L'amore ritrovato

Another "Fall in Love" movie that doesn't take place in the fall (even the B roll has all green trees so why bother calling it a fall movie?) Lackluster, plodding, boring, dragging and predictable, again because the plot is a ripoff of a popular movie. Some scenes feel less story related than they are time filler because there just is no heart and no charm. Even the acting feels like it's only half-hearted. Not all Hallmark movies are. Some have actual decent writing and unexpected twists, but this is a just a lazy rewrite of something we've already seen. I would rather Hallmark sacrifice quantity over quality if this is the caliber they have to lower themselves to simply to fill a timeslot.

No great highs or lows or big surprises in the plot itself. The getting-married-but-not-divorced premise is not unusual, but it isn't used every week either. The reason for the original split is similar to a lot of teen break-up stories, but slightly different.

Amanda Schull and Brennan Elliot have a quiet chemistry which is appropriate for two leads who are in their 40's. Their time on screen together is good to watch. Zak Santiago does a nice job also. Santiago has a role which doesn't involve the extremes or silliness some of his characters have (or maybe just the one on Sign, Sealed, Delivered).

This story presents an impossible situation. Edward is cheated on, but Abby doesn't really cheat. Figure that out. The previous statement is not so much a technical statement as an emotional one. And the actors all do a good show showing all the feelings involved. That gives the movie slightly more depth than just saying no highs or lows.

The climax is cheesy. I often say I love sappy. There is a difference and to me this was cheesy.

Abby is on the verge of moving to France and marrying her fiancé Edward. In the process of filing her paperwork for the legal marriage in France, she discovers that she is not technically divorced from her high school sweetheart who left her. The only way for her to resolve this in time for the wedding is to appear in court in her hometown before a judge and this means seeing Luke again.

Back home things do not go smoothly in front of the judge and Abby ends up having to stay over the weekend. The mom finally confesses a big secret that makes Abby think differently about her breakup with Luke. Is she making a mistake?

This film started a little awkwardly, but smoothed out with these two veteran Hallmark movie actors, Brennan Elliott and Amanda Schull. My favorite character was actually the step dad Leo! I loved Abby's dress at the dance...it was gorgeous.

Classic hallmark romance that romantics will enjoy. The final scene is beautiful and satisfying.

Not sure why this movie is receiving such low ratings. It seems sometimes that those reviewing these movies expect big budget theatrical releases instead of made for TV movies. Most of us know what to expect going in. I really enjoyed this movie and have watched it twice now. It was well acted by the two leads and had a strong supporting cast. Hallmark should use Amanda Schull more than they do. She had a couple emotional scenes that were great. I liked the story and the new twist to the usual plot.

I watch Hallmark movies as a two hour escape from the messed up world we're in and this one fit the bill.

I really like Brennan Elliott. This movie was a waste of his talent. I am not familiar with Amanda Schull. I would like to see her in some other movies so I could offer more insight to her abilities.

From her first scene in Marry Go Round, I found her character annoying and seriously self-absorbed. I was not impressed with Brennan Elliott's sarcastic attitude either. Of course, the rest of the movie was standard Hallmark fare. There were a few mild twists. However, none were outstanding.

Enter the mother of the bride. She was seriously irritating, and remained so through the rest of the movie. She was one of the most awful examples of the irksome, interfering mother's of the bride to be I have seen in a Hallmark romances. What a disgusting, deceiving witch.

There were some subtle twists to the story. However, there were no big reveals. All in all, it was not a memorable movie.