The Bouquet

7.1 stars.

Swanson plays a woman who is successful in business in the big city, she's been away from home for a while. She is like a prodigal daughter because her parents seemed to love her more than her younger sister. The younger sister lives closer to home, but doesn't see her parents very often, and is very jealous and feels like she's been living in her older sister's shadow for 30 years. Dad suddenly dies of a heart attack and the family must come together to reconstruct a dying business and a broken family. There is also a man in the picture who has been helping the parents run the flower business for many years. The older sister falls for the man (eventually), the younger sister falls for another guy (eventually). It's a disjointed film.

If this review seems disorganized it's because the editing, music, and directing of this film are also. I like the story and the message is relevant for most families. There is always going to be a more "special" sibling, and one or more siblings who have to struggle more to fit in, or get the attention they feel they deserve.

Terri Benton (Kristy Swanson) is a busy professional in the city who suddenly gets let go. The family flower business back home is failing. Then her father dies leaving her mother Bonnie (Nicola Cavendish) alone. She and her social activist sister Mandy Benton (Alberta Mayne) have to return home to help out. Family friend reverend John (Danny Glover) tells them the truth. Sam (Michael Shanks) is a guy who's been working at the business. They try to update their business as an alternative to chemical laden grocery store flowers.

It's a pretty sweet family movie. It's not anything surprising or big. It starts a little too slowly. The movie needs to gather the family a little sooner. The family relationships are where the drama exists. It's an OK TV movie with a good heart if the viewer has no expectations.

The Bouquet movie is a nine, because it is well written, directed and performed! This is a heartwarming movie and I really enjoyed it. I am going to buy another copy of this for my mother. As another reviewer stated, this film does not have any bad elements in it. The Bouquet has a lot in it for adults as well as children, but it is non-rated. This is a great example of how you can make a wonderful film for adults without adding vulgar language and immoral scenes.

Please, movie makers, learn from how this movie was made. Also, know that many of us "adults" are decent people, who do not want garbage thrown into our movies! I am a Christian man and it is my prayer, that Christians, as well as people of other faiths, will request that more wholesome, non-rated movies be made. I really encourage others to buy and enjoy the Bouquet movie!

I'm a tough movie grader, so when I give a film a "9", it's a great picture! Like a previous reviewer, I am thankful to the writer and producer of Bouquet for making this a non-rated film. Why do many movie makers think that we want PG, PG-13 an R rated movies, that are full of either obscenity, nudity or excessive violence? Yes, I concur with another reviewer about this negative situation. I am very pleased that Bouquet does not have junk in it that would make it the "child warning" ratings! I, also, want to give movie producers the plea to make more decent movies. I'd love to see more non-rated movies on the market.

We especially need some more Christmas movies that convey the real meaning of Christmas. It's about Christ, the Savior, not about fictitious Santa Claus, Elves, or other goofiness. Please tell your children and grandchildren the real meaning of Christmas. Give them a gift that lasts forever!

Okay, now back to the Bouquet movie... I won't tell you the story details, but it's a winning film!

It's not the kind of movie that will change your life, but it's the kind of movie you want to sit down with your whole family and watch.

Glover is glorious, Swanson is sweet and Mayne is magnificent.

It's a bit of a throwback movie that we all remember from the golden days of films - the kind we'd look forward to every Sunday night with the family. You're safe knowing that no one will be offended, but at the end of the evening it's a fine movie to sit around a chat about.

There's no violence, sex, swear words or disturbing situations. Just a well acted, well-written and enjoyable film for the whole family. A nice movie with a nice message.