The Birthday Wish

This is not a new concept for me. I have seen movies with this kind of "magical realism" before and I love it. I like that Hallmark used it, but the only thing I ask is that they don't try to use this concept again, otherwise this original movie will be ruined.

Jessy Schram is a pleasure to watch, she is fun, energetic, and I adore her characters. Luke MacFarlane is a a refreshing face to see. (I know, I'm watching this two years later). And the chemistry was wonderful. The plot was, indeed, stupid, but fun and enjoyable. I like these movies because you get away from the real world for an hour and half.

I only had two problems with this: the fact that the character was desesperate to get married and I get it, it was part of the plot but I couldn't help but to roll my eyes in more than one ocassion. And the other thing was the classic cliche that must be in a Hallmark movie: characters assuming thing they shouldn't and just running away. The less cliches there are, the better.

What I did like, and a lot, was the humor in the movie. They don't tend to include a lot, but this did. And the characters, being a contrast to each other was beautiful: Dave encouraging Gwen to just live and don't let herself carry away with her life plan. And both of them motivating each other to face their fears, it made it look like a real relationship. And I always like when they know each other beforehand. It makes the romance more realistic.

This is the first Hallmark film I'm watching after the end of the winter. When it is the Christmas season, I always go for the Hallmark films, but I got interested on this after learning about the plot. If you are very familiar with Hallmark films, you will know what to expect and how to enjoy them. I totally got entertained. This story is obviously not fresh, but refreshed with the great characters.

Gwen is who just tuned 30, was expecting the marriage proposal from her boyfriend, but nothing happened. She's an ad filmmaker, as her focus slipping away from the duty for not getting married, then she meets a new workmate, whose their initial impression does not go well. But later they start to have feelings for each other. If that's true how they are going make it real was revealed in the rest of the film.

Some of the lines were very nice. Well executed utilising fine cast and locations. Jessy Schram was simply amazing and also the plus point of the film. The rest of them were not bad either. Since it is a television film, it did not go past the 90 minute mark. That means well paced narration with the well developed storyline. I think it will work better for family audiences. But I suggest it for everyone, if they watch it with low expectation. Surely worth a try, particularly in a date night.

7/10

First of all, I am a regular viewer of Hallmark films, and I realize that many people will complain that Hallmark regularly does predictable, romantic comedies, and some would call them cheesy and not worth watching. In this day and age with negativity and vile themes spewing forth from our TV sets, computers, and phones, there is nothing like the comfort of curling up on a quiet evening and watching a Hallmark film.

For me, this is a romance that is full of comedy, excellent acting, and fine writing--also directed by one of the best directors out there today, at least in my opinion. While the story is predictable in that it's a typical romantic comedy, it does contain plenty of atypical twists. It is not a traditional time travel romance, and while the ending is assured from the get-go, I never found it dull nor boring as the viewers were taken along for the ride. It had just the right amount of bumps along the way, and the acting was so impeccable that Marcus Rosner's "other guy" role incensed me like very few have. Luke and Jessy were a pure delight on screen as they carried out the comical, clever dialogue, and the visual aspects of the film were exceptional as well. Who could not love the puppy scene? And while there is an element of the supernatural, the intent of the film came across to the viewers in a fun and inspiring way. It is an excellent reminder that life rarely goes the way one plans, but if you are open to possibilities that are tossed your way, your life may end up being more than you could have possibly dreamed. While the ending may have seemed a bit rushed due to time constraints, I truly cannot fault this film nor anyone involved with the film for that minor fault. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel in years to come that shows these two as a married couple with kids and even gives us more than the brief glimpse of their lives through the lens to which we were privy. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves the old-fashioned "romcom" genre. However, if you are tired of the bad news that is constantly flashing across your screen, this is just the sort of good news that can instantly pick up your spirits and help you forget your problems, at least for ninety minutes!

I really like Luke Macfarlane, and Jessy Schram is just lovable in this - and I choose the word advisedly. It's a fun movie, a romantic movie, and better than the usual Hallmark cookie cutter flick. This is one I might buy if it's on DVD.

Fun & entertaining evenings entertainment! Love Luke MacFarlane, especially in this film! The relationship had the usual twists but without the typical goofy snags along the way! Cute scene with the puppies and the scene in the mini van with the kids! Luke is super appealing! Even hubby found the story to his liking! Cast them together more often!