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Lacey and Carlo were fantastic in this movie, along with a great set of supporting actors, The premise is familiar; a busy, high-powered realtor is busy conquering the world when her personal life takes an ego-deflating blow: her significant other decides to break up with her for not making enough time for their relationship.

She heads to the country inn (VT) where her remarried (formerly widowed) father lives, even though he too once lived in NYC where she lives. There's a palpable tension between the two, but we don't understand the details until much later.

The trip to Vermont turns into an opportunity for Fiona (Lacey) to self-reflect, even though she unfortunately sees her now-ex with his new girl at the inn also (what are the odds?). The town is having "Maplefaire", a festival dedicated to what makes VT special. After an initial reaction to run away, she stays and slowly begins to interweave herself into the fabric of the slow-paced Vermont town. All the while, she is getting closer to a young man (Carlo) who originally agrees to "pretend" he is dating her to help throw off Fiona's ex. As expected, the fakery turns genuine, and Fiona and her new beau make a magical couple. Their chemistry and genuine selves rise up, without any speedy jumps to being ready to get married or having some picture-perfect whirlwind love. They slowly begin to see each other as more, but a lot of time passes as they get there, filled with banter that suggests they'll only be friends. Fiona's best friend (whose name is also Fiona, but in real life) fulfills her role, and helps Fiona keep perspective throughout the film.

Lacey is just amazing as an actress, and it hearkens back to her younger days in Party of Five. Everyone could see how her expressive eyes and smile are tough to ignore, and accordingly, she has flourished. She just seems like a genuinely lovely person.

Moonlight in Vermont is perfect entertainment for any audience and does not become overly sappy (ha) or require massive suspensions of reality. Watch with a girlfriend or your Grandma, and don't forget to bring maple candy.

I really love this movie for Alison Sweeney most of all; I'm not as familiar with her movies as some of the extremely frequent Hallmarkers, like Lacey Chabert (love) - but I am just in love with Alison.

In this film, Ellen (alison) is charged by her now-deceased Grandma to deliver a letter to a specific person in a town called Beacon. The town is known for the blueberries it grows, and of course it's the ubiquitous Hallmark fantasy-town. Replete with small businesses run by quirky owners and a waterfront, there is nothing uninviting about Beacon.

Ellen makes swift work of getting to Beacon, much to her mother's patronization. Once there, a string of events begins, starting with a surprise fall into the town lake while taking a photo. (Ellen is a lawyer by profession, but a hobby photographer.) When she comes up for air, panicking, Roy (Blucas) helps rescue her, and in a moment of gratitude, Ellen plants a big kiss on Blucas, who reciprocates.

The problem? Ellen is steadily dating and already being asked to marry her boyfriend, who makes sense on paper, but is not the love of her life.

As the movie moves forward, we get to see how the spark builds between Roy and Ellen, with the tension of her boyfriend's possible reaction.

There are genuine moments of humor in this movie, like: Crusty "respect the claw" Newspaper dispenser, which apparently means almost as much to Roy as Ellen will!

I also laughed when we see Roy pinning up the scary new no-trespassing sign on the lake dock, which automatically would make me want to run away from the lake.

There were only a couple of downers: I didn't enjoy the character of Ellen's mom, although I think that was intentional. She was super annoying and not worthy of Ellen as her daughter. She was so condescending and treacherous. I also didn't love the shop friend, who would sarcastically comment in every scene.

The seven-letter word is still mysterious to me, but I keep thinking it is "reunite".

The movie as a whole was a joy to see, and I will watch it again and again.

I loved this movie; the most compelling feature of this movie is the bravery exuding from both David and Lily. Their ability to adapt and thrive in a world that doesn't understand their abilities and can be limiting for them is remarkable.

Lily is just perfection from the very start. As Kendall, she is cheerful, 'can-do' minded, and very ready to grow up and experience life for herself. Not looking for love, Kendall is busy living her life when she meets a young man named David. He and Kendall immediately become friends, and this turns into love.

Kendall's mom, Erica Durance's character, is what I would say is the perfect mom. She really takes the best care of Kendall and exudes the feeling that she is beyond fortunate to have been blessed with her. Emma is her name, and she is cautious but confident. Like many moms, she is careful about Kendall's safety and more importantly, her heart. The scenes they share really drive home the idea that a great parent will do almost anything to make their child feel loved and safe.

Beverly is the grandmother of Kendall, and a giant proponent of allowing Kendall to explore her possibilities.

David DeSanctis plays Brad, Kendall's friend and eventual love interest. He is absolutely wonderful in how he balances the silly side of his humor with his very serious ability to love. His love for Kendall is unquestionable.

The movie is a fast watch; there are no boring moments, and also not very many tropes that you might expect. There is only one situation where the expected rejection toward Kendall appears, and that scene ends up being incredibly moving. I loved how this scene gives the watcher some closure, instead of sitting on the point that most people are unhelpful to those with special differences.

As a character, Beverly (Grandmother) was amiable, but it did seem to me that she was unnecessarily dismissive of the caution that Kendall's mom displayed. I understand the rationale that Hallmark was trying to convey - they were highlighting how over-protectiveness on the part of a parent can become the norm if it isn't 'checked', which can negatively impact Kendall and her mom as well. It was the somewhat condescending spirit that stood out to me from Beverly, and even as a non-parent, I found myself thinking that the liberties she tended to promote for Kendall were just not well-thought.

If I had more experience with those who have Down Syndrome, I might better understand the realities and risks that are present, but my observations for Beverly are based on my own potentially ignorant understanding.

All in all, an excellent and captivating movie.

I have read the other reviews so far, and I definitely understand why this movie isn't necessarily a favorite.

A quick summary: Paul Campbell, known for his clever wit and affability, takes a more moody tone in this movie. Instead of being his usual laid-back self, he portrays a 'down on life' author, and is insufferably grouchy, though we understand his plight.

He lost his parents, and has become sour on Christmas as a result. On top of this, his infamous books (which struck me as Harry Potter-esque) have bloated his fame to proportions that make him feel overcommericalized and basically sick of everything.

His publicist is helping to save him from himself; she tries her best to do damage control, but he's slow to trust her and she is equally put off by him.

They find common ground by the end of the movie, although the chemistry (in my eyes) never forms. I don't know if PC is trying to stay out of really romantic roles; I understand he's happily married in real life, and I'm sure that there's some hesitation on his part to sink into these overly romantic roles. He does fantastic work with comic relief, and that is his strongest suit.

I missed the witty writing in this movie; none of the lines or situations were particularly memorable for me. What I did love was that we can all relate to imperfect relationships and feeling down on ourselves/life. Even when we have everything we need, or success as it is defined in society, loneliness and isolation are pervasive; in fact, it is often worse when we have reached success.

The hardest thing for me to write is that I find this movie somewhat dull. I wanted to love it, and the two leads are both attractive and brilliant in their skill. It just wasn't a good Christmas-escapism kind of movie. From the drama standpoint, this would be a good flick to watch if you feel a little blue, or have been struggling to make sense of well-intentioned people that inadvertently have caused you pain.

