Savoring Paris

Ella escapes to Paris for a 10 day vacation away from a soul, sucking job. She fascinates about her last trip there, when she discovered the best cheese she's ever tasted.

Clotilde, her host at her, Airbnb becomes her new best friend; the cousin, Gaston, of the hostess becomes a potential Mon amoureux, and then there is Serge the grumpy proprietor of the local fromagerie ( cheese store).

One of the neat things to watch is just outside her apartment is the on- going development of a large wall mural as her days pass in Paris.

Ella is falling for "The Cad" (Gaston) but is it real?

In the meantime she is falling for the grumpy cheese store proprietor Serge.

They share a real love for cheese!

Ella grows up during her time in Paris.

No spoilers, but it is a Hallmark movie.

As she is for many on this site, Bethany Joy Lenz is one of my favorite actresses in Hallmark romances. In this film, she plays the part of Ella Weber, a corporate burnout who is ready to change her life. On a whim, she walks out of the office and hops a flight to Paris, where she particularly wants to indulge in the cheeses. In no time at all, she is in a fromagerie, where the proprietor is dubious of her American sensibilities, but she obtains a slab that delights her.

Her living accommodations for the weeks she will be there are the posh digs of Clotilde Aubergel (Manon Azem). Clo helps Ella learn the ways of the French and encourages her adventurous spirit. She also introduces Ella to her cousin, Gaston (Ben Wiggins), an attractive man who is younger, but oh so charming. As we all know, "No one's slick as Gaston/No one's quick as Gaston", so she falls under his spell despite the warnings she gets about Gaston's reputation as a lothario.

Elle's ete d'amour is filled with new experiences and her senses are filled with the sights, sounds and tastes of Paris and its cheeses. The owner of the fromagerie, named Serge, eventually warms to her and he becomes the steward of her burgeoning knowledge of cheese.

As in many Hallmark romances, there is a misunderstanding that must be overcome: a phrase lost in translation. But Elle negotiates that obstacle and extends her stay: a jete dans ete. After all the montages de fromage, the fun fashions, and the views of the Tour Eiffel, Elle's future begins to take shape, if only she can commit to it.

There is a lot to like about this film, from the Parisian scenery to the beautiful actors. Another thing that works well, though it could have been an annoyance, is the use of thought bubbles to reveal Ella's inner thoughts while providing translations of some French phrases. As usual, Bethany Joy's energy drives the narrative; her enthusiasm in this role feels genuine.

This is a deligtful movie on all levels. The wardrobe for Bethany is just so lovely and brings life to the movie. The colours, the styles, the hair accessories all so flattering. Even the blue skirt in the closing scene in front of the stores attractive. As a rom-com, hit the mark, a mature woman seeking adventure and change, no squeaky woe is me sappy female. The male lead is business yet to ready for change. The only weird instance was the kissing scene after je t'aime, between E & S the segments of the scene seem edited out of order. I like the actress playing the mother, a change from the usual standard ones. Whomever the writing on the cheese idea come from is brilliant - like a tree carving of Ella + Serge. Watch this one. Bethany excellent as always.

Many of us enjoy watching Hallmark movies, some more than others, and usually depending on the lead actors and the overall story. But once in a while a movie comes along that is just so wonderful and entertaining, engaging us right from the first scene, and wishing it could last just a bit longer. This movie is definitely one of those. Bethany Lenz is already one of my favourites, but in this movie she brings such a light and joy to her character, with bits of humour and some touching moments. The secondary characters also add to the story with their unique personalities and interesting back stories of their own. Ella represents many of us that wish we could have been more brave and bold in pursuing a life that would bring happiness and fulfillment. We are cheering her on in her quest to find out who she really wants to be and the life that will help her to achieve her goals. I also loved how her outfits change as she becomes part of the Parisian scene and their love of fashion. Serge, the grump is adorable and of course, we know that eventually she will win him over. The ending comes too soon but is just perfect. Well done, Hallmark. This is a winner and one that we will watch again and again.

Hallmark Channel's Savoring Paris, starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Stanley Weber, is a nice turn away from their previously formulaic movies while still honoring the happily ever after endings the channel is known for. Ella (Bethany Joy Lenz) is disillusioned with her life in the United States and makes the choice to return to Paris in an attempt to recapture the magic from her previous trip (and taste the cheeses she's never forgotten since). However, she'll find much more in her interactions with her new friends, her carefree adventures and a "grumpy cheese-monger" named Serge (Stanley Weber).

In the past, with their stereotypical Christmas movies, storylines were very predictable whenever I watched a Hallmark movie. As a result, they came across as less authentic and not like something that could actually happen. I really enjoyed Ella's journey in this movie, and how the actress delivered her performance in a way that came across as very genuine, funny, and engaging. Her friendships were very relatable, and I appreciated how her mother was overbearing yet gradually backed down on her own (without having to be talked to, like some of the royal parents in other movies).

My only complaint was that the movie was not actually fully filmed in Paris. As part of a set of movies marketed as "Passport to Love", that was a bit disappointing for me but didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the movie too much. Nevertheless, I think the filmmakers did an excellent job bringing the charm and personality of the city (and its people) to life. The highlight of that was the contrast in the American and French lifestyles - French people work to live and get to enjoy much more of their life. On the other hand, many Americans live to work and forget to take time to savor the moment and enjoy life along the way. Ella did her best to get away from that mindset in this movie, and it was a very fulfilling journey to see.

Overall, this was a very entertaining movie. I'm excited to see the new creative direction Hallmark seems to be going in, and I'll definitely be checking out more of their new movies as they release. Check out this movie if you like international romances complete with self-discovery and the grumpy x sunshine trope.