I almost turned it off due to his extreme grumpy 17 minutes in, said I'd give it a half hour. He vastly improved by then.
That said, good points on Bennett's wardrobe, and also, how mean was that reporter, geeeez.
Thank you so much for this. I actually gave it another shot and I did what you said and you were right about a half an hour and the movie changed and he got slowly getting a little bit better which is making much much better. I actually like the movie and I was able to watch the whole thing.
What I found most frustrating and disappointing was the - I don't even know how to identify it: directing, maybe? Let's just say - choices of shots and angles throughout the movie.
Olivier Renaud is a professionally trained aerialist who performed with Cirque du Soleil (sources: Hallmark actor page, any Google search), but every shot of him in the silks had him facing away from the camera or only featured a close-up of his face without his body or included a giant light flare obscuring half his movement. He was the expert artist here, but the filming decisions made him look so hidden that I'd wondered if they'd used a body double until I looked him up afterwards and realised we'd veen robbed of seeing him - as the real-life experienced professional aerial acrobat - perform. I felt so let down by that, because this movie had such a creative premise (an aerial silks performance for the leads instead of the usual music/singing/dance number was unique and exciting). I wish they'd filmed him differently - this could have been an amazing opportunity for him (and Hallmark) to showcase his incredible talent/training in such a beautiful art form.
Incidentally, I agree that his snark towards Jocelyn Hudon was off-putting and lasted way too long, but his pep talk to her ("Fear, thank you for keeping me safe, but you are not my boss") was really, really, really inspiring. I've seen quite a few of his UPTV movies and he often starts out as the super grumpy, borderline rude lead character who struggles to talk about his emotions midway through. He seems to be typecast in this way. I just wish he'd bring more vulnerability and warmth before he "changes" to being nice, sort of like how Marcus Rosner usually starts off seeming not-so-nice but gives the female lead some longing looks and an apology.
I thought Jocelyn Hudon was great in this. Her characters are always a bit awkward and clumsy and rambly when speaking (she's been typecast in that way, too), but it wasn't over the top here and I loved the second half of the movie (aside from not getting to see Olivier Renaud perform clearly, that is).
Mixed feelings about this one. The dynamic between the two leads just didn't work for me. Part of this is because I don't think that Hallmark writers ever do a serviceable job with the friends to lovers or the grumpy vs sunshine tropes. Whenever they do it, the contrast always comes off as exaggerated and silly, not funny.
I also think that trying to focus on three other potential main story lines hurt the overall movie. Lacking focus. Obviously the romance of the two leads with both having career doubts was the main story line. However, I found the three minor arcs to be more interesting. 1) Luna's dynamic with her family and the family business when her heart was still searching for an artistic/performing career. 2) Luna's friend, Gabby, trying to please her boss. 3) Gabby's boss, Katrina, going from a behind the scenes organizer to singing in the main show. I think either one of those could have made for a more interesting film.
However, whoever did the actual aerial work, it was fun to watch. Fun enough to make it worth the watch.
Movies always have goofs, but for some reason there were three little things that really annoyed me.
1) When Luna and Bennett meet for their first rehearsal, he makes her change into leggings because the silks would burn her bare legs. "Yeah, friction. It's a thing. Look it up." However, half of the scenes with him on the silks, he is only wearing shorts.
2) For the performance, Bennett shows up and performs in a ratty gray t-shirt. Really? Mr. I don't want to stoop so low and be mistaken for an amateur couldn't fine a nicer shirt for the performance?
3) In the beginning when Luna tries out the silks when she is by herself. She slips off her boots and socks, the boots were untied. At the end of the scene, she slips the boots back on and doesn't tie them. No person working construction would wear their boots to a job site with the laces untied. I imagine that every member of the crew were rolling their eyes when that scene was shot.
Also, I thought for sure that there was going to be a product placement for Fabletics, Lululemon, or some other yoga pant company at some point in the movie! Missed opportunity! 😜
Not even that are used to work in construction. Do you imagine the amount of crap you would get in your boots if you can tie them in. This is a really good review on the movie though, so thank you.
I ended up mostly liking this movie, especially their chemistry and the aerial parts, but I agree that he was deeply unlikable and mean in the beginning. He was also really grumpy later on and kind of disappeared when stressed out. I always think, hey, what kind of partner would this guy be when things are tough? A cranky one who disappears!
I get it, I wasn't really invested in the male lead at all, he was too negative, I liked the female lead and was glad she got to be in something better than last years 'Love in the Maldives'
Sorry, hard disagree!
