was a bit cringy. It would have been better for him to tell her without Shane there. There's no question that the kid would have been all-in for them getting together. Also, proposing marriage was just too sudden and too soon. That part of the plot definitely could have been handled better.
All in all, though, this was nice, feel-good story about two souls who are each lost in their own way, and who help each other to grow and who find love in the process. Definitely worth a watch or two.
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