A Summer Romance

Sure, it would have been more realistic if Erin Krakow looked like she got up at the crack of dawn, with little to no make up, and got sweaty and dirty as she really worked that ranch. And she probably would still have looked quite attractive. Either way, pretty actresses are one of the reasons I like Hallmark movies and I'm OK with a luminous looking Erin Krakow. Plus, once a handsome stranger showed up and was invited to stay, is it so hard to believe she might take a few extra minutes in the morning to feel good about how she looked? Most people have some level of vanity.

But if viewers want to discuss how realistic this movie was, that discussion should probably focus more on an assessment of what, exactly, the ranch did to be financially viable. There was no evidence of any apparent income streams. We were left to assume that, perhaps, horse owners paid to have their horses boarded there, but there was no indication that they ran riding lessons, held camps, functioned as a B&B, or ran any kind of income producing ranch operation. And milking a cow into a pail suggested this was no dairy farm.

Also, much was made of the fact that the ranch had been in the family for generations. And yet there was a mortgage? If the father had run low on operating capital, and needed a mortgage, one would think there would have been some sort of business plan before Erin Krakow took over and, apparently for the first time, started thinking about coming up with one.

And the hotshot Harvard grad, who made a presentation about acquiring the ranch to a large meeting with the board/officers/management of his father's apparently very successful business, somehow learned about the ranch's private financial affairs and that they were 3 months behind on the mortgage? That information doesn't just get posted online. It only becomes public when a lender records a notice of default and starts taking steps to foreclose on the property, and that process (which did not appear to have started) can take at least 5 months or more. And yet, in Hallmark World, everyone knows everyone else's finances and family businesses and homes often suddenly face foreclosure in a matter of hours or days after being given wildly insufficient notice. THAT'S unrealistic, annoying, and just a lazy writer's way to create conflict. As was the unannounced visit by two subordinates.

And a big NY company's merger and the success of its business somehow rested on the acquisition of a little ranch in the middle of nowhere with lousy cell service? Really? Talk about unrealistic.

And "camping" next to a small fire, without a tent, blankets, or sleeping bags, after hearing what they heard, during a cold Montana night? Really?

And I get frustrated with Hallmark's compressed timelines where people meet, fall in love, and make life changing plans because of that love, all in a matter of days. Would it be so hard to write a more believable story line? With maybe a few return visits? Stretched out over weeks and months instead of a few days? I've seen it done. In better Hallmark movies.

Still, despite all this lack of realism, the movie was a nice celebration of nature and small town kindness mixed in with a pleasant romance between 2 attractive and pleasant characters. For us Hallmark movie addicts, who like romantic movies with happy endings, much can be forgiven. But this was a 2nd tier offering.

Very beautiful movie. The view of rancho is so beautiful. Rayn Peavey and Erin Krakow are very cute together. Their chemistry looking national and real. So good together. They need too do another movie together.

Erin Krakow plays a ranch woman in this movie who applies her make up like she is behind the cosmetic counter at Macy's. She brags that she gets up at 5am to do the chores. And one of those chores is getting her face on. In general I think most Hallmark actresses wear too much make-up. But at least many of the characters they play meet the public as shopkeepers, are on television, or have important jobs in big corporations where professional dress and at least an effort to keep up appearances is part of the image you want to project.

But a woman who does physical labor all day outdoors? Who in an average day only meets her 2 employees and their little girl? Why the 3 shades of eyeshadow, lipstick, and heavy blusher? Wasn't she afraid those false eyelashes put her in danger of toppling over into a haystack? And she has the nerve to mock Ryan Peavy for his inappropriate outfits? And call him a city slicker? Look in the mirror, lady. And what's with the tops that are so tight, she looks like she's going to bust out of them any second? Again, OK for some professions, like weather-girl or presenter on ESPN, but a rancher?

We've all rolled our eyes at old-timey historical dramas where the actresses' hair and makeup remain contemporary. Come on, Hallmark. This isn't Death Valley Days or Bonanza. We know better now, don't we? Many popular Hallmark actresses are rapidly approaching or have stepped over the 40 year old mark. That is not a bad thing, unless they are dealing with circumstances more in line with a 25 year old character. All the make-up does not disguise their age, it just emphasizes that they are trying to hide something. A natural fresh face=youth, to state the obvious.

Other than that, thanks to the gorgeous scenery and Ryan Peavy, this was a fairly pleasant diversion. Erin was OK. She is a pretty good actress despite her usual mannerisms. The plot was right out of the Hallmark "save the _______ from the big corporation" playbook.

My wife and I enjoy the occasional Hallmark movie, they are sweet stories with no foul language, no killings, and the closest they come to sex is touching hands while on two blankets out in the wilderness.

Erin Krakow has become Miss Hallmark, here she is Samantha Walker, friends call her Sam, and after her dad died she became the owner and operator of a beautiful 2500 acre ranch in Montana (actually filmed in British Columbia). But the ranch is struggling and her mortgage is in arrears.

A development company knows this and have their sights on the land to develop a resort and golf courses. So young and handsome, Harvard educated son of the owner flies his own plane from New York, lands to find out the runway will be reworked so he has to spend a few days in the area. The only hotel is full for a yearly festival so he is invited to stay in the guest house on the ranch. He tries right away to buy the ranch from Sam, she says she has other possibilities in mind.

All that happens early in the movie, most of the run time is the two getting to know each other. Even though it begins abrasively we know they will warm up to each other and mutually find a way to save the ranch.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library, we enjoyed it as a nice, well-made typical Hallmark movie.

This Hallmark romance has a much-used plot: city slicker comes to the country where he meets a woman and encounters a way of life that transforms him. Still, I enjoyed this film, mostly because of its cast. Ryan Paevey plays the part of the New York suit, Richard Belmont, who sidles up to cowgirl Sam Walker, played by Erin Krakow.

When they first meet, Sam is suspicious of Richard's intentions. She is also dealing with existential financial decisions for her Bighorn ranch. Richard eventually warms to the cowboy way of life.

The manner in which director David Winning portrays the Bighorn lifestyle makes me want to live there myself. And that is, in large part, what makes this film so enjoyable.