This was a beautifully shot,well written motion picture with heartfelt performances from most of the cast, especially the late Nan Martin who plays "M" ,the tough old lady who adopted JP(Chris Heuisler) and raised him at the rustic, but beautiful, Vermont resort from a boy to the young man at the time the story takes place.
The story itself is not that unique-- one of a person raised in a small little town ,in this case country Vermont resort, who meets and falls for a young lady, Alice(Emmy Winner Kimberly McCullough) but lies about his past and his college aspirations to try to impress the girl that he's more than a nobody from a nowhere town. The WAY the story unfolds with picturesque views of the country landscape (California subbing for Vermont) and intermittent flashbacks of JPs youth and he and M's touching close relationship, is special.
When the romance and the inheritance of the resort is being pulled away from JP with treacherous lies by the "blood" grandson Eric(Brad Raider) JP must decide if he can win the girl with the truth about himself and if he has what it takes to stand up to and against the savvy Eric from the NYC and keep the girl and his ties to the resort that helped form who he is.
Nan's performance reminds one a lot of the great Katherine Hepburn and is so real it either reminds you of your own grandma or makes you wish you had one like her. The ensemble including vets like Curtis Armstromg, M.Emmet Walsh among others brings the town/resort to life in a simple but genuine way. (tho some cynics might classify it as a bit corny.. I say, as the movie says..follow your heart)
