User reviews

While there are echoes of plotlines from many other movies, somehow this feels totally different. We've seen plenty of movies where a best man and maid of honor have some bad history but have to work together. We've seen stories about washed up rock stars. But a rock star and a poetry professor. Hmm.

I never thought of James Denton as a singer, but he's not bad. Not great, but there was no cringing. Sherri Saum has a nice voice. I wouldn't say she could make a career of just singing, but she sounded good here and the two together worked well.

I would have liked more of what was bad about their history. It seems it was only one bad meeting even though Naomi and Simon confronted them at first made it seem like the rift was deeper. As the movie goes on, it appears it was just what happened 10 years ago.

The story flows nicely. I liked the way the handled several incidents including the inevitable conflict. The ending was predictable but still worked.

I never realized that Julia and Peter Benson were a real life couple.

Not sure I like scruffy James Denton. I found it distracting for most of the movie.

Sherri Saum (who played Barrett) and James Denton (who played Jack) do a really nice job of portraying two people who begin to see each other in a new light after being forced together in a common Hallmark set up (a Best Man and Maid of Honor who don't get along but need to work together). I liked the way in which their relationship grew as they spent more time together, had some meaningful conversations, and learned a lot about each other.

This movie kept surprising me. I would come to a scene where I would become skeptical and ask questions like: "why don't they say this?" or "why don't they do that?" and then a few minutes later the movie would answer my question.

The "enemies to lovers" trope is probably the most popular rom-com formula, but sometimes the initial antagonism seems forced. That wasn't the case here. We are given very satisfying explanations for Jack and Barrett's initial behavior towards each other. And the writer, Alicia Lomas-Gross, and the director, Stefan Scaini, added 2 effective Rashomon-like scenes that depicted 2 very different recollections of how they first me (yes, I did just throw in a reference to a classic Akira Kurosawa movie in my review of a Hallmark movie).

Crappy music can sometimes sink movies like this, especially when one or both of the characters are presented as Big Stars. The music here wasn't hit worthy, but it wasn't horrible either, and it worked within the story.

I was annoyed at first by Jack's son (played by Denton's real life son) who seemed inexplicably sullen. And I wasn't clear on why a college student was living at home with his father rather than in a dorm or in a house with other students. But there was a scene where he overheard part of a conversation with Barrett which I assumed would be played out like that trope is usually handled in a Hallmark movie. I assumed he would tell his father what he heard, and then his father would be upset, reject Barrett, and then they would reunite once the misunderstanding was cleared up. And yet this partially overheard conversation was handled in a completely different and very satisfying way. It even softened my view of the son.

I loved all the hand touching and hand holding as the attraction between Jack and Barrett grew.

And I liked this exchange:

Barrett: "It seems like every week I read some article about some woman who lived to be 105 years old and when the reporter asks her what's her secret, you know what she always says? 'Stay away from men'" Jack: "What are you doing with me?" Barrett: "I'm trying to calculate how many years you're going to take off my life."

But...

Why did it take their best friends 10 years to get married?

Why did they suddenly need to move the wedding up to "next month"?

Playing a music video with the volume on in a restaurant is NOT cool.

Taking someone's private notebook without their permission is NOT cool.

The notion that two people can come together and perform a song for the first time together, without any rehearsal or preparation (either together or individually) without, at least, a teleprompter is, well, ridiculous (but those performances were still lovely).

7.2 stars.

This story was probably the perfect romance for Hallmark. Two lonely adults need a soulmate. They have practically hated each other for a decade, got off on the wrong foot when they met, one of the worst first impressions - went both ways.

There is some really good sound and music in the film, which I really liked. There are several additional characters that share in the romance and the story as a whole. It's nice to see a Hallmark movie where they showcase 5 or more characters instead of just the two main ones.

Was this a 10/10, heck no. I don't understand those inflated ratings. I do understand why this was good, because the acting and the dialogue didn't disappoint. But, for me it was just average for a Hallmark romance. The story and all is great, but I wasn't totally convinced with the chemistry.

The last 10 minutes was fantastic.

This is a beautifully written romance, with genuine characters and situations, completely lacking any of that embarrassing sense of being contrived that Hallmark romance viewers often must squirm through. Musical numbers in Hallmark romances often seem corny to me and make me uncomfortable. That wasn't the case in this movie.

Expertly acted by all involved, especially the two leads and the main three supporting actors. (It's always a treat to see husband-and-wife Peter and Julia Benson perform together. Also, the young man who played James Denton's son actually is his son, so it was a family affair all around.)

All the characters - and the actors who played them - were wonderfully nuanced and extremely likeable. I recommend this unabashedly intelligent and real romance.

A truly refreshingly well written movie that doesn't rely on the usual Hallmark formula. The characters are believable and the acting well done. It was nice that there were family members in this movie (James Denton and his real son as well as real life married couple Peter Benson and his wife). I specifically look for any Peter Benson movies now because he always seems to produce quality stories. Would love to see more movies like these in the future, Hallmark: well written adult storylines where the characters have life history that presents challenges to being open to new relationships however through the storytelling they learn to grow and be open to learning new ways to interact.

I liked this film , first, for James and Sheppard Denton, Andrea del Campo and, in too short apparition , John B. Lowe.beautiful work. For fine perspective about grief and