Love on the Menu

This is how it's done, Hallmark. Good Job! When you have two engaging and attractive leads who are good actors and have good chemistry, it already puts it far ahead of the majority of Hallmark offerings. Bravo Autumn Reasor and Kavon Smith. Add an interesting inside look at restaurant goings on and a agreeable restaurant (and chef) makeover plot and you have a definite winner. Kudos for the beautiful and authentic food photography. The love story built slowly and realistically. The leads did not have silly misunderstandings or antics. When there was a bit of conflict at the end, it was resolved quickly with a very nice grovelling scene and a deserved abject apology. There was a tough boss who turned quite evil at the climax for some drama and tension.

I also want to compliment the wonderful young actress who played our hero's teenage daughter. Jordyn Ashley Olson is lovely and a very promising young actress.

I only mark it down for two aspects. The gourmet breakfasts that our chef-hero cooked for his daughter and were meanly rebuffed by her were so over the top, the scenes were cringe-inducing. Also, the ending was a little sudden and needed another scene to tie the loose ends up nicely. Maybe they are planning a sequel. I'm in.

As a chef, he probably would not have had pens in his uniform pocket (maybe a meat thermometer, though?). The situation with the daughter getting stranded by the bus seemed a bit unrealistic. Other than that, the characters seemed authentic, the conflict and resolution seemed more believable than most, and the actors had great chemistry. I also enjoyed some creative camera angles and cinematography in this movie!

Any film and television series etc centered around food immediately has me sold. The culinary/restaurant setting has been done to death before and has been a common setting since, but anybody that loves food and loves to cook and always finds themselves salivating at different dishes on cookery competitions may find that that doesn't matter. Whenever Hallmark do this setting, it does vary in quality. Particularly in the storytelling and whether the characters are any good.

'Love on the Menu' is one of the food-centered Hallmark films that works and up there with the best of them. Have seen some food-centered Hallmark and Lifetime films over the past few months, especially the Christmas films, that have really not worked for reasons other than setting, but this felt like a refreshment in comparison to those. It is a treat for anybody that loves food and loves to cook and is not only a menu worth trying out but it is a tasty one. As far as 2019 Hallmark films go, 'Love on the Menu' is one of the better ones.

It is not perfect, have yet to see a Hallmark film that's perfect (even the best ones). The gourmet breakfast stuff was over-egged and did make me cringe a bit.

Do agree too that the ending felt rushed and abrupt.

Otherwise, 'Love on the Menu' is a winner. Autumn Reeser is endlessly engaging and has a lot of perky charm about her. Kavan Smith is very comfortable and easy going in his likeable role. Their chemistry is very genuine and never felt false or bland. It was great that it was not underused and didn't play fiddle to any conflict concerning the restaurant. Jordyn Ashley Olson is very charming and is not cutesy or bratty, actually thought she brought a good deal of heart to the film.

The restaurant setting is portrayed in a very affectionate way and the passion for food was clear, it is really made the most of and what happens behind the scenes is realistic. Any conflict is unforced and has some uncertainty that makes one root for things to be okay. The script is a mix of amusingly light hearted and heart warming sentiment, without being juvenile or too sentimental. The story is not an original one, but it has a lively energy, doesn't take itself too seriously while not treating it as joke and is cute. The characters are ones worth caring for and the film looks very nice and isn't over-scored.

Concluding, very tasty and fullfilling. 8/10.

When a workaholic widower meets an uptight corporate stooge, you wouldn't expect anything to happen. And yet one of the best things about this movie is how the characters grow, change, and stand up for what they believe in over the course of their relationship. Like all Hallmark movies, there are occasional lapses of believability, but at least no one resorts to lying or hiding secrets to fill out the 2-hour run time. The leads are likeable yet fallible, there's extensive use of montage to show the passage of time, and the Vivaldi mandolin concerto is the cherry on top! Keep it up, Hallmark!

Kavan Smith ! what's not to like ? he makes the perfect boyfriend - attractive, funny and a smile to die for. Oh and he can act too ! Have seen him in several Hallmark films and he's delivered without making the script cheesy. Shame he hasn't been picked up by the mainstream studios.

Why do Hallmark insist on their scriptwriters having to refer to 'heart' all the time ? Cook with 'heart', write with 'heart', create with 'heart'. If I cooked. wrote or created with my 'heart' it wouldn't be worth eating, reading or looking at !!! Here in the UK we laugh at anything like that, we roll our eyes and say "really?"