Taking a Shot at Love

This charming Hallmark film is a romcom about a ballet instructor named Jenna (Alexa PenaVega) and a professional hockey player named Ryan (Luke Macfarlane). It deserves higher marks than most because the chemistry between the two is off the charts.

Because Ryan is injured, he is referred to Jenna for rehab via ballet exercises. This fish-out-of-water scenario gives the film most of its comic relief.

Along the way, the film provides plenty of simple lessons about living life. In the end, both parties are changed through their interactions. If you like Hallmark romances, you will probably like this one.

In some measure, surprising because the predactibility and the familiar steps of romance are motives to see it as an ordinary Hallmark. But it is a film of details, details not only saving it be a ball of cliches but giving to it beautiful nuances. A mix of hockey and Ballet, help - in many directions - and basic truths . And, no doubts, reflection of inspired job of Alexa PenaVega and shinny Luke Macfarlane, the last real good in ballet shoes or on ice. . So, just ...delightful.

What i loved about this film was the great dialogue. Not a dull moment.

I love Luke MacFarlane! He gives his best in every movie, he is charming, into the character, emotional and his acting is shinny and balanced! Well done in this movie too. Alexa is not my taste (overacting, too dramatic) but in this one she was good, in her character and cool... The story was well developed, the dancers amazing and the cast all very good! Give us more movies with Luke MacFarlane please!

The professional athlete getting help with rehab from a romantic opposite is not the most common trope. It's also a nice touch to make it a pro from a tough guy sport being put with children to learn ballet. Despite the first blush impression of ballet, those people are every bit as athletic as any pro athlete in a major sport and it is especially torturous for the dancer's feet. But after the set up, things go pretty much as you'd expect. The teacher's studio is in trouble and you just know the celebrity athlete is going to do something to help. There are different possibilities as to what that might be, however. One minor twist in the story is that there's another potential pro hockey player that comes into play.

Jenna's backstory is revealed a little at a time and it is a sympathetic one. What I liked about Jenna is that she was always even tempered, even cheerful. You can see how this character would be an inspiration.

I had mixed reactions to Alexa Penavega's Hallmark performances in the past, some very negative. But in this movie I found her character very appealing and her acting decent, if a bit restrained. I love Luke Macfarlane and he fits the hockey player role very well. Together they had very good chemistry, but not quite sizzling.

The climax and ending are sappy and predictable in general terms. As I mentioned, there were maybe a couple of other possibilities. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it.