Dating the Delaneys

Maggie Delaney (Rachel Boston) is a divorcee and a "single mother" of two. She has not been on a date in twenty years, but she decides to try dating when she sees her widowed mother and her teenage daughter dating. Everyone, it seems, is sticking a toe into the dating pool with little real-life experience. Maggie's nervousness is abated somewhat when a friend, Michael Taylor (Paul Campbell), suggests that they go on pretend dates and critique each other's game.

Hallmark romance fans can see where this is going already, which is fine. There is plenty of humor in this story about the three generations. The relationship between Maggie and Michael is fairly comedic, as they tease each other and share jokes. The writing is good, yielding dialogue that is fun and upbeat.

Rachel Boston is the keystone of the film, providing a cheerfulness that does not flag, even when her character deals with things that annoy her. There may not be a lot of depth in this story, but it is enjoyable.

Campbell and Boston always are great but the over use of puns made the characters rather ridiculous and one wishing to fast forward through the dialogue, especially the wine tasting event and backyard family BBQ. Loved the restaurant first blind date scene. Now that was good.

This is mostly a typical story with some minor differences. In ways, it's not a lot different than the last movie starring Boston and Campbell, The Last Bridesmaid. The leads hang together avoiding any sense they are dating each other. In this one, they knew each other already and decide to help each other enter the dating market by "practicing". Add to that story a daughter that has a crush but spends time with her lab partner and grandmother who already is well on her way to a new beau.

Boston and Campbell have great chemistry together. Any couple who can banter the "bad" jokes and puns so smoothly has to have chemistry. They have tons of fun together and the audience tags along.

The ex-husband is there mostly as a stereotype of an absolutely terrible dad. He was a little too much.

There are no great highs or lows and definitely no surprises but the movie is still fun.

Rachel Boston and Paul Campbell were great and seemed to really enjoy being together. There was real chemistry there. Although the un-funny puns got old after a while. Enough is enough already.

Zoe Christie as Emma, looked WAY to old to be a teenager with a crush. She just couldn't pull off playing a 16 year old. Frankly she looked closer to a 30 something. It spoiled the whole teenage Delaney dating part of the storyline. And sitting and staring ALL the time at the guy you have a crush on was just creeoy. I didn't blame the guy for ignoring her.

My advice: great family flilm, not Shakespeare, but entertaining.

I watched this movie for the third time the other night and I was impressed. Maybe I'm slow on the uptake. The main two characters took their time and warmed up to one another, gradually. These two are wounded ducks, so to speak, each having lost a spouse and that makes them cautious about love and commitment. Both have children which makes things even more complicated and their slowness in realizing that they are attracted to one another is natural. The puns the two main characters tossed back and forth was at first mildly awkward for me but when you are dating and comfortable you let down your guard and let the real person out. I do recommend this movie but you need to be patient and let it unfold.