Paul Campbell and Kimberley Sustad are a winning combination. They have great chemistry and great on-screen interactions. It helps that the screenplay was actually written by them also. The dialog was mostly fresh and believable. Paul Campbell especially is one of my favorite Hallmark leading actors. He is funny, a little goofy and always likable. I feel like his comic talents could have been used even more extensively than they were in this movie.
I wish the story had been a bit more original. As it was, the story was tied down to several tired, cliched Hallmark tropes, such as the evil corporation shutting down the noble small business, or the clueless son of the evil corporation's president becoming more enlightened by interactions with the leading lady. A more original plotline would have been welcome.
Another thing that didn't make sense was how Paul Campbell's supposedly laid back character was often pushing more stiff and staid options, such as when he criticized her Christmas sweater as inappropriate attire for the party, or when he questioned the choice of barbecue beef brisket for the fundraiser, rather than something more gourmet. Seemed a bit out of character to me.
So, I liked the movie, but I didn't love it. My wife, who is much more demanding, was kind of bored by it. The actors were certainly good and the script was good too, but hardly outstanding. It was pretty much what we expect from a Hallmark movie, and if you go into it with that mindset, you'll like it.
I wish the story had been a bit more original. As it was, the story was tied down to several tired, cliched Hallmark tropes, such as the evil corporation shutting down the noble small business, or the clueless son of the evil corporation's president becoming more enlightened by interactions with the leading lady. A more original plotline would have been welcome.
Another thing that didn't make sense was how Paul Campbell's supposedly laid back character was often pushing more stiff and staid options, such as when he criticized her Christmas sweater as inappropriate attire for the party, or when he questioned the choice of barbecue beef brisket for the fundraiser, rather than something more gourmet. Seemed a bit out of character to me.
So, I liked the movie, but I didn't love it. My wife, who is much more demanding, was kind of bored by it. The actors were certainly good and the script was good too, but hardly outstanding. It was pretty much what we expect from a Hallmark movie, and if you go into it with that mindset, you'll like it.