Love Stories in Sunflower Valley

What a surprisingly good movie! Great actors, too. As always, Erin Cahill did well. The guy was actually pretty good in this, too. Plot was good, writing was better and the direction was just right for a tv movie romance. I do not expect too much for these types of movies so this one was a pleasant treat.

This is quite different from the usual movies of the genre, but it is a bit too wordy for me - I'd prefer to see not hear the stories. Visualizing the tales and expanding them would give a TV series akin to the Signed Sealed Delivered episodes. In this current format, I feel a bit of information overload and like I've rushed every course of a meal down rather than savoring them. When I repeat view, I'll watch in segments each night before sleep as a way to wind down after a busy day. The casting is great with a beautiful location, so here's hoping they can reformat for a feel-good rom-com-non-murder-mystery.

'Love Stories from Sunflower Valley' (2021) - Rob Lieberman.

This cuddly, earnestly heart string plucking drama stars photogenic Hallmark veterans Erin Cahill and Marcus Possner. Frustrated dogsbody, and aspiring journalist returns to her beloved hometown as assistant to hunky, gentlemanly reporter to write a feature on local altruistic matchmaker. Needless to say, awkward coffee-spilling beginnings belie inexorable chemistry, and true love rapidly blooms in picturesque Sunflower Valley. A bountiful harvest of small-town hospitality, folksy mommy-knows-best schmear, dewy-eyed reminisces, and heartfelt glances over home cooking, warmed fuzzily by sun dappled sentiment! Fine performances, and a lovely location do much to ease the drama's occasional lapses into cloying, love conquers all cliche. I appreciated the pleasing lack of enforced comedy, and don't have a problem with the film's well-meaning, wholly fantastical coda of there's a soul mate for all.

The influence of nature pervades this film, and the director made some smart choices in allowing more silence than is typically found in TV movies, an understated score, and breathtaking camera work. The actors are at their best - the range of emotions Erin Cahill has access to is astonishing, as is the vulnerability shown by Marcus Rosner. This appears to be the first romance from the director, and the first completed teleplay attributed to the writer. I hope in both cases it's the first of many.

This is such a wonderful, gentle & heartfelt film. Beautiful story & excellent script. Erin Cahill & Marcus Rosner are good together as the main characters. This is my kind of romance film. The location is absolutely gorgeous & sunflowers are one of my favourite flowers.