Marketing executive, Josie, returns home when she becomes the unexpected guardian of her niece and nephew. While there, she reconnects with Cooper, her high school boyfriend.Marketing executive, Josie, returns home when she becomes the unexpected guardian of her niece and nephew. While there, she reconnects with Cooper, her high school boyfriend.Marketing executive, Josie, returns home when she becomes the unexpected guardian of her niece and nephew. While there, she reconnects with Cooper, her high school boyfriend.
- Awards
- 4 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThere is a reference to Lacey Chabert's recurring role in the Crossword Mysteries series of made for television movies when she helps another character solve a crossword clue.
- GoofsThe charm on the bracelet that Josie gives Delilah is a volleyball not a basketball.
- Quotes
Cooper Avchen: ...which reminds me, there's something I wanted to ask you.
Josie Wilder: Wait, wait, Coop.
Cooper Avchen: I know you got a lot on your plate, and I don't want, I don't want to ad to that, but, uh... Josie, will you, um...
Josie Wilder: Uh, okay. I... Cooper, I know what you're gonna say.
Cooper Avchen: You do?
Josie Wilder: Yeah. I... I know what you're feeling, and it's... it's not real. Okay, maybe it's real, but it's... it's... I've, I've only been back a short time, and, I mean, I was just talking about how completely confused and overwhelmed I am minute ago, and that hasn't changed in the last 60 seconds. It's been so nice to hang out with you. It feels good. It feels really good, but all of this talk about, you know, grand gestures, and what if I had stayed in town... It's not grounded in reality, and right now, I have to be all about reality. I'm sorry if it hurts you, but no. The answer is... the answer is no.
Cooper Avchen: That's all right. I'll just ask somebody else.
Josie Wilder: What?
Cooper Avchen: I didn't realize it would be such a big deal.
Josie Wilder: But of.. of course it's a big deal. I mean, it's a... it's a big deal.
Cooper Avchen: It's only temporary, until I get another one on my own.
Josie Wilder: I'm sorry. Is one not enough for you?
Cooper Avchen: I think it's every guy's dream to have one for family and one for the weekend fun.
Josie Wilder: How can you talk about something like this so casually?
Cooper Avchen: What do you think we're talking about?
Cooper Avchen: Marriage.
Cooper Avchen: What?
Josie Wilder: We're talking about...
Cooper Avchen: Did you think I was proposing to you?
Josie Wilder: You... Okay, no. Mr Cox, he said that you ordered an engagement ring for a grand gesture! And we're sitting here, and you pull this, this ring box out of your pocket.
Cooper Avchen: It was jamming into my leg. This is Nate's. He's proposing to Molly next week.
Josie Wilder: So what are you doing with it?
Cooper Avchen: He had me arrange the whole thing so he wouldn't get caught.
Josie Wilder: But than you brought me here, and you said you wanted to ask me something.
Cooper Avchen: I do want to ask you something. I wanted to ask you if I could use your father's van for game nights.
Josie Wilder: The van?
Cooper Avchen: Yes, just until I get enough money to get my own, and since I crashed his Chevy in high school, I thought I didn't want to ask him. I thought maybe you could ask him.
Josie Wilder: Of course you can borrow the van. You can have the van.
Cooper Avchen: Thank you.
Josie Wilder: Yeah. I'm just gonna go crawl under a rock over there.
Cooper Avchen: Don't do that.
Josie Wilder: We can never speak of this.
Cooper Avchen: No, it's okay.
Josie Wilder: Thank you so much.
Cooper Avchen: It's a common mistake.
Josie Wilder: I'll just go.
Cooper Avchen: It happens all the time. Could've been yours.
Josie Wilder: It would be great if we never spoke about this.
'Sweet Carolina' certainly is watchable, actually found it decent and appreciated its good intentions and its approach to family relationships. Did think however that it could have done it better, 'Sweet Carolina' could easily have been great but instead it was more decent but uneven. Considering its potential, it was a little disappointing. A lot is great, with the scenery and acting standing out, but there are things that could have been done better, for all its good intentions the story is patchy.
Am going to start mentioning the good. It is a very good looking film, with the star of the film being the absolutely beautiful scenery. Something that all the 2021 Hallmark films so far have had in common pretty much. The music scoring is not too constant, over-bearing or intrusive, things that can be the case with Hallmark. Chabert gives a very charming and moving performance as a flawed but relatable character, even showing off an anguished side that doesn't come over as overwrought. Hynes is suitably sympathetic and they are believable together.
While not being too impressed with the way his character was written, Gregory Harrison does give his all. Teryl Rothery is also a strong presence. The chemistry between all is genuine and has intensity and pathos. Did like the honesty and maturity of the script, while not taking itself too seriously. The story isn't perfect, but the conflicts are realistic and easy to relate to and there is strong poignancy without being too sentimental.
Do agree though that the surprise guardianship was too much of a stretch and too out of the blue, even for the circumstances, and that the film doesn't start off too promisingly, it felt dull and felt over-heated dramatically. Harrison's character could have done with much more subtlety, for instance his controlling is overdone in the writing and it did unbalance the early portions of the film. Am not blaming Harrison, but the writing.
Furthermore, while Hynes plays his role well his character comes over as unnecessary as the film does so little with him. He and Chabert are believable together, but their relationship is very under-developed, gets lost amidst everything else and also is not used anywhere near enough. The children are on the cloying side.
In conclusion, decent and well-intentioned though needed more consistency. 6/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 9, 2022
- Permalink