Love's Sweet Recipe

I liked this movie well enough but it didn't stand out like some reviewers mentioned. Let's face it 90% of these movies are very much the same but in the end we like to be "transported" from our every day life. What I didn't like, and it may not seem to you, is the closed caption. I need that. It was so small and when the actors talk fast it really helps. It was tiny and I couldn't read it. I was thinking maybe it my television but I switched to a couple of other networks and I had no problem. Bold print and easy to read. It takes many departments to make a movie, not just what we see. It's like a brain and a body that work together. I may have gone from a five star rating to a six, possibly seven but I didn't like to work so hard to understand what they were saying.

I've been watching these type of films for the last 4 or so years & there are so many sub-standard romances, this being one of them. Unfortunately, the lead actress, Megan Hutchings has the most annoying voice, something which is becoming the norm & it sounds so false.

6.2 stars.

The first 35 minutes, we are inundated by an obnoxious woman who runs a restaurant with her mother. She cooks her father's recipes, he was the previous owner of the restaurant. A washed out major league baseball player comes back to town and he knew her when they were younger, but she doesn't initially recognize him. He asks her if she will accept his help in her restaurant, he wants to create baked desserts for her restaurant, and to help get his baked goods to be recognized. When he begins working for her, what we witness is an extremely difficult, and arrogant female chef. What I appreciate about her performance is that she is significantly convincing at being difficult to work for. Unfortunately, what detracts from the enjoyment is her significantly convincing performance. It's a catch-22. This is a perfect lesson in how to embellish refinement. She irons out her wrinkles fairly quickly, and they work together to enter a restaurant competition.

The restaurant is too quaint and disorganized. The decor is atrocious, the tables and chairs are out of style and the arrangement is unappealing. I personally avoid restaurants that look so disorganized.

Her character is inconsistent and conflicted. Sometimes she is driven and difficult, and at other times lacking direction or purpose. These opposing traits are confusing and exactly why her polarizing behavior leaves the audience cold. Once again she levels out, but I'm left feeling unfulfilled.

He performs his role perfectly. If the male lead had lacked in any way, this film would be an utter disappointment.

I'm not sure why they didn't go for the title to be the Rulebook of Love which was the running device throughout the movie.

The premise has echoes of some common themes. Courtney is spending time helping her family restaurant before she goes back to her life in New York. Jake is a washed up professional baseball player come home. They agree to work together to win a contest. Courtney struggles throughout to make something that will stand out.

The hook for me was the chemistry between Megan Hutchings and Damon Runyan. The chemistry came through in both banter and body language. At times it was subtle but it came through strong. And they had plenty of screentime to work that.

There weren't a lot of highs or lows or surprises in the story and the only tension besides the contest was Courtney's determination to return to New York. There's some smoke and mirrors in how she expected to have her family restaurant go from solely her and her mom as staff to having her leave. She mentioned hiring staff if she could make it successful, but if Courtney was the one who made it successful, then how would a different staff keep it going?

The next to last scene was a little underwhelming as the ending. The very last scene with the Rulebook of Love was more of a quick epilogue.

Sometimes the background piano music was distracting.

I really enjoyed this movie. Sure, the story has been done before in various ways but this is a Hallmark type movie and we all know what to expect. If that's not your cup of tea, all good but don't write negative reviews and put other folk off a pleasant and enjoyable movie.