This movie, from Reel One Entertainment, is your basic Hallmark-like romance. Decent for the genre, but nothing too out of the ordinary. The leads gave pretty good performances. I especially liked Alexandra Harris as Emma. She was warm, animated and engaging. Jonathan Stoddard was fine also, playing Will, the straight-laced, prickly lawyer who is really hiding his softer side as a caring father to a cute 8-year-old son.
This was the standard story of a couple that start out as combatants but, through spending time together, slowly warm to each other. I thought their interactions were mostly good, and there was some chemistry. The initial "angry" phase was a little too much, though. He, especially, was way too rude, and with virtually no provocation. I guess his back story was that he was a single dad who was burned by love when his ex-wife left him and his son. But that's hardly justification for him acting like a complete jerk to a total stranger. The transition from hate to love was a bit abrupt, too. The unfolding relationship could have been developed better. The concept of them feeling like the dating service had conned them, and having them collaborate on trying to catch the supposed con artists was definitely original. It's also pretty unbelievable. How many people, after having what they perceive as a date from hell, would then want to spend lots of time together with that same person, just to get back at the dating service that set them up?
The bump in the relationship, which occurs about 3/4 into most rom-coms, was in this one too, but it seemed kind of stupid. So, she's all upset that Will didn't tell her that Dash was his son, rather than his nephew, even though she just made that assumption without asking him? And that's supposed to be this massive betrayal, even though Ellen and Will hardly even have a relationship yet? The big reveal happened on what was technically their first date, after all. And it wasn't even anything that bad. He didn't even really lie to her. He just withheld information. It just seemed really fake and forced. I think they should've figured out a more realistic reason for their budding relationship to get derailed. I also think it would have been tons better if Ellen had found out early that Dash was Will's son, and that he had shared with her his trauma about his failed marriage. There would have been a lot more chances for the two of them to bond with each other.
So, all in all, this was a decent movie. As a rom-com, it delivered what it needed to. You had two attractive people, originally standoffish, but eventually falling in love, bringing you to the satisfying, happy ending. Throw in the cute kid for bonus points, and you have a winning combination. Overlook the rough edges in the script, and you'll doubtless enjoy it.
This was the standard story of a couple that start out as combatants but, through spending time together, slowly warm to each other. I thought their interactions were mostly good, and there was some chemistry. The initial "angry" phase was a little too much, though. He, especially, was way too rude, and with virtually no provocation. I guess his back story was that he was a single dad who was burned by love when his ex-wife left him and his son. But that's hardly justification for him acting like a complete jerk to a total stranger. The transition from hate to love was a bit abrupt, too. The unfolding relationship could have been developed better. The concept of them feeling like the dating service had conned them, and having them collaborate on trying to catch the supposed con artists was definitely original. It's also pretty unbelievable. How many people, after having what they perceive as a date from hell, would then want to spend lots of time together with that same person, just to get back at the dating service that set them up?
The bump in the relationship, which occurs about 3/4 into most rom-coms, was in this one too, but it seemed kind of stupid. So, she's all upset that Will didn't tell her that Dash was his son, rather than his nephew, even though she just made that assumption without asking him? And that's supposed to be this massive betrayal, even though Ellen and Will hardly even have a relationship yet? The big reveal happened on what was technically their first date, after all. And it wasn't even anything that bad. He didn't even really lie to her. He just withheld information. It just seemed really fake and forced. I think they should've figured out a more realistic reason for their budding relationship to get derailed. I also think it would have been tons better if Ellen had found out early that Dash was Will's son, and that he had shared with her his trauma about his failed marriage. There would have been a lot more chances for the two of them to bond with each other.
So, all in all, this was a decent movie. As a rom-com, it delivered what it needed to. You had two attractive people, originally standoffish, but eventually falling in love, bringing you to the satisfying, happy ending. Throw in the cute kid for bonus points, and you have a winning combination. Overlook the rough edges in the script, and you'll doubtless enjoy it.