Rent-a-Groom

Stafford Perry carried this film. His acting was delightful, as was the backstory and transition of his character. Kylee Bush is undoubtedly pretty but could have benefited from a tighter script and direction. Jessy Schram or Jen Lilley might have fit the role better and might have had greater chemistry with the lead actor.

The film could be better (e.g., fewer caricatures and incredible events or situations; tighter script and direction). Still, I'm giving it ten stars because, firstly, its visual and aural simplicity is refreshing compared to typical Hallmarkian romcoms and, secondly, its current IMDB rating (5.1) needs to be higher.

This is not a Hallmark movie but it follows the Hallmark formula pretty closely. Two single adults are brought together for a job, they become attracted to each other, then some misunderstanding causes a rift, only to be mended and with one minute left they kiss the first time.

The "job" is a bit unusual, SHE wants to give her sickly grandma, a very successful romance novelist, some hope so she contacts a "rent a groom" agency to hire a fellow to pretend to be her fiancee. This involves visiting grandma but then much more. The people at work get involved, what started out as a simple ruse develops into something different with a life of its own.

For the most part the three lead roles are interesting and handled well by the actors. A few of the friends and co-workers are more that a bit annoying, but in the end don't distract too much. Overall just a pleasant entertainment, much like standard Hallmark movies are.

It was filmed in Alberta, Canada, my wife and I watched it at home, streaming on Amazon Prime.

I don't think I've ever seen such a hideous wardrobe on a show before. I was literally distracted and shocked by how horrible these characters were dressed. As others have already said, this trope has been beat to a pulp. That said it was a cute idea, but I couldn't finish the movie because it was basically lame. I mean come on, the grandma, miraculously gets better, just because the granddaughter says she's engaged. And if the granddaughter and the grandma were so close, I'm pretty sure the grandma would've known if her granddaughter was dating someone serious enough to become engaged with. It sounds like they speak to each other every day. So when the fake groom was telling the grandma, the story of how the two of them met on a ski slope, you would think that the granddaughter had already told the grandma the story of meeting some guy in the manner in which he described. Because if anything else, it's a good story, right?

The grandma is playing the girl/woman so that her daughter gets engaged...in order that her granddaughter will be "happy ". Grandma is "cured".etc., and then the chaos ensues due to all the ubiquitous manipulations. Of course there is a romance, and I'm sure it works out all in the end, it's the nature of these types of movies. It harks of the Hallmark movie style, and I was surprised that it was NOT a Hallmark movie. Anyways, my main objection is that lying gets you where you want to go...and of course life will be happy ever after. How can any of that be a good thing? I could just be jaded...and if I've burst bubbles. My apologies.

The film is saved by actors and, for some moments, by dialogue. Stafford Perry offers a real beautiful portrait for his character and its way to define the basic traits of relation with others.

So, not memorable, but decent. Not ignoring the dusty, in this case pretty stupid , critic moment or the difficulties of beginning. But being only a Hallmark, unfair to expect too much.

In short, pleasant, nice and full of so familiar cliches. But working for the fair effort of actors to give to story some coherence and credibility.

And, sure, good portrait of self made life of a man for too long time under the cold shadow of his succesul father.