Even though it's a "seen it all before" premise and setting, 'The Story of Us' still sounded like if done right it could be quite charming. Originality should never be expected from Hallmark, and while they have done some surprisingly good changes of pace they are generally reliant on one formula with changes in setting. Even when unoriginal though, there are still plenty of Hallmark films that are charming and light-hearted with a nice cast.
'The Story of Us', the second Countdown to Valentines Day film of 2019 after 'Valentine in the Vineyard' (am reviewing the previous two of the Vineyard trilogy before that one), definitely has its plus points and is a watchable effort. It is though also rather hit and miss, with some things working and others not. Basically watchable but with nothing really all that special, and a case of the supporting cast being better than the leads (prefer Maggie Lawson of the two personally, Sam Page varies depending on the material).
Am going to start with the good. 'The Story of Us' looks lovely, Hallmark often delivers on the scenery even in the misfires (and boy were there plenty in 2019) and it is beautiful to watch and quite photogenic. While not the most memorable in the world, the music does fit at least and doesn't feel overused or intrusive, common problems with Hallmark.
Furthermore, 'The Story of Us' does boast some cute and warm-hearted moments and the middle act has a nice light edge. Really liked the supporting cast, Frances Flannagan and Jenny Mitchell are both solid and Marco Grazzini and Zibby Allen are immensely likeable and sparkle together. Their chemistry is a lot more convincing than the leads' and their story is more interesting.
On the other hand, Lawson and Page aren't anywhere as good. Page particularly looks stiff and going through the motions, and really did not like his character and his treatment of Lawson's character to the extent that one questions his love. Lawson has a little more presence but still found her quite dull and the writers did try too hard in getting one to sympathise with her character by making her excessively anxious and forelorn. Their chemistry doesn't gel either, they seemed disconnected and the relationship doesn't develop, neither do the two characters.
Moreover, the script tends to be awkward, any attempts at playfulness comes over as cheesy and contrived, any conflict lacks tension and any dramatic moments don't resonate as there is not enough to invest in. The story is predictability taken to extremes and could have done with more energy and consistent charm. It also could have gotten going quicker and the final act is rushed and too neat. The characters are underdeveloped in general, with the best characters by far being Rick and Lucy. Forgot to say that charisma-free Jacob Richter gives the worst performance.
Concluding, watchable as a one time watch but very mixed here. 5/10.
