Près des yeux, près du cœur

This film has a long, slow, awkward first half. The initial meeting of the two main characters was especially awkward. Perhaps the fact that they are stuck in one location for the majority of the film increased this aspect for me, because I know many Hallmark movies feature a "meet cute" moment that is sometimes pretty awkward. The movie improved in the last half, but overall this is a forgettable one from the Hallmark movie machine.

Carly decides to take some well deserved break from work, so she goes to this lodge up north where her best friend from college works. There she reunites with a group of girls from the same dorm she was in and her crush from that time. She also meets and befriends the sous chef from the lodge, Nick.

I'm disappointed to say that this wasn't for me. I was really was looking forward to the movie and I was let down. I liked both actors in their parts and the chemistry was great. I do enjoy Janel Parrish as a lead and I wouldn't mind more movies with her. But...

What even was the plot? I finished the whole movie and I still don't know. The first part was awfully boring, nothing happened the first 35 minutes, it was just Carly wandering around the place. So, plotwise? Nothing exciting, it was quite a let down.

I did liked, as I mention before, the dynamic between Carly and Nick. They hit it off at the beginning, and they set a nice path for their relationship: from strangers, to confindants, to friends. They really encourage the other to be the best version of themselves, and that was the highlight of the movie for me.

Marco and Janel did the best with that snoozefest they had.

I've been watching Hallmark movies for a long time. They really are feel-good films. Sometimes the romance works, and sometimes I just have to give into it. But in this case there was quite a lot of heat coming from the two lead characters! Right from the start. It was like watching a real romance unfold. Nothing was in your face or forced, just very natural and simmering. If they aren't a real couple, then big props to these two marvelous actors!

I have been a hard time watching Hallmark this last year because of all the craziness of the pandemic. The movies with lots of families, restaurants and parties did not seem normal during this time- but I really enjoyed this movie. Both lead characters were very charismatic and they had a lot of chemistry together. The rest of the movie was the usual Hallmark fluff, but the two actors and they're on screen rolls really made it all worthwhile.

Why does Hallmark think that 30+ women act like 16 year olds? The way they portray Carly as a silly school girl with a crush on the guy is ridiculous. I realize they have to create some kind of drama - but come on! Carly is 32-33 years old, a confident and successful business woman ... in real life, she wouldn't behave like this about a guy from her college days...