The movie touches on the reason for his sadness, and it's something most adults will experience.

The scenery was beautiful, including the properties they used; his house is perfection. I also loved the few scenes with children in them, especially when Paul's character is fielding questions and he dotes on the adorable little girl (the fairy!). He shines with children, and it's easy to see he was being completely himself in that moment, and also with Bree and Luca (the other children in the movie).

It's possible that the movie could be improved by a little more softness from the female lead; it was hard for me to feel any chemistry at all between the two leads, and this was mainly his doing (getting significantly miffed in two scenes), but she also had a sort of 'edge'. In real life, I would never expect these two characters to really connect romantically.

This movie, like everyone (Almost) has mostly stated so far, is not a feel-good Christmas movie. I appreciate a complex family story, since I tend to be hyper-attuned to family issues. My own family is by all accounts wonderful, however we have a lot of work to do in order to be more vulnerable with one another.

In looking at they dynamic, it's easy to feel the tension between the siblings, along with the added tension of Nonno's dementia. He himself is likable (Beau Bridges does a great job), but the role is not one-dimensional; he shows vulnerability and anger, emotions that often don't surface in Hallmark movies, much less the Christmas releases.

His three grandchildren are interesting and mirror some of the same things I've seen in other families, even my own. The sisters have a pretty strained relationship, and the younger sister is easy to dislike. Her consistent anger throughout the movie (toward her older sister) is palpable, and she simply appears to be hostile and completely lacking in maturity.

The eldest sister is the main character, in my opinion, and has the most visibility of emotions and growth. Her relationship with her grandpa is admirable, and for me, I could feel her genuine care for him above all else. That alone helped me enjoy the movie more, because it reinforced that she had some solid evidence of her efforts to be part of the family.

The brother is adorable, to me, because I feel for him; he has the underdog vibe, as he struggles to make a success of his life. His girlfriend is absolutely beautiful and cool/calm/collected, which really helps keep the movie uplifting. I loved seeing their scenes together. The chef/kitchen scenes were surprisingly interesting to me, as I typically don't get into food scenes; it was the intensity of a chef's kitchen that struck me most, and the fact that it is NOT easy to be in the food industry.

The most pivotal moments for me in this movie are when Nonno goes on his walk that turned out to be longer than expected, and also when the two sisters are having their tense conversation at dinner out, and Nonno has to intervene. Both of those were very well-done scenes, as I felt the tension and pain of the older sister.

Overall, the movie was good, but again, more of a drama that could work at any time of year vs. A Christmas movie.

It's not surprising that there are some sharp criticisms of this movie. As unassuming as holiday TV movies are, some of us make the mistake of expecting a production that rivals movies with exponentially larger budgets and time.

Don't let that happen to you. This movie is not trying to be anything it is not; it's a simple, interesting plot that takes place with visually appealing surroundings and actors that are easy to watch.

Everything you may love about Christmas in the south, the coastal areas, or small towns is present in this movie. If you are partial to beach life, or have been exposed to the beach, you may love how this movie conjures those feelings. The home featured in the movie is beautiful, especially the bedroom with a window seat.

The premise of the movie is believable to me in the sense that we all understand what it means to be burnt out and scraping along in our work life. Getting a reset is exactly what we need, and that is the premise of Drucinda's acceptance of her mom, Ellie's, invitation to go home to Harbor Point, SC. When she arrives, she's stiffly cemented in NYC-mindset, methodically getting rid of the objects in her bedroom that remind her of life before she became a successful author. This is important; the movie is showing us how difficult it is to revisit times in our lives when we weren't as confident or accepted as we are now. Most of us run from those memories, just like Dru, and the point was to help us get a sense of how unhappy those years were for her. She was unpopular, not accepted, "the weird one".

As she gets acclimated, she reconnects with her best friend and her family, in the process meeting Brysen Flynn and his daughter, Peyton. All along the course of the movie, Dru slowly progresses from severe writer's block to a fresh crop of ideas, thanks to the 'characters' that now surround her during her visit home.

Unfortunately, this bodes poorly for her, and impacts every single relationship she's cultivated since her arrival, including her loving mother, who otherwise seems incapable of disdain.

It's a joy to see Bonnie Bedelia in her role as Dru's mom; funnily enough, I thought her southern accent was believable. Her voice was not very loud, and she had a softness that made her seem like the perfect complement to Drucinda's brashness.

Burgess Jenkins is also kind, soft-spoken as a character, and plays the try-hard Dad that isn't macho, but also isn't a doormat (see: refusal to hand over the last bag of marshmallows). He earns her hard-won trust, especially while reassuring Dru that everything will be okay as they are stuck in an unfueled motor boat without any sign of fuel.

Peyton is his teen daughter, whose kindness highlights that she was raised very well by her late mom and Brysen, and she projects an unspoiled quality with ease.

Julie Ann Emery, Drucinda, is pretty wonderful to watch, although it is easy to dislike her. She has a self-centeredness that makes the viewer cringe, but that's also the reason she's great at her role. Watching her throughout the movie will help you feel better about who you are; if you're struggling with making a recent mistake or letting others down, there is almost still no comparison to Dru's gaffes!

Christmas on the Coast could have improved its story line by raising the stakes a little higher with regard to Dru's indiscrete stories about her fellow locals. The inner shriek we feel when realizing that there is about to be an unveiling of disloyalty or friend-manipulation is not quite as strong with this movie, perhaps because we're not really given any believable reason that Ellie would be disparaging. We understand that she was a social outcast prior, but the whole town didn't deserve to be mocked (i.e the strangers shopping, or even Brysen and his daughter). If it did, we'd need to have more context.

The forgiveness scene at the town gathering was also hard for me to watch. Her dress was so pretty, but didn't particularly add to the symbolism or meaning of the scene. Also, the camera pans to the townspeople who are dutifully agreeing as she asks their forgiveness, but this seems far-fetched; chances are, I would not think too hard about a stranger that disparaged a few people in my town, to the point that forgiveness would need to be asked of me personally.

I think it would have been better if she had pulled aside the people she had betrayed, and made a genuine effort to make things right.

Also, in the end, her young friend Peyton gets the story to the right people, but that is probably the biggest jump in reality. I think settling for the ending being less conclusive on the writing, but more conclusive on the relationship resolutions would have been a good move.

All in all, this movie delivers well for the beautiful setting, the likable characters (for me), and the positive, forgiveness-centered message. I liked the scripture that they included, and how they helped translate the faith-message to a universal one (we all get lost and will need to call upon others to help us).

First, Nikki DeLoach is usually a joy and for most, will still be delightful in this movie. For me, her character seems slightly overdone, and not very warm. The male lead who plays Sam is also very affable, but for some reason, I didn't see a huge connection from him to her. It seemed initially - and throughout - that she was disproportionately interested in him.

The young gal, 'Mikayla', was absolutely a savior to the cast and the movie. She was so authentic and carried herself with the perfect balance of joy and realism.

