Sand Dollar Cove

Was a nice movie but the pick for female main character don't was right. She was flat no connection with the character, no passion, expression, was so vanilla.

Any Hallmark film that is said to take place in Connecticut (or anyplace) and is actually filmed there (as opposed to Vancouver) gets a few stars from me. Aly Michalka is also charming, and even seems to be a real estate developer. She has backbone. And having the female lead be something other than a baker or writer or some such is a plus. Nice job.

It's nine months after a devastating storm in Sand Dollar Cove. Tourism is down and the beloved pier is closed. Real estate developer representative Elli (Aly Michalka) arrives to negotiate. Bait store owner Brody (Chad Michael Murray) is initially friendly until the new development threatens the pier. He happens to own land important to her.

Both Aly and CMM were big stars during their days. That's a step up for Hallmark which tends to only have one former star to lead their movies. What's surprising is that the couple doesn't have greater heat. The plot sets up the possibility but the dialogue does not deliver any heat. It's almost as if the two former stars are too cool for school. They are too leisurely which may fit the location but it's not what the movie needs. The location is great for clam bakes but everybody is too nice. They need to fight before they can make up. Even a Hallmark movie needs some heat or else it gets too flat.

Hey Hallmark ... PLEASE don't use Aly Michalka again. She isn't suited to romantic roles. She's OK - but her acting is not believable. Her facial expressions are so funny - not suited to the material. She might have been a great Disney actor - but grownup roles are past her abilities. No chemistry with Chad Michael Murray. This movie is just sad. Hallmark's summer 2021 offerings have pretty much all missed the mark... I still DVR them - but I couldn't make it through at least 3 of the 4 without falling asleep. Deleted off my DVR.

OH - and by the way - while it was nice seeing Glynnis O'Connor again - do you understand that she is only 26 years older than Chad Michael Murray? His mom, OK. His grandmother? Not unless she was 12 or 13 when she had his mom/dad and his mom/dad were the same age when they had him. She's the same age as me ... people my age have grandkids who are around 25 or younger. Not in their mid-thirties. She doesn't look old enough to be his grandmother. Silly casting ...

I liked the movie but that editing was very subpar, I saw a few mistakes throughout the movie.