Love's Unfolding Dream

I know that the Janette Oke books that translate into films get a little heat because they tend to deviate from the books (They Killed Willie!) but they are really good films on their own. It's hard to find anything out there "period piece" wise that is good for the whole family.

This one centers on the whole "traditional" role vs. "progressive" role for females and Belinda must balance her desire to become a doctor vs. the views of her fiancé. Really kind of takes you back to a time when that was a big deal. It opened up a discussion between my young daughter and I when she asked, "Daddy, why don't they want her to be a doctor?" Again, this is another good one from the Oke series and the producers have a good study guide to accompany the film on their website FoxFaith.com.

Give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movies 1-4 had a real storyline that built off of each other, it was more then just a love story it had family values and hardships to overcome. Love's Unfolding Dream falls into the predictable trope that this series has become, the movie follows Balinda's dream to become a doctor while she falls in love with a guy. The only interesting part of the film was the doctor aspect of it, but the love story made it feel really cheesy and predictable. The music score again was too overpowering and downgraded the film. The biggest tease in the entire film was that they used the Dr. Quinn medicine Woman town set as the filming location for the movie. Dr. Quinn was a fantastic series with incredible acting, story line and filming, seeing the town made me want to stop watching Love's Unfolding Dream and put Dr. Quinn in the DVD player instead. Balinda falls incredibly short compared to Michaela Quinn.

This is a faith based story. It even gets a bit preachy at times as the characters depend on their faith to face difficult situations.

It is also a story about an intelligent and independent young woman. Sometimes she has a bit of a chip on her shoulder which for a woman at that time was necessary if she was going to break into a man's world. She could also cry because she had compassion for everyone around her.

This story is sappy. Very sappy. It's predictable in a general sense with a nice detail or two to liven it up.

New generation and new love story. Temptation of some critics but the message, the sweetness, the moral lessons and the supporting characters are just enough for appreciate the new part of series.

I admitt, I was seduced more by supporting actors performances and by temptation to imagine new version of Michaela Quin. Because the way of Belinda, out of supposition about pre - feminism, reflects the spirit of a so easy idealized United States in its modern age.

Sure, the romance between Belinda and Andrew is forced in some measure but good kick to remind the others of series. And the transformation of girl in young woman is just fair crafted.

So, nice, in real sense, is the good word to define this film.

This is the sixth film in the faith based pioneer series called Love Comes Softly based on the books by Janette Oke. We go back to Andersons Corner where Belinda "Lindy" Tyler has become a well-read headstrong young woman who desperately wants to go to college to train to be a doctor. She has two things to overcome...being a woman in a man's profession and just getting in to a college and the money it costs to fulfill her dream.

When their local doctor is hiring Belinda rushes to apply only to be turned down because she is a woman and better suited to being a wife or nurse. When a wealthy woman has a stroke in her stage coach, Belinda helps in the treatment and therapy of Mrs. Stanford-Smythe.

It was nice to revisit some of our favorite characters in this faith based family series Clark Davis (the patriarch) played by Dale Midkiff through the entire series...he has a way of tearing up and delivering the most heartfelt lines, Missy played by Erin Cotrell in all but the first two films...her new husband sheriff Zach Tyler, played by Victor Browne...who was a delightful edition in the last film, although I still miss Logan Bartholomew who played her first husband Willie.

I think fans of the series will enjoy this film that was focused almost exclusively on Belinda and lawyer Drew Simpson.