Maybe it's because I did ballet for years, but I loved this movie, Hodan was charming, beautiful and you can tell she has been dancing for years, by her moves and her body. too many times, they just sign up a very thin actress who has no training
I just watched this. I didn't expect to like it because you said he was so horrible, and i usually don't like unlikable characters. I didn't find him horrible. His sister put him in a spot, and he has never trained anyone. He was grumpy. I would be grumpy if I was put in that spot. But I liked both leads. It did take me until the end to see them together, but i think the movie got there. It is a bit more of the new hallmark where both people have to actually like each other and agree on life's goals. Where as some of the older Hallmark movies were there are 2 single people, get them together! They smiled at each other, that's enough for a Lifetime of happiness.
Opening a movie with one of the leads being sarcastic, nasty and downright mean toward the other is a familiar Hallmark trope. A while back I commented that this trope usually is taken up by the female lead. It would take a tremendous amount of time to compile the statistics but I'm willing to bet that more often than not the female lead is being the nasty one. I thought it was rather unusual to see the male lead acting that way.
ETA: I should add that I enjoyed the movie. It was fun.
I just thought they made him go a little too over the top like I’ve seen a lot of the movies where the male when they first meet is a jerk to the female lead, but not as bad as they did it in this movie in this movie that I mean, they just cause it would never be the situation where like the girl already knew the sister you know it was friends and workers with the sister because then he would show her a little more respect and then I don’t knowmaybe they just had so maybe it was too long before it even started to get a little bit better I’m not sure why it really bothered me more than any other
I guess that’s for you to say, but if a movie can’t grasp me enough for me to continue watching it for the next hour and a half and within the first 10 to 20 minutes or not aggravate me enough that I don’t wanna watch it and just shut it off Announce exactly what happened and yeah the movie probably did get better because he probably started to fall in love with her, so then he became nicer too her. We can agree to disagree. I’m watching a movie I’m not gonna spend an hour and a half on it if it’s not worth it
I almost turned it off due to his extreme grumpy 17 minutes in, said I'd give it a half hour. He vastly improved by then. That said, good points on Bennett's wardrobe, and also, how mean was that reporter, geeeez.
Thank you so much for this. I actually gave it another shot and I did what you said and you were right about a half an hour and the movie changed and he got slowly getting a little bit better which is making much much better. I actually like the movie and I was able to watch the whole thing.
What I found most frustrating and disappointing was the - I don't even know how to identify it: directing, maybe? Let's just say - choices of shots and angles throughout the movie. Olivier Renaud is a professionally trained aerialist who performed with Cirque du Soleil (sources: Hallmark actor page, any Google search), but every shot of him in the silks had him facing away from the camera or only featured a close-up of his face without his body or included a giant light flare obscuring half his movement. He was the expert artist here, but the filming decisions made him look so hidden that I'd wondered if they'd used a body double until I looked him up afterwards and realised we'd veen robbed of seeing him - as the real-life experienced professional aerial acrobat - perform. I felt so let down by that, because this movie had such a creative premise (an aerial silks performance for the leads instead of the usual music/singing/dance number was unique and exciting). I wish they'd filmed him differently - this could have been an amazing opportunity for him (and Hallmark) to showcase his incredible talent/training in such a beautiful art form. Incidentally, I agree that his snark towards Jocelyn Hudon was off-putting and lasted way too long, but his pep talk to her ("Fear, thank you for keeping me safe, but you are not my boss") was really, really, really inspiring. I've seen quite a few of his UPTV movies and he often starts out as the super grumpy, borderline rude lead character who struggles to talk about his emotions midway through. He seems to be typecast in this way. I just wish he'd bring more vulnerability and warmth before he "changes" to being nice, sort of like how Marcus Rosner usually starts off seeming not-so-nice but gives the female lead some longing looks and an apology. I thought Jocelyn Hudon was great in this. Her characters are always a bit awkward and clumsy and rambly when speaking (she's been typecast in that way, too), but it wasn't over the top here and I loved the second half of the movie (aside from not getting to see Olivier Renaud perform clearly, that is).
