A Match in Manhattan

Celeste is a young teacher in a small community. She doesn't like the rigid structure of lesson plans and teaching exactly how others do. She encourages her young students to think laterally and sometimes even has a class outing instead of staying in desks. She sees the outside world as a better classroom.

Unfortunately for her this doesn't meet the perceived requirement of her teaching position and she is told she will not be renewed, she will need to find something else.

A friend tells her about a job in Manhattan for a wealthy man who has two children, a boy about 10 and a girl about 13. They are bright and devious, especially to new au pairs who seem to be replaced quite regularly. They take delight in trying to run the new ones off.

The dad is Richard, a very wealthy Manhattan real estate magnate with his own company and building. But dad is so busy he doesn't have much time to spend with the kids. And, since his wife died, has difficulty telling them that he loves them.

So the story is about all the diverse personalities learning to fit in with each other, and to heal old family wounds. This is a Canadian movie, not Hallmark, but follows the Hallmark pattern very closely, including what my wife and I call "The Hallmark Kiss" during the last minute of the movie.

There isn't anything novel or deep here, the actors are fine and it is a pleasant little movie, entertaining after our usual Saturday night steak and wine dinner, with chocolate cake too, of course.