The plot has been well-summarized, but some of it was just lacking that magnetic draw that so many of us can feel when watching movies, even Hallmark ones. There's usually something that makes you feel attached to the plot resolution, but in this situation, I could see:

1. Nikki's character would be successful, no matter what she did or chose for her future.

2. The ornament would definitely be found.

3. The two would definitely fall in love.

4. The cousin was a typical supporting role, establishing the idea that Nikki's character is surrounded by loving family -- without any challenges or conflicts (not too realistic).

It might have been interesting to explore how a new "mom' would feel to Mikayla, and to draw that out a little. It might have been helpful to see what connected the two romantic leads - other than the fact that they both were grieving. It seemed like Sam was so uncertain of his interest or ability to be romantic (yet); that is realistic for sure, but I didn't get the feeling that once the movie is over, Sam and Sharon would really be together for life.

About the overacting, the example in my mind is right in the beginning when Sharon is saying goodbye to her cousin for a short while. She does this thing with her hands and body while she says "K! Gotta Go! Love you, you're fab, CALL ME??" - or something to that effect. It's just...who does this in real life, when temporarily saying goodbye for a little while?

I loved the ornament idea, and would love to have something like that in my family.

Overall, a fantastic movie, with the possibility of more.

My overall favorite aspect is that they do a great job of balancing how we cope with grief and still have joyful times in life.

This movie encompasses my favorite aspects of Hallmark movies as a whole.

The story is pretty understandable, but I wouldn't call it simple. The initial dilemma is that Will Holt, heir to his father's corporation, is not trying very hard to emulate Dad's footsteps. Sure, he goes to work each day, but doesn't take it seriously. Replete with an affable, outspoken assistant, Will is basically 'phoning it in' where his dad's corporation is concerned.

Dad wants nothing more than to bring Will to his level of expectation, and he assigns will a project that requires he be overseen by a lawyer, who can attest that Will isn't going to do stupid things.

This portion of plot is a little harder to follow; I'm not sure why it had to be a lawyer, or why this was even something necessary. But, suspension of reality is what Hallmark often requires of us, so that's my suggestion - try not to get involved in all the details.

Annie, whose family business is a breakfast diner, realizes that their diner is to be demolished by Will's company.

The rest of it unfolds from there.

Different details stood out to me and in some cases, didn't make perfect sense. The support from the friend of Mr. Holt (successful guy) only seemed to be a plot device: get these two to have a fundraiser event. That was his character's job, and he accomplished it.

The fact that Annie is a practicing family lawyer helped open up the path to sharing that she herself was adopted, which could have been a little more pronounced as part of the story. It was part of the plot, but not enough to really feel for Annie (at least in my case). I loved her character and loved her entire being, but for me, I didn't feel a lot of emotion toward her parents or Annie's past.

This still wasn't enough to change my feelings about the movie; the chemistry I could see between them is all thanks to the wit and playful dynamic Annie and Will shared. Paul Campbell (Will) is absolutely the most attractive Hallmark male lead, and for me, it's his comedic timing and smile that make it so.

Kimberley Sustad is incredible as well. Something about her face, she is just truly beautiful and still quirky and imperfect. I loved their dynamic and the fact that they co-wrote this script is not surprising to me.

I would love to see more of them together, and hope that it transpires. I loved this movie for the plot that still hooked me in, despite a few questions, and the fact that it was lighthearted. The supporting characters were awesome too; I loved his assistant's partner, who actually made some excellent points about the dangers of forcing people to be something they are not.

Huge kudos to the two leads and hallmark for this movie and others like it. We love you, keep it coming.

This is a great movie that I thoroughly enjoyed as an any-season view. It IS a Christmas movie, but there was enough substance to make it interesting outside of the Christmas/holiday theme.

The movie is a simple premise - as summarized already on this site - but the subtleties that I found enjoyable differentiate it from most Hallmark Christmas movies.

There is a fair amount of underlying tension throughout the movie, which may not bode well for a family night, but is certainly relatable to most people living in the real world. We all are facing issues or concerns, if not with our own family, perhaps with friendships. People can be self-centered, and they can also have the best intentions, but not meet the needs of those they want to please.

In this movie, the mom is the most amazing, supportive mom possible. Stepdad is a very invisible part until the last quarter of the movie. The sister plays a strong role, and this is where a lot of the tension happens. She is clearly the person who feels she has been there for her family, through thick and thin, but her younger sister fled to NYC, fulfilling her dreams.

This tension is evident from the start, as the moment they reunite at their Mom's house, it's snippy-quip-and-side-eye-galore.

I understand this tension, as I AM that younger sister, the one who left the hometown, and to this day, there is palpable tension from my older sister. I saw - in Charlotte - a little of myself. Wondering, 'what did I do that's so wrong? I tried to make the most of what our parents taught in us, but now I am the bad person because I didn't make my life in this town?" - -- the part about how, when their father was sick, Charlotte was not there -- this really hit home for me, as the same situation happened in my own life. I was desperate to be home, but did not understand that there are rules to preserve jobs if you leave (FMLA in the US) -- and so, I stayed in my new area, working while worrying about my father.

The situations aren't exactly parallel, but these painful feelings don't disappear, and it helps me tremendously to see that other families deal with them too. Yes, it's a HM movie, but these are movies that seem to be based on realistic situations. I definitely don't want to see a movie with the "worst" of life depicted, but this movie had a solid balance of positive and "reality", without it being a downer, in my opinion.

I also loved how she (Char) was not perfect at all; she made stupid comments about Spencer's profession, and even worse, ruthlessly snapped at her stepdad, who was so gentle and kind. Her mom's reaction was so healthy: she wasn't going to tolerate that sort of talk, but also had empathy for her daughter's obvious inner conflict.

I loved that Spencer was a real guy: he didn't just grovel for her to love him. He had his pride, a sense of self-dignity, which is the reality for most young men, as well it should be. It took work for her to earn his trust again, and he wasn't just waiting with roses for her to come back. This is reality for most couples.

The downsides of this movie were few, but typical: some unexplored story points (how did Elfcapades stay afloat in the end, or did it?) and the suspension of reality that only Hallmark can pull off -- but this movie is among my favorites in all of Hallmark history, simply because I could see parts of my own life, and it helped me reflect further on how I can be a better person.

I loved Viggo Hanvelt, who played her nephew - what a total delight and talent. I also loved Dee Dee's role/the actress, as she seems like the perfect backdrop to "cozy Christmas movie" (we all need a Dee Dee to be our comrade).

Highly recommend this movie for the viewer that is looking for a little more complexity and isn't put off by reminders of reality. It's not the best movie for watching with Grandma, or while decorating or making cookies, but a great movie for a couple of good friends to watch and to dissect a bit afterward.

Such an excellent time-capsule of a movie, with room for analysis and historical reflections.

I had not seen this movie until this week, which is amazing considering how much I love Ira Levin's work with Rosemary's Baby. As the writer of both, he clearly had a propensity for supernatural/occult themes and women's issues specifically. It is interesting to note that this movie was met with protests at the time of its release, because in watching this movie, it's makes an excellent argument for looking critically at gender roles in the United States.

