Hearts of Winter

In the film, I am glad to see the prayers that the father and daughter pray together at home.

I like the cast. The guy is a bit of a grump early on, which I find a welcome change from the usual Hallmark lead and more realistic considering his character's past. The kid is much better than the usual TV movie kid, which is a credit to the actress playing her. I liked Bethany too because she was confident and capable in her profession. Jill Wagner might be my new favourite on this channel. She can display a range of emotion without being fake, annoying, or over the top.

Hearts of Winter is a lovely, appealing movie based on a very emotional theme. A widower and his teenage daughter have lost a beloved wife and mother, and seem to have established a new life for themselves in the comfort of their warm and familiar home. For some reason, the teenage daughter enters a contest to have their home considered for a makeover by a TV home decorator. Her application is accepted and their home is chosen to be redecorated. This, understandably, stuns the father, who resist any changes to his familiar surroundings. And here is where the movie goes a bit too far in ignoring the emotional underlying issues for his resistance. The designer, played by the always lovely Jill Wagner, forges ahead with her plans to rid the home of its familiar objects, bring in new items, and essentially, change everything from what it had been. Sadly, the writers completely bypass the father's resistance to this project..overlooking the emotions he must be feeling at having all his reminders of his wife's existence carried away and replaced. Not enough dialogue, attention and respect is given, at all, to this aspect of what must be going on for him. This issue is finally articulated somewhere in the last third of the film. In the meantime, a relationship is seemingly growing between the father and the decorator, but not in a way that takes into account his grieving and his loss. The designer, played by Jill Wagner, does a great deal too much giggling to fill lapses in dialogue..Also, she appears a bit pregnant..Could that be? Usually she appears as a tall, statuesque attractive woman..But, here, there seems to be a great deal of scarves, coats, pocketbook cover-up activity going on..The father, Victor Webster, is always reliable as a romantic, appealing leading man, but is given a weaker image in this film. .until he is fairly allowed to mention the loss of his wife and everything she loved about her house. The movie is carried, very clearly, by the teenage daughter, Lauren McNamara, whose acting skills far outweigh those of the adult leads. She has developed into a truly skilled actress, and even shows some impressive ice-skating skills in one brief scene. This is a really fine young actress. The designer's assistant is played with great dignity and maturity by Rukiya Bernard, who by this time, should be given leading roles in Hallmark movies..She is an elegant, nuanced actress with not enough presence in her secondary roles. The movie rests on a valid theme of death of a spouse, loss, grieving...However, its development of that theme is superficial and not explored nearly enough to merit more stars.. Emotions run high in films about widowhood, single parenting, and life changes. This script did not take full enough advantage of all the deeper possibilities the situation offered. The eventual romantic ending seemed contrived and superificial.

The story and the writing is weak, although the interior decorating and shopping bits were mildly diverting. However thanks to the talented cast and the easy chemistry among all the actors, this one earns an 8 from me. Jill Wagner is a very good actress and she and Victor Webster make a great well-matched couple. Victor's character Grant started out whiny and ungrateful, but he got over it fairly quickly. Lauren McNamara who played Grant's daughter was also top-notch and has been in several other Hallmark movies. She gets the plot rolling buy winning a free house makeover from Bethany an up and coming Interior Designer. Brendan Zub has impressed me in other productions, but was under-used as Jill's sensible and supportive brother. I would like to see him as the lead again in further Hallmark movies. Last and certainly not least is the cute and charismatic Rukiya Bernard, Jill's friend and partner, who brightens every production she is in. Alas, still in the best friend role and not as the lead. Come on Hallmark! Give her a role worthy of her before she gets away. One thing I really liked about this romance is that it didn't end with the deal-sealing smooch, like they all do, but went on to add a little postscript by having the cast wrap things up back at the redecorated home.

Have liked Jill Wagner in a lot of things and can understand why she is a Hallmark favourite. Rukiya Bernard has a great knack for stealing every scene she's in in all her films, even in the duds. Victor Webster's filmography is a bit of a mixed bag, but in the right role and with the right leading lady he has a good deal of appeal. Having said that, the story didn't sound anything special and little different from most Hallmark Winterfest films and didn't care for most of the 2020 Winterfest films.

Of the 2020 Winterfest films, of which there are five, 'Hearts of Winter' is second best with 'Winter in Vail' being the best. Didn't care for the other three, especially 'Amazing Winter Romance' which was anything but amazing. 'Hearts of Winter' is not an exceptional, or even great film, but it is above average. Despite the story being wanting generally, it is worth seeing for the cast in particular. As far as the 2020 Hallmark films go, it's somewhere in the middle.

Beginning with what doesn't come off, the story is slow going at first and is bland in spots due to little new done with a formulaic scenario. The final quarter could have done with more tension and felt less neat, the end is never in doubt and easily telegraphed.

Webster's character is not easy to warm to at first and his uptightness and grumpiness seemed overdone. He also has a 180 change in character that is introduced too abruptly and is rushed, also thought it came too early when the character had not really grown yet. Wagner occasionally tries too hard.

However, there is a lot to like about 'Hearts of Winter'. Wagner on the most part is very charming and plays her role with enthusiasm and good intentions. Once the character loosens up in the writing, Webster becomes a lot more relaxed and has an easy going charisma that appeals. He and Wagner look natural and genuine together and the romance is developed just about right. Lauren McNamara is adorable and heartfelt and has lovely chemistry with Wagner and Webster. Once again Bernard steals all her screen time with a real zesty sparkle, though it would be nice if Hallmark stretched her abilities and landed her in another type of role.

Furthermore, the scenery is truly beautiful and the photography makes the most of it without being self-indulgent. While not unforgettable, the music at least fits and isn't overused or bombastic. The script flows and doesn't come over as too talky (though perhaps it could have been tighter in the early stages), corny or saccharine. The story is far from perfect, but it has a warm heart and never cheesy light-heartedness while the characters are ones worth caring for once they settle.

To conclude, not great but above average. 6/10.