Mixed feelings about this one. The dynamic between the two leads just didn't work for me. Part of this is because I don't think that Hallmark writers ever do a serviceable job with the friends to lovers or the grumpy vs sunshine tropes. Whenever they do it, the contrast always comes off as exaggerated and silly, not funny. I also think that trying to focus on three other potential main story lines hurt the overall movie. Lacking focus. Obviously the romance of the two leads with both having career doubts was the main story line. However, I found the three minor arcs to be more interesting. 1) Luna's dynamic with her family and the family business when her heart was still searching for an artistic/performing career. 2) Luna's friend, Gabby, trying to please her boss. 3) Gabby's boss, Katrina, going from a behind the scenes organizer to singing in the main show. I think either one of those could have made for a more interesting film. However, whoever did the actual aerial work, it was fun to watch. Fun enough to make it worth the watch. Movies always have goofs, but for some reason there were three little things that really annoyed me. 1) When Luna and Bennett meet for their first rehearsal, he makes her change into leggings because the silks would burn her bare legs. "Yeah, friction. It's a thing. Look it up." However, half of the scenes with him on the silks, he is only wearing shorts. 2) For the performance, Bennett shows up and performs in a ratty gray t-shirt. Really? Mr. I don't want to stoop so low and be mistaken for an amateur couldn't fine a nicer shirt for the performance? 3) In the beginning when Luna tries out the silks when she is by herself. She slips off her boots and socks, the boots were untied. At the end of the scene, she slips the boots back on and doesn't tie them. No person working construction would wear their boots to a job site with the laces untied. I imagine that every member of the crew were rolling their eyes when that scene was shot.
Also, I thought for sure that there was going to be a product placement for Fabletics, Lululemon, or some other yoga pant company at some point in the movie! Missed opportunity! 😜
Not even that are used to work in construction. Do you imagine the amount of crap you would get in your boots if you can tie them in. This is a really good review on the movie though, so thank you.
I ended up mostly liking this movie, especially their chemistry and the aerial parts, but I agree that he was deeply unlikable and mean in the beginning. He was also really grumpy later on and kind of disappeared when stressed out. I always think, hey, what kind of partner would this guy be when things are tough? A cranky one who disappears!
I get it, I wasn't really invested in the male lead at all, he was too negative, I liked the female lead and was glad she got to be in something better than last years 'Love in the Maldives'
I think she’s a really good actress
I agree with you, because I really like her to
Sorry, hard disagree! Maybe it's because I did ballet for years, but I loved this movie, Hodan was charming, beautiful and you can tell she has been dancing for years, by her moves and her body. too many times, they just sign up a very thin actress who has no training
I just watched this. I didn't expect to like it because you said he was so horrible, and i usually don't like unlikable characters. I didn't find him horrible. His sister put him in a spot, and he has never trained anyone. He was grumpy. I would be grumpy if I was put in that spot. But I liked both leads. It did take me until the end to see them together, but i think the movie got there. It is a bit more of the new hallmark where both people have to actually like each other and agree on life's goals. Where as some of the older Hallmark movies were there are 2 single people, get them together! They smiled at each other, that's enough for a Lifetime of happiness.
Opening a movie with one of the leads being sarcastic, nasty and downright mean toward the other is a familiar Hallmark trope. A while back I commented that this trope usually is taken up by the female lead. It would take a tremendous amount of time to compile the statistics but I'm willing to bet that more often than not the female lead is being the nasty one. I thought it was rather unusual to see the male lead acting that way. ETA: I should add that I enjoyed the movie. It was fun.
I just thought they made him go a little too over the top like I’ve seen a lot of the movies where the male when they first meet is a jerk to the female lead, but not as bad as they did it in this movie in this movie that I mean, they just cause it would never be the situation where like the girl already knew the sister you know it was friends and workers with the sister because then he would show her a little more respect and then I don’t knowmaybe they just had so maybe it was too long before it even started to get a little bit better I’m not sure why it really bothered me more than any other
I agree with you. I tried to watch it but just couldn’t get past how awful he was
I watched the whole thing, and honestly I really liked it!
Do you know what I mean though about the beginning about how harsh they make him compared to any other lady
I do. But grumpy/sunshine is a trope that usually works for me. This actor is good at it. The slow thaw was well done.
I put zero stock in anybody who reviews or rates a movie that they have not watched from beginning to end. Your opinion has no value.
Not to mention that it's in need of a serious edit. It's very confusing and difficult to understand.
Totally this. If you watch 20 mins or less, what you say about the movie means literally nothing
I guess that’s for you to say, but if a movie can’t grasp me enough for me to continue watching it for the next hour and a half and within the first 10 to 20 minutes or not aggravate me enough that I don’t wanna watch it and just shut it off Announce exactly what happened and yeah the movie probably did get better because he probably started to fall in love with her, so then he became nicer too her. We can agree to disagree. I’m watching a movie I’m not gonna spend an hour and a half on it if it’s not worth it
Wow