The movie begins with a somewhat melancholic feel; it's obvious that Joanna (Katharine Ross) is not thrilled with something, but we aren't certain what it is. We soon see that her family of 4 is moving from NYC to Stepford, a suburb where everything is clean, new, and safe. Joanna is an aspiring photographer, and her best work comes from the eccentric subject matter literally everywhere in NYC.

Time goes on, and they settle into their new home, while befriending local similar families: they are all married, with children, living in beautiful (suburban) homes. From pool parties to luncheons, all the local women are friendly, but have commonalities that are a little extreme: none have roles outside the home, they are all ultra-focused on their clean/pristine homes, and they speak in perfectly soft, never-wavering voices.

Joanna is working outside quietly, overgrown goldenrod grass abounding, when an extremely boisterous young woman approaches her. She is Bobbie Markowe (Paula Prentiss) and the two hit it off; they both are edgy-humored, unafraid to reject this spell of conformity that seems to saturate Stepford.

Together, they decide to form a women's club, somewhat as a response to the local 'Men's Association', which they see as a thinly-veiled good ol' boys club. Certain that the guys are just lamenting the arrival of "unbrushed Playboy images", Joanna and Bobbie delve head-first into their project of giving local women stronger voices.

As they approach many of these beautiful women, they are met with a slight variation on the same answer: no. They're either busy with ironing (check out the rainbow of perfect linens in the background), or they need to do their daily baking. Once again, these women are just beyond gorgeous; they wear tastefully modest dresses, and go shopping in the grocery store in floppy brimmed hats, as if heading to the Kentucky Derby.

As the movie progresses, we see some progress happening: the women's club gains a little traction, and the two leading women have the city water tested-- thinking that the flattened behavior of their female townfolk is a result of chemicals leaking into the water supply.

Then...the unthinkable happens: someone is overpowered by the undercurrent of anti-feminism in Stepford, and it's not just another neighbor.

It's your turn to pick up the plot from here, and hopefully share your own opinions.

The themes that stand out are still strong today:

• "Gaslighting" - or made to feel crazy in the presence of facts.

• stereotypical gender roles
• the either/or mentality: women can't be career-driven AND loving mothers: it must be one, or the other.

This movie is an aesthetic treat for anyone who loves vintage fashion, the 70s, and is willing to suspend expectations of realism.

I love MSW, and this review does not reflect my usual adoration for the star, Dame Lansbury.

As a younger person, I never took interest in this show; thanks to syndication, I really enjoy watching and trying to pay close attention to the subtle clues of each murder.

As much as I wanted to love this episode, it was just not very captivating. The motive of the murder was not very clear, and it was an implausible clue (why I titled my review 'ridiculous') that preceded the solution of the murder.

In addition, Elia Thompson exuded annoyance and a smug expression the entire episode. Also, she was a poor choice for a high-fashion runway model, and the whole runway portion was a little embarrassing to watch.

The inclusion of the smuggling, and Huan's character, made it all seem like too much to squeeze into one episode. There was enough potential material within the "fashion" triangle of characters, as I saw it.

The unlikable characters were too many for me to enjoy watching this episode, in addition to the silly plot and embarrassing fashion details. 4 Stars are for our mystery heroine, who never fails to deliver.

Last Summer is a movie that you'll want to see alone, or with someone you fully trust. The plot is well-captured prior to my review, and it's truly not difficult to understand the story.

Rarely, a movie captures my interest from start to finish, and Last Summer happens to be in this category. Aesthetically, the movie was beautiful to see. The golden, hazy effects of the camera work, along with the beautiful colors of the sea and even the hues of each character's eyes were all visually stunning. As a fan of the 1970s, it is easy to see how this movie captures the era perfectly (even if it's from 1969).

The main standout, however, is the discomfort I felt from early in the movie, until the very end. If you are a sensitive person, the increasingly awkward and eventually deplorable situations will be hard to view. The bird injury and 'operation', the reception of Rhoda into the group, the treatment of Anibal, and the final scenes of the seagull and Rhoda - will likely conjure the thought of "how did this movie get into normal theaters?".

Themes of narcissism, animals as property, people as property, justice, and the polarity between morality and acceptance all stood out. The characters are a combination of affable and deplorable. It's interesting to see how they shift: initially, we all feel a little annoyed by Rhoda, but eventually, she becomes the person you'd most want to befriend (at least in my mind). She is the person you want your daughter to be, with exception of how she is treated. We also feel charmed by the sweetness of the two teen boys initially, which morphs into a loathing.

It was also interesting to see that every genuine sentiment displayed in this movie - guilt, compassion, joy, and justice - was bestowed upon the seagull. Rather than experiencing the unpleasantness of acknowledging their emotions, Sandy, Peter and Dan would prevent that by turning to fits of laughter instead.

While it is repetitive to comment on this, I can't help lauding the amazing talent of Catherine Burns. She truly had a gift for becoming a character, and stirring the hearts of even the most disconnected viewer. It's a tragic loss that she did not pursue additional acting, and also that she passed away at 73.

A minor observation: Barbara Hershey was unrecognizable to me; I appreciated that her character was a naturally beautiful young woman who seemed comfortable in her own skin. This same actress portrayed a mother of two young women with eating disorders in the 90s ("Turning Point"), but in this movie, there is an appreciable amount of body-positivity that begins with her character.

This may be my most favorite episode of MSW in existence. Rather than breaking down the entire plot as others have already done, I will focus on why this episode is great.

The show can often have pretty in-depth plot points; in my opinion, this series has always made the viewer work a little harder to understand the final conclusions. This episode is markedly easier to follow, with no complicated plot lines.

The main characters in the storyline are so endearing; Mrs. Bryce is capably believable in her love and protection of her son, in spite of her life challenges. Jonathan Brandis plays son Kevin, who is absolutely perfect in his role; he is endearingly earnest, while also being a normal (not oddly prodigal) pre-teen. He is truly the young man you may know in your own life, if you are fortunate.

The best aspect is the love and kindness Jessica has for Kevin; she treats him like her own son, and you can feel the safety that she pours out for him. It's like having 45 minutes of respite from a world that is nothing like this bubble of safety at Cabot Cove.

The culture of the early 90s was still able to convincingly depict the ideals of a safe community. In that sense, this episode is a little dated, but it's truly a joy to watch.

In terms of the plot, very little focus is given to the unsavory victim and his behaviors, but it is clear that he exploits his power and treats women poorly. This episode definitely implores the viewer to side with the perpetrator of the murder.

Thematically, it shows the power of community when others are in trouble.

It is hard to accept the loss of some excellent actors, including Jonathan Brandis, but he truly maximized his part in this role.

I appreciated this movie for the fact that the plot was fairly offbeat. I won't spoil the movie completely, but the premise of the conflict is not the typical "wife against spouse" or "cheating" or even "psycho nanny". The latter was what I thought the movie may entail, but that's definitely not the situation at hand.

