The Beach House

With a better than usual cast, a slightly more serious story and pretty scenery this is above the usual Hallmark standard. Minka Kelly is prettier than TV movie standard. Andie Macdowell is lovely here. Chad Michael Murray uses a rather exaggerated accent.

A city girl comes home and of course you know where she will end up. Her mom is not well. The turtle births are cute to see.

Worth one watch.

Caretta looses her big city advertising job and returns to her southern island roots...only when she gets there things aren't what she thinks they are.

Her mom is ill, but has kept it from her, living with a pregnant girl and taking care of turtles on her precious beach. Her brother has turned in to a dominating southern male, like her deceased father, controlling her mother's estate.

It's not long before Cara wants to leave because she doesn't like watching how her brother treats her mom. Her mom, played by the gorgeous Andie MacDowell, convinces her to stay a little longer and she reconnects with her childhood boyfriend. He becomes the first one she confides in about loosing her job.

Heartaching story about love, loss, dying, and being a woman.

"We don't have time for a single sad moment."-Mama

Emotional roller coaster, but well worth it. As mentioned I love Andie MacDowell and I really miss watching her in Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove as the lovable local judge.

Sweet, must see southern romance about love, loss and family.

There are deeper levels of family issues than your average Hallmark Saturday night premiere. Everyone has some history they need to address.

Some of the acting was better than others. Minka Kelly was OK and held her own. Andie McDowell had her moments also. Others, not quite as good, certainly not Donny Boaz.

The tone was a little more somber than I was looking for on Hallmark for Saturday night.

The plot is a bit more unusual for a Hallmark movie, though not completely original. Some scenes were frustratingly uncomfortable. Chad Michael Murray's attempt at a southern accent made me laugh at times. The beautiful scenery of the South Carolina island is the best highlight! I saw lots of advertisements for this movie leading up to the premiere, but I was not expecting the story to be so emotionally heavy. Have tissues ready!

This movie is not about how someone is acting. It's more about what it is important in life, what is the happiness for you. Where do you see yourself in 5 years. And when those 5 years pass, what will you say, how many moments you will remember.