North to Home

Not knowing the book, I appreciated this film for nice try - and succes in good measure- to be more than the usual Hallmark.

It is a beautiful film about family, parenthood, future plans and reconciliation with yourself.

Well acted, it reminds, in fair manner, simple, basic truths, offering the vulnerability of characters as honest premise for define the esential importance of support of beloved one .

Three sisters present at their mother 60 years old birthday.

Each of them is front to a choice, from the clash between passion and moral duty, to the birth of child and the desire to comeback at work after a lot time consacred to children. An accident, changing in radical manner their lives is the shadow around anniversary.

But, sure, the end can not be a surprise.

So, little more than nice.

Hallmark Movies and Mysteries has shown it likes to take on some heavy topics, particularly around the death of loved ones. This one was well-acted and well-directed but a little too heavy on melodrama, particularly between the sisters. An enjoyable film with strong performances. Really like Lyndsy Fonseca and hopes she does more movies with Hallmark, but feel like she's cut out for a more lighthearted role.

This is one of the best movies I've seen about the long term effects of trauma, and how to heal from trauma - over time & by connecting with others. It's not overly dramatic, it's straightforward and clear. The movie takes its time fleshing out the characters so that the viewer can really care about each of them. The actors are superb.

This was so much better (and more emotional) than I thought it would be. And it was a very different kind of Hallmark movie than the ones that loyal viewers like me are used to seeing. In fact, the only new love story in the movie was the least interesting relationship (I also didn't really like the big reveal in connection with that story).

Instead, like Every Time a Bell Rings ( which starred this movie's multi talented director Ali Liebert), the main focus was the relationship between three sisters. They were played by three very beautiful, talented and compelling actresses (Lyndsy Fonseca, Kimberley Sustad and Erica Durance) and their mother was played by the very reliable Barbara Niven (from Chesapeake Shores) who may be the most beautiful 68 year old woman on the planet.

Lyndsy Fonseca just starred in her first Hallmark movie (Next Stop, Christmas- one of last year's best Hallmark movies) and I'm looking forward to many more from her. Kimberley Sustad was great in Christmas by Starlight with Paul Campbell. And Erica Durance was, for me, the best thing about Open By Christmas and I really wish Hallmark would put her in her own movie.. They were all wonderful here.

The relationships between between the two married sisters and their husbands was also portrayed as very healthy with a nice approach to the home/career conflict that Beth was experiencing. I could quibble about Hallmark's ongoing refusal to acknowledge the lack of daylight in Alaska during the winter (they'd be in the dark during that 7am hike), and Beth's overreaction to the girls getting cookie dough on their faces, but Hallmark movies don't get much better than this.

This was a very touching (and realistic) story of the aftermath of a 25 year old tragedy and what happened to the siblings involved. Thoroughly enjoyable and "believable". Sad, joyful, well worth your time.