Claire and Ollie are a really adorable power couple; Claire initially is seen as a stay-at-home mom, but we soon realize she is an established attorney who opted to stay home with her children. She has talent and skills that are now placed aside for her family, which tells you a lot about her personality - she is kind and caring.

The movie begins with two college students having fun at party, where drugs and booze are available. They opt into using drugs, Ollie being the leader with his very-buzzed girlfriend in tow. Steve is adorably a follower, easily coerced into taking the drugs his buddy just gave him for free. In the process, we see that Ollie is wealthy.

Things get pretty complex; a giant mishap renders both young men potentially damaged for life, but instead of rightfully accepting responsibility, Ollie allows Steve to take the fall.

Years pass, and they move on - one successful, the other not (guess which ones!). As you'll see, the payback takes shape with a bit of time and great persistence - causing havoc in the usually peaceful family life of Ollie and Claire.

I enjoyed Emily's character - it's easy to see that the actress herself loved playing this role, down to the carrot-munching scene toward the end.

Claire is an awesome character; you want to be her friend and it is easy to relate to her. Even Ollie is not what you may think; he has a huge heart and a sense of morality that is promising in this day and age, despite his mistakes.

If you were in this situation, how would you have handled it? It's an interesting question, because a lot of people would have done the same thing at such an immature time in their lives.

I would say there are some unexplored areas that would have been interesting. Why did Steve have such a low sense of self at his young age? Why did Ollie's obvious 'dismissal' from his clearly powerful dad NOT affect him more, as we usually see in the wake of examining our choices as adults?

How was it possible for Claire to just accept that Ollie's transgressions with her friend happened, instead of simply talking to Pam? And there is no way that most of us would look the other way if a house guest we hardly knew was found gazing and fondling our valuables.

There are a lot of other questions one could ask, but instead, just enjoy this movie if you can. It's pretty interesting, captivating, and easy on the eyes. (Their home is beautiful, even the little 'shack' that Emily and her Dad have is cute, and the children in the movie are adorable to boot. Would love to also know if "rude mom" got out of jail...) Kudos to the cast!

This definitely is not a movie that is meant to win accolades, much less Oscars, but it's entertaining and easy to watch. I'm a fan of trying to learn from everything I watch, and for this movie, I learned that sometimes we just have to take things for what they are (to get the most out of them).

I liked the lead actress a lot; something about her is amiable and endearing, plus she really seemed to want to do right by her marriage.

Her husband initially seems prickly, but he is very affable as well. I appreciate that he is a fellow Texan, and LOVED his little accent that I could hear (being a native and all).

The strengths of this movie to me are the friendship between the two women, and also the marriage itself. If you are married, you likely have been in similar situations with your spouse, and it gets difficult to constantly see unrealistic depictions of marriage. This couple really mastered the subtleties of marriage after the honeymoon is over, and the "surprise" he provides to her is so sweet. I don't cry at movies, but if I did, that scene would have required some tissues.

Dominic the weird yoga sensei is definitely creeperville and he did a fantastic job at being a complete loser. It was funny to see him turn into someone so uncertain of himself, and it seems like he enjoyed playing that role.

Great little flick to watch if you are just wanting to forget about your own life for a little.

The Children's Hour has been a staple in my favorite-movie list for some time, ever since I saw it years ago on TCM. (Love TCM.) The movie summary is already well-described by the other reviewers, so I will just mention what I found specifically amazing.

Starting off: the movie establishes such a safe and cozy environment. The piano recital scene shows the two main characters overseeing the students, and one of the audience members (a Dad) is seen nodding off. The same guy catches the eye of Karen (Audrey H.) and she chuckles, then goes over to talk to him and his wife. This is such a realistic moment, one we all have felt in some way. The feeling is safe - these are 'their people'. They entrust them to care for their precious daughters.

The relationship between Karen and Ms. Dobie (Shirley M.) is very similar to what we often see today; two independent women trying to lift a business to flight, fighting the same setbacks and hardships that come with running a business together. They are best friends, but they also evoke a feeling of equal respect. It's absolutely not as if one 'carries' the other, which is why it's admirable to see them interact.

Karen's boyfriend is affable, but the minute he enters the scene, there is such a shift in demeanor by Ms. Dobie. Her behavior and reactions to him are so beautifully subtle, but they absolutely impact the viewer. It's incredible how realistic this interplay is. The discomfort you feel, the hope that nothing is really 'wrong', is powerful. I personally felt sorry for him, because it did seem like there was so much cold coming his way.

As the movie goes on , we see the interactions between the young pupils, who are absolutely normal young girls. (If "normal" exists) They are typically curious, excitable, and overrun by their resident bully, who manipulates them to allow her total control. Veronica Cartwright did supremely well in her role, with a believably anxious and pleasing nature; I can relate to so much that she felt. In the scene where she is being asked about her knowledge of the "situation" with the two teachers, you can see when she is walking into the room that she subtly smiles at Ms. Dobie, thinking that the topic of the coming discussion is something positive. That little detail shows what excellence in acting truly is, because the viewer can sense her loyalty and true innocence of all that is happening.

Many other details stand out, but the movie as a whole is just so engrossing and captivating. I can't believe the audacious decision to make this movie even happened, because the climate of society was so unwilling to acknowledge the age-old reality of same-sex attraction and the complexities of relationships.

The final outcome of the movie is disturbingly sad, yet believable. I felt the same dark feeling when I watched Boys Don't Cry, and it definitely makes me feel hopeless. Only a few movies in my lifetime have moved me and made such an impression, and The Children's Hour is rightfully one of them. Enjoy it and savor every minute, because it seems to end far too soon.

This movie is one of a series of movies known as the Love Club, and I'll start by stating the positive:

• the cast of actresses are competent and interesting;
• I love the reinterpretation of that same opening scene by the characters' points of view; to me, that's pretty novel still.

• the concept of this movie- the themes - were good/strong.

What I disliked and swayed my rating was the slowness of this movie. I just kept thinking that the same cycle of Sydney loving/crushing on Byron, then him letting her down, then him trying to show some modicum of interest...back to Sydney loving/crushing on Byron, then letting her down....(ad nauseum).

In the meantime, a perfectly awesome guy (Theo) is lying in wait.

It seemed implausible because everyone can see that Byron was a truly poor love interest on every level. He displayed narcissistic traits, if you really want to get deep, but overall he was just so boring and not into Sydney. Sydney is fetching in every way and incredibly kind, but the lesson I took was that if we don't set boundaries and implement self-respect, it's difficult to expect it from others.

The friends who help steer Sydney's life are just strange - I agree with another reviewer. What gave them this spare time to go spend at Sydney's house, and do they all not work? A little bit of storyline to support this situation could have helped strengthen the believability of the story.

The awful nature of Byron and that other gal that he ends up dating is truly off-setting. Both of them are so very snotty that it seems incredulous, esp when his new Chick confronts Sydney in the restroom..."You had your chance, it's my turn now!" -- no one talks like this in real life, and there was not enough reason to warrant that kind of venom (even in movie-tv-world).

I did love the fact that Sydney had flaws and imperfections, like her injury, which meant she could not just ace the race by magical healing. I loved that she was a romantic, but I just kept waiting....and waiting.....for her to realize that Theo was so much better.

