As cleverly pointed out by another reviewer, Hallmark gets props for one reason and one reason only for this movie: creating a plot different from their usual fare as of late, which usually circles around evil corporations trying to swoop in on family-run businesses. Instead, this movie is almost refreshing in how it takes its time developing a neighbors-to-friends love story, which is a storyline that has the potential to make for a good film if paired with good actors.
As for the negative points of the movie:
As for the negative points of the movie:
- The recurring motif of the science of meteorology being complete garbage, while natural indicators of weather are far superior. It was pushed so hard in this film that I started wondering if there was an anti-science propaganda agenda behind it. If science was truly always so woefully inept at predicting weather patterns, we as a society would've given it up ages ago.
- The seriously bad miscasting of main character Leah's mother, who nobody is surprised to hear is only FOUR YEARS OLDER than her "daughter" Cindy Busby. This woman has been put into a terrible wig and expected to pretend that she's a good twenty years older than she really is.
- Speaking of Cindy Busby, I unfortunately cannot under-emphasize just how much she contributed to this movie being as bad as it was. Ever since she became a Hallmark regular, it feels as if her acting has somehow gone progressively downhill. She over-enunciates, sometimes shouts her lines, is almost hammy with her facial expressions, and is, overall, just not believable. Her performance took me out of the movie multiple times, which is a shame, because Christopher Russell opposite her was doing a much better job in his role.
- Lastly, although it's a small point: it was laughable when the two main characters go fishing and Leah proceeds to pull out a limp, obviously plastic fish that they both pretend is alive and well.