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justamandalouise
Reviews
The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango (2023)
This does Lacey Chabert a disservice.
Lacey Chabert is one of my absolute favorite Hallmark actresses. If she comes out with a new movie, you can bet I'm going to watch it.
She can usually make even the cheesiest Hallmark scripts enjoyable.
Unfortunately, even she couldn't save this movie.
The setting was gorgeous.
That's it. That's all the good I have to say for this.
To be fair to Lacey and all the other actors, it was very clearly the script that kept their hands tied here (metaphorically).
The script was even cheesier and more predictable than your typical Hallmark movie. And so stiff!! It was borderline uncomfortable.
I have to say, I do disagree with other reviewers who thought the chemistry between the leads was good. I didn't feel it at all. I've seen Lacey have incredible chemistry with her co-leads in other movies. This missed that mark by far.
Oh, and can we talk about the fact that we're supposed to believe that a woman who has never even so much as been to a school dance took MAYBE a handful of dance lessons, in what I assume was approx a week's time in the movie, and suddenly dances in a way that would get her perfect 10s on Dancing With The Stars?
I mean, it would have been far more believable to have her be a former dancer who lost her passion due to life circumstances and has her passion and talent reignited due to the case.
Again. Bad writing.
This is clearly not one of the Hallmark movies that will earn a spot on my rewatch list.
Fly Away with Me (2022)
Four stars is being generous.
I simply don't like this movie.
The script was flat-out ridiculous. Not even your typical lighthearted, cheesy Hallmark silliness. It's worse. So much worse. There were several attempts made at physical comedy; all of which failed miserably. The script had no flow. And worst of all, the story had no heart. There's absolutely nothing to draw you in. Even when you find out what happened to the bird's original owner, it almost feels nonchalant because of the lack of genuineness and depth from the writers.
It's not all the writers' fault, though. The actors also left a LOT to be desired. You could see them acting. It felt forced and was honestly uncomfortable to watch. At one point the male lead had to pretend to have an acting role in the story, and he did better acting like he was pretending to act than he did acting in the entire rest of the movie. The female lead has just been rough in every other Hallmark movie I've seen her in. Maybe this genre of movies simply isn't her forte. Regardless, this movie doesn't at all make me feel like rushing to watch any more of their credits.
Oh, and don't get me started on the bird's voice. Good grief...
How to Find Forever (2022)
Cute enough for a one-time watch.
In my opinion, the other couple of reviews on this movie so far are a tad harsh.
Is this movie predictable and cheesy? Yes, of course it is! You'll be hard pressed to find a GAC or Hallmark movie that isn't. They definitely have a formula they tend to almost always follow for their plots. It does get old. But that's what you sign up for when you choose to watch these movies.
That being said, is it unwatchable as other reviewers have claimed? Absolutely not. I've seen FAR worse from these channels.
I can't say that I'll be going out of my way to watch movies with the female lead in the future. But I did actually enjoy the male lead (Aaron Ashmore). I was pleasantly surprised by how genuine and relatable his acting was in this genre. I've only ever previously seen him (and his twin) in action/sci-fi shows and movies. I'd enjoy seeing him in future romantic movies.
Now... one of my pet peeves in these movies is that most of the time they tend to finally get the couple together and then immediately end the movie afterwards. Kiss. Gaze. Bam, the end. You don't even get that much in this movie! The end of the movie cuts into credits mid-kiss. You don't even get the satisfaction of seeing the entire thing! I literally exclaimed at my tv "what was that?!" So disappointing.
Overall, do I regret watching this movie? Nope.
Would I watch it again? Also, nope.
A Splash of Love (2022)
This movie was a joy!
I watch Hallmark movies maybe more than I should willingly admit. There are some that are so cliche and cheesy that they are a pain to get through. Then there are some that are actually delightful and a joy to watch.
This was the later.
It did have some of the typical Hallmark storyline bits that you can expect in nearly every one of their movies: main character starts off in an awkward, mismatched relationship with a dislikable character and then meets someone they click with who makes them realize what they've been missing. Yada yada.
However, I enjoyed that the new romance blossomed more naturally than in other Hallmark movies. It never felt forced or rushed, and it didn't take away from the rest of the storyline about the orca research.
I don't understand what other reviewers are complaining about with the characters and actors. I enjoyed the female lead. Is her character bubbly in a way that may annoy some people? Sure. But I actually found it adorable. I prefer the bubbly to the stuck up know-it-all that most scripts would've gone for in a PHD candidate. I liked that she didn't have it all together and had some fumbles figuring out her research methods. She was new to it. It made sense. It made her seem more realistic and humble.
The male lead's character was extremely likable. He seemed like a regular guy with a good heart.
And their chemistry together? It was some of the most natural and organic chemistry I've ever witnessed in a Hallmark movie. It was believable and beautiful.
Most Hallmark movies are a one-off for me. But this one I'd watch again in a heartbeat if it showed up on my tv.
Ms. Matched (2016)
Absolutely not.
Hallmark movies are my guilty pleasure. I like the fact that they're typically easy watches and I actually enjoy that they're unrealistic because sometimes we all could use an escape from reality.
HOWEVER.
This isn't just unrealistic. It's nonsensical. I didn't feel the chemistry from the leads. The storyline was messy. It could hardly hold my attention. And instead of a feel-good ending as a payoff for making it through the whole thing, I was rewarded with confusion and dissatisfaction.
I actually exclaimed "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!" as it ended.
Even Alexa PenaVega couldn't save this monstrosity.
Do yourself a favor, and watch ANY other Hallmark movie besides this one.