I loved the movie in some ways, but not enough to rewatch. This movie is extremely clean-cut, other than a little alcohol, so it's pretty safe for any audience.

The title of my review is dually applicable: the movie is impossible to improve, and 50 years later, stands the test of time. Secondly, it is difficult for me to improve upon what other reviewers have already said.

I recall in college being required to watch the version with Jane Fonda for a Journalism class, and I could not be bothered. I think I found it dated and boring, which I completely realize was a hasty rejection on my part. Now, at 48, I specifically chose to watch this movie and the story fascinated me.

The plot is richly developed, yet plain and simple. It's not hard to follow, but the details that make the tense moments more impactful are what distinguish it from other dramas about unequal relationships.

Anthony Hopkins and Claire Bloom are Torvald and Nora, married for 8 years with three children. Their life is seemingly charmed, with a beautiful home. Early in the movie, it is established that Nora is secondary to Torvald for every single aspect of their marriage. Simple decisions or even interjecting a thought are always subject to what Torvald needs, wants, or finds acceptable.

Seemingly small moments echo loudly to the viewer, such as the admittedly embarrassing scenes where Nora pretends to be a little squirrel. She is doted upon by Torvald, and expectantly receives his endorsement for the matter at hand. This becomes the climate of their relationship to the viewer, and within this context, it is easy to vilify Torvald.

Nora is apt to rouse annoyance from the audience, but I surprisingly found her rationale to always be sound. She wanted to help Torvald when he was ill; did not want to burden her father; took measures to secure a loan; and, responsibly was recovering her debt. The only caveat was one deceptive action that, again, was rooted in a moral decision on her part.

Torvald's strict views on deception came to light with a resounding whack for simple Nora, who didn't anticipate the fallout of her well-intentioned actions. Despite many efforts to thwart his uncovering her misdeeds, a thunderous climax ensues, proving Torvald to lack even the slightest understanding of what an adult marriage and relationship ought to be.

The outcome is harsh, and in this process, Nora realizes that there is no turning back -- her awareness of this empty marriage is so strong, it hastens her need to take action, and she does.

The best aspects of this movie are the impeccable character portrayals by Hopkins and Bloom, as well as all the supporting cast. Anna Massey is a lovely Kristine Linde; there are many cherishable moments, like the closeness between Nora and her former nanny, and the comradeship of Kristine. Even the smallest parts are well-done. The costumes are stunningly meticulous and actually beautiful to me.

The scenery is limited, as a play tends to be - I personally felt there was something interesting to be found in each scene, and did not find the limit of sets to be inhibiting. Even the modest home of Krogstad is stirring, especially due to the presence of his sons whose silent roles were still meaningful to the storyline.

This movie is an excellent illustration of the complexities of marriage and our misunderstandings of it, innocent as they may be. It doesn't resolve the issues, but the story illuminates the massive pitfalls of losing ourselves in an effort to please others. It also is profoundly illustrative of the importance of mutual respect in relationships, be they between spouses, friends, or family members.

I discovered that this movie preceded the Jane Fonda version, and the latter was created in Fonda's interest to strengthen her plight for women's rights. Yet, this movie isn't about women's rights, but about human rights.

This episode has been recapped well already, so I won't pollute the reviews with another recap. The episode was not my favorite, but still entertaining and worth watching. I'll start with the not-great aspects, which should be taken with a huge grain of "I am not a detective" salt.

• The story line is easy to follow, but the details are a little vague for me. I'm still not sure how the price tag would be such a clear giveaway to him as a clue.

• There were a lot of obvious mistakes - for example, her nails are bright red when she dresses the first time as "Lisa", then she goes into the music party as her normal Dr. Allen Self. Her nails are a nude mauve color. She goes into the restroom to change, and suddenly, bright red talons! In the next scenes, the nails toggle between both colors, and this is all a giant sign that I'm obsessed with nail colors, but still, this was a bit of a miss.

• Here is a biggie for most of us: the tuba scene. It. Made. No. Sense. Why? What was the point? His eccentricity? For sure, C is an eccentric guy, but there were many other ways to convey it, as most of the episodes do flawlessly. (Cracking his breakfast hardboiled egg on the hood of a dirty vehicle? Yep, he did that on another episode!). Bottom line to the tuba: weird and worth seeing because it is so weird.

• The disguise: it was unclear to me why she had to delay tossing it. Was this for effect, to show that she still wanted to play that Lisa role, or was there a real clue impact? Not sure (remember, novice detective here).

• Lack of backup to the side affair: was David just with the assistant (red-ribbon Cindy) to satisfy his physical whims? There is no reason or understanding of why Cindy would do this with him, or motive for her to be so removed from her friendship with Doc Allen. It's easy to chalk it up to jealous women, but a woman in real life is more likely not to do this without a little more context.

• the taped bag underneath the sink: there had to be a better way to hide her outfit or disguise how she transported it. It was not practical, and I lost track of why she had to leave it behind or risk it being found.

--- On other levels, this show had many great moments:

• The actress playing Dr. Allen was great - she sounds like a voice-double for Kathie Lee Gifford, and had similarities in her appearance; I found her presence to be comforting, so it made this show more appealing to me.

• The awkward, bashful moments with Columbo's aversion to 'frank' talk was just hilarious. His voice, his facial expressions...pure joy for me.

• As a child of the 80s, I enjoyed seeing how this show released old concepts that would be absolutely unreal today, like the fact that they had that "sex room" for therapy, or that people would use it for their own needs when they could just as easily get a hotel -- super campy and fun.

• The best: the oh-so-campy wind instruments that helped set the stage for this lascivious plot: you can practically see the Nigel prints in the living room without ever opening your eyes. Coupled with the bold synthesizer strokes and sizzling saxophone, it's nothing but 80s to the max.

As always, Peter Falk is a true gem, and nothing changes that for me, no matter which episode I'm seeing.

Cruel Instruction is an amazing depiction of life in residential treatment. I didn't expect anything realistic, nor did I anticipate the excellent cast. As many of us may think, this movie (watched on LMN) was a random find for me on my program guide; I set the DVR and thought it would make a good 'while i'm on the elliptical' movie. It was, but I now want everyone to see it.

The story follows this beautiful young woman who is truly misunderstood. Her learning differences make school nearly impossible, which seems to reduce her self-esteem. Other students pick right up on that feeling, and of course, bully her. She develops crippling anxiety (very authentically, heartbreakingly portrayed by Kelcey M.) and her parents dismiss her as being disengaged with school.

Her school "helpfully" suggests this residential center, a place where she can 'break her bad habits' and also "be surrounded by people just like her!". The parents are fairly decent, with Mom being much more competent than stepdad, who has no idea what mental wellness is. A loving oaf, basically, is what the stepdad is...with a healthy helping of hubris.

Moving on: the movie shows Kayla's journey through the horrors of this correctional-pretending-to-be-therapeutic facility. It's definitely extreme.

