When Love Springs

Rhiannon Fish's Rory is a contradiction but I think that is the point. On the one hand she can be a confident mover and shaker, but on the other hand she panics easily. And yes, the scene where she falls apart in front of her ex is definitely cringeworthy. It was way overplayed. Was it supposed to be funny? I might have been tempted to laugh if I hadn't been shuddering over the stupidity of it. I suspect some viewers were laughing at how bad it was. All of that to set up the fake boyfriend act. Fish continues for just a bit longer to spew out a combination of blabber and good advice while she sounds like a voice recording played at double speed. Good luck to Noah trying to figure out which is which. Actually Noah is quick to figure Rory out. He is also a bit of a contradiction where he sees through Rory's facade yet also has insecurities over his position as innkeeper.

If the fake boyfriend isn't enough of a cloud hanging over Rory's peace of mind, we quickly get a hint of another pitfall looming for her down the road.

It was seeing Rhiannon Fish's name in the credits that attracted me to this movie, so I have seen a few of her efforts on Hallmark. This may be the worst of those in terms of acting, or rather it is for almost half the movie. This part of the movie seems completely unnatural for her. Rory's hyperactivity softens a little toward the middle, especially her rate of speaking. The story settles down also as we watch the couple bond. While Act 1 was a silly disaster, Act 2 and beyond is more like a typical Hallmark movie. Both story and acting.

The common stories about one lead being jilted by a selfish ex often have her acting in desperation in the middle of starting something new with someone worthwhile, as is the case here.

Up to a point near the middle I was thinking to myself how unfortunate was Fish's appearance. With her hair up and the professional attire, even outdoors, Rory was almost austere. I knew Fish had a softer, more appealing side to her. Either by accident, or more likely by intention, the director changes all that suddenly. The transformation of Rory, both visually and emotionally, has taken place.

The evil boss pops up and echoes back to cringeworthy Act 1. Once again, overdone. Her scene in itself is important to the story, the problem is the overacting.

Well all stories have a conflict or obstacle. Three things come together to bring that about, one coming out of one of the others. Rory's insecurity temporarily blinds her to the obvious and it makes sense for the Rory we have come to know.

Once you get past Act 1, this movie fits right into the genre and is well done. If Act 1 had been toned down, this could be a very watchable movie. Even with that, the viewers can grit their teeth and persevere. Deduct 1 to 2 stars for the beginning.

Renee Herbert stole every scene she was in. She was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise sometimes awkward story.

The story line is your typical fake relationship that grows into a real one, with the ever present miscommunication and misunderstanding right before they realize they belong together.

It's not the acting I have an issue with, it's the stale plot lines that keep getting regurgitated on The Hallmark Channel and other channels that are simply cookie cutters of the same thing. It would be nice if someone could come up with something new. Perhaps look at the Pride community more and leave the boring same ole in the past.

Another forgettable rom-com, this one filmed in Australia. It was filmed around Brisbane, Australia which is beautiful and that's about the best thing I can say. The script is another cliched mess, not very well written. Rhiannon Fish overacts in everything I've seen her in, she's beautiful but can't act. When producers cast a bad actor in a lead role it brings down the production. Don't know where the director was, probably directing remotely or asleep. Erin Connor and Steve Nation are the best of the rest of the cast. Renee Herbert's acting is natural, O'Halloran and Colley are just ok. Not Hallmark quality.

A 2022 Australian made rom-com "A Perfect Pairing" is much better.

The first time I tried to watch "When Love Springs" the first half hour was so bad I quit and rated it 1 star. As others have noted, Act I is truly bad: Rhiannon Fish's hyperactivity, her boss' robotic gruffness, the recent ex-'s arrival with a new (mostly mute) girlfriend, etc.

I gave it another chance recently. That start hasn't improved with age, but the rest was a pleasant improvement ... and worth the wait if only for the introduction of a hidden gem: Renee Herbert. As the lead's sister, she could have been a trope: a sounding board with words of wisdom about what the lead's best life is missing. But she was a true presence on screen (ok, after her goofy elevator intro), and her style was endearing and easy. Just her facial expressions stole several scenes. She is an ethereal beauty. I hope that Hallmark gives Renee more roles soon, and a well-deserved lead. She's a discovery!

I almost turned this off a few times through the first half hour. Ms Fish, lead actor, so completely over-played the goofy, ditzy role that I thought 'I can't sit through an hour and a half of this'. Cringey is putting it mildly. Luckily, she toned it down a bit as the film went on. I liked the male lead, James O'Halloran; very handsome and likeable. Renee Herbert plays the sister, and I really liked her. She played the part very naturally, I'd like to see more of her. The parents were played by actors who were also very natural and believeable. The plot itself is the same re-tread theme, right down to the evil boss and pretentious B & B travel critic (who says 'splendid'?!). Nothing new here at all.