As a person who has been in residential mental health treatment before, I found so much to be authentic; however, the extremes were not present in my experience.

In my experience, the measures taken to 'fix' people with mental illness or addictions are draconian, although not all of them are illegal the way that this movie depicts. I truly believe that there is some good to be had in *most* places, but there is so much toxicity, and underhanded sneaky behavior by staff, you just start to feel exactly as Kayla does: convinced that YOU are the problem, and you must have done something wrong along the way to "deserve" to be where you are.

The no-talking-to-family rule is real; the rigidity of ridiculous rules is real; the earning of privileges is real, although in my case, they were legitimately necessary because of the nature of my condition.

The over-extended treatment time? Real and sadly common. The insurance is maxed before one is released, in most cases. In addition, coping skills and positivity can sometimes be amiss. It depends on the care providers; I was fortunate to have an awesome MD on staff, but 95% of the staff otherwise were horribly incompetent.

The more extreme actions of this movie were not experienced in my time; the "obs" room, or the "investment" room; we also did not have to ask permission to cough, but we definitely had the same type of rigid rules. The excuse is "someone along the line abused the privilege of X, so now we cannot have X for anyone." Makes sense, until you realize "X" is using a children's glue stick, or talking together without the 'nanny' in the room. (Some of us are pushing 45 or 50 years old.) Bottom line: I can't begin to say how wonderfully this movie was made; the young women were phenomenal; the two main girls knocked it out of the atmosphere with realism, and the other cast members were excellent. Camryn Mannheim (sp) is incredibly easy to hate, she did such a good job.

Watch this movie, but be warned it is uncomfortable with some scenes related to both trauma/suicide, and physical violation of the patients.

This movie, Game of Love, stars the handsome Brooks Darnell and the well-known Kimberly Sustad, along with several other promising supporting actors. I may not be well-versed in the names, fair warning, but I will do my best to use the character names.

Matthew (Darnell) is a marketing research consultant assigned to create a game that focuses on love connections; this is also true for Audrey (Sustad), who is a game creator in her own right. They - together - start this path of creating a game from scratch. They use the talents of Audrey's staff at the company funding this project, a young woman (Patty) and young man (i am not sure of his name) - along with her friend (Evie?) from the local game cafe, the Boardwalk.

The premise is strong, but the execution isn't riveting - I think this is where the 1 star is lost for me, because while it is somewhat interesting, the game creation process is probably a bit too nuanced to draw in the normal Hallmark viewer. They do some impressive tossing-around of terminology (a funny scene) and then venture into the creative process. All along, Audrey is getting texts from an online friend that she has never met (you can see there is some foreshadowing here). These texts are more of a friendship/'venting buddy' nature, and this element works well to help reinforce whatever point the plot may be trying to make.

I really enjoyed the movie, but found no truly romantic chemistry throughout, until the very end, when Audrey relents and learns to feel her feelings and actually let people inside her heart. The movie could have better developed the 'why' behind her closed-heart status, and they also could have shown a more clear realization on Darnell's part that his texting "online buddy" (spoiler) is Audrey.

I also loved the supporting roles, and am disappointed that none of the cast credits I've seen online (either on Hallmark, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, and more) will offer proper credit to each supporting role. They spoke and did a great job, so why would we not have that info?

I Digress because I really enjoyed the overall movie; I loved:

• Brooks - he's awesome and super alluring in some way. I'm old enough to be his...older sister...so I just figure he's magnetic to almost everyone.

• Kimberley - while I was not a fan of hers initially, she did a great job of at least giving me a reaction or feeling -- some movies leave me so disinterested, I have no opinion at all on the character.

• the scenery, of course - way to go, as always, HM!

• the lovely relationships abounding -- so much love and inclusion in the entire movie among friends, coworkers, etc. It reminds me a lot of my own life, which is incredibly fortunate/blessed to have good people. I love watching movies that reinforce the goodness still in the world.

I would love to see it again and will.

So.... I am definitely reviewing this as a first-viewing, albeit 45 years later. I was only 3 when this was aired, but this show is truly my childhood. Aside from nostalgia, the episode itself had three decent story lines.

My favorite was the 'Lost and Found' story, with Sandy Duncan. This role must have been the precursor to her being chosen for all the future sitcoms she was offered, because she plays a Mom perfectly. Watching this in the lens of 2023, there are myriad moments where you think, "wait- no way! That was considered okay then!". Example: The little boy (James Bond III!) asking for her to take him in. Even stranger, getting into her bed to chase away nightmares. These were innocent, but nowadays, total MJ territory. I digress; one has to see the goodness behind the intentions, and this story did a fantastic job of warming even the coldest of hearts. This mom (Duncan) lost her child, and was heartbroken. Very few points go to the father in the show, who was of the "you must let this go" commentary, but did offer some backstory..."...we knew that he would not likely make it past 3, but he made it to 8, and we were blessed.". This is definitely helpful, and I love how the writers ensured we had an idea of what really happened to their son.

I loved the actor who played Dennison JR, who was incredibly charismatic. Just amazing acting, basically an 8 year old, illustrating a 55 year old's wit, timing and professionalism.

Sandy Duncan is beautiful! She was just the most perfect choice, and I imagine that this definitely propelled her into more roles.

The second favorite story for me was the "Understudy"; this was both gratifying and inspiring, to see someone that I remembered as catty ("Julie") being incredibly gracious and mature. I liked the actress playing the understudy's role, but I can't really speak to her actual acting talents - she just played the role believably.

Funnily enough - looking at her dress that was oh-so-scandalous - it was absolutely modest to today's standard. High schoolers at prom wear much more revealing outfits, sadly! But it was poignant to see, and I also took an interest in how they dealt with her gaffe; a person in today's working world can take a little comfort in seeing her get a dress-down (no pun intended) from Capt. Steubing, who is the picture of a great boss (and...handsome!).

I loved the crew, taking up for their buddy Julie.

- The third storyline was the most non-impactful for me, but the actors (Polly Bergen!) were awesome in general. I imagine that having 3 'major' story lines would possibly throw some people off, so this was a light and funny one that required little thought. I loved the scene where they both realize (uh, spoiler!) that they didn't actually spend the night with anyone else. It was hilariously cute to see them laugh, and I think it seemed they were really laughing.

Excellent show that made me vow to not just delete these from my DVR, but to actually watch them and relish the comfort of my childhood.

I LOVED this particular installment of the Veil series! It made me feel total love once again for Autumn Reeser, and let's completely admit that Kacey Rohl (sp) is an absolute keeper for Hallmark. PLEASE make more movies with her!

This movie is all about the fact that Emma and Paolo are now married and living in Chi-town, although P. Has strong ties with his family back home in Italy. He is struggling with that familiar battle most of us encounter at some point: how to handle aging family members that need us, while we attempt to live the life we've worked hard to achieve. It's not an easy decision, and when siblings are involved, it is both easier and more difficult: easier to share the load, but more difficult because you risk not doing enough to bear your part of the responsibility.

I digress, but I get Paolo's struggle.

Emma is a capable and driven art historian who is working as a prof at the university. She is in it for the right reasons, but her department head/boss bypasses all of Emma's passion in order to neatly fill her own position so she can retire.

Emma's TA and friend, Lily, is so expressive and interesting. She serves as a foil to Emma's own perfectionistic tendencies, and brings a reality to the plot that Hallmark is often criticized for lacking. I love when Lily earnestly admits to disliking Emma's article, and I personally had a death-by-cuteness moment anytime there were 'Charlotte' moments!

I agree that Paolo had a certain insistence about him that could be a bit off-putting. I felt something sad when seeing Emma's face as she said "I thought I was your family". That is actually a familiar line to me in my own personal life, so it hit home. Still, I know that nothing in life is linear/perfect.

My conclusion about Emma's choice to do what she did is that she lives according to her real values and passion. We all have different motivations, and it's unfair to say that women "ought" to feel any specific way about their careers or pursuits. It is possible to reframe your goals, just as the movie astutely illustrated with the "5 year plan": the writers clearly were answering the viewer's future criticisms of Emma 'selling out' when they referred to her 5-year plan. Just because we make a plan doesn't mean that we cannot bend, budge or change those plans. It doesn't make Emma weak, and it doesn't put her at risk of any specific negative outcome.

If the worst happens, and we end up realizing that we sacrificed our own interests to support our partners', we adapt and survive. All is not lost. It's just part of our story, and there is no 'right' way to live.

All the other parts and scenes were excellent to me; I had a little difficulty placing the reasoning behind Lily's sudden 'job' at the lace shop, but I was overthinking. She was simply helping out because she saw a need to step in, and this was addressed when she talked about her parents' store back home.

I loved Carlo Marks - he is pretty adorable and deserves more roles. I also loved Lacey and Alison's appearances, of course.

The title of my review is actually a nod to Emma's true ability to speak her mind. In the scene discussing pizza, Paolo is pretty insistent that his version is the only "real" pizza - but Emma/Autumn's confidence when she says "no, it IS pizza" is, well, fire!

This movie stars two actors, Autumn Reeser and Tyler Hynes, plus a longtime actress that I adore, Patty McCormack ("The Bad Seed").

Patty was a welcome sight, just from the standpoint of adding a well-established person to the cast. Autumn is gaining her experience every day with Hallmark, and she is also a joy to watch. Tyler is a standard, and therefore common Hallmark choice.

I don't know what this movie lacked for me. Maybe it was the very thin romance that didn't seem to do much for me, but I think a lot of it was the disingenuous accent use (Marrrrco) and also: check out Autumn's scene at the beginning when she has a chocolate to eat from her friend. She holds it for God-knows-how-long, then takes a literal micro-nibble, then it disappears. I understand the pressure on actresses to stay thin, but it would have been awesome to see her just eat the chocolate (even if she was eating a freaking chocolate marshmallow with no caloric value). I understand all the complexities of wanting to be cautious about weight; maybe it is possible there was no intention for her to avoid eating it, but everyone else in the scene did. For some people recovering from eating issues, it's so great to see people set a decent example on film.

I didn't love the food setting; this might be a reason the film is either hot or cold for reviewers. The food was boring to me as a plot device; I could easily watch a chef show, but this type of story line is just so tired. I wish they could have focused more on the grief/ loss, for example, as there are a million ways that people deal with it. Food and contests and restaurants are so linear to me.

Another aspect was the daughter, who was beautifully talented and did a fantastic job. Even more scenes with her or her school woes could have been more deep or interesting.

When they brought in the guest chef, who I'm sure is popular outside of this movie, I was thinking this is just a long version of a chef contest show.

I think AR is a great actress, but there is something that strikes me as artificial about her; Lacey Chabert is an amazing role model, someone that I've watched since she was a little one on Party of Five, and her depth has always been there. I don't want to hurt anyone reading these reviews, but I would like to see AR in a movie that isn't depicting her as a beautifully perfect woman. Her entire demeanor is glamorous, but she lacks the grit that makes her more believable. I don't think she needs to do anything drastic, but tone down the perfection a bit (perfect nails, perfect lipstick, perfect outfits, blah blah blah).

Tyler does not seem different in this movie than in most of his movies, but admittedly, I don't study his progress much.

The truffle scene was so funny to me. I kept thinking "I didn't know you could just walk around and find truffles." - glad I'm not insane.

This is a movie that may be under another name, "Secrets in the family". I would say this movie is watchable, but not cohesive.

There is a familiarity of the story: a young woman/nurse gratefully takes on a role as a caregiver to an elderly lady, who has two adult, sullen children. The hiring process reveals a very embittered family dynamic, and this extends to how they treat this young woman, Ana.

Ana is facing constant harsh quips from her charge, as well as from her 'boss', the lady's daughter who hired Ana. Ana befriends her other 'boss', the lady's grown son. He is much more amiable, which is when the average viewer will immediately predict the plot. Most of us know the son is up to nothing great, because of the overt displays of how kind he seems. This is too good to be true. Another player is the caretaker of the family estate, who is incredibly strange and angry from the start at Ana.

Locals are wary of this family and their tendency to cause trouble for others. We as viewers aren't aware of how this manifests, but we can reasonably see that the caretaker has some sort of vendetta against almost everyone - he must be the one that has suffered in some way.

This ends up being true, but there is more to the story involving the adult daughter and this caretaker, as well as the downfall of the nice son, who turns into scary son.

Ana is likeable and believable, with the patience of a saint. I love this actress just from this movie alone; she has a super sweet disposition that strikes me as familiar. She may seem 'too nice to be true', but I know people like her and they are real. She just needed a job and was grateful, and clearly dedicated to her profession.

The siblings are incredibly unbelievable. The anger and interactions are forced, and not at all realistic. The initial scenes where everyone is so rude to each other are just comical. It sounded like grown ups pretending to be in 3rd grade.

I didn't understand (I may have missed it) what 'secrets' there are in this family; yes, the ending (I won't spoil) indicates wrongdoing, so I suppose that is the family 'secret', along with how others were wronged in the journey of this family's past. But if you are looking for something truly unexpected, it's not going to happen.

Also, the character of the caretaker was absolutely of no value; he did serve as a plot device, but in terms of his actual value or why there would be a connection between him and the adult daughter is baffling.

The ending of the movie, unfortunately, doesn't wrap up as well as it could have. We see that Ana is happily in a relationship, but there was no tie-in that would help us really appreciate this development in any real way. (I wasn't surprised she would be happily in a relationship, and this was just a "ok... and?" moment for me).

I unfortunately didn't buy the connection in the end between Ana and the adult daughter. It would be so nice if it were real, but this just didn't seem believable, as the daughter had nary a kind bone in her body previously. It seems very unlikely to see her become this warm and kind person at the end.

The good aspects of this movie:

• interesting dynamic between Ana and the elderly mom;
• likeability for Ana
• attractive setting/scenery for those who appreciate these details
• though minor, I loved the relationship between Ana and her good friend / fellow nurse. There wasn't a good reason for her presence, but she could have had a more developed role and the movie would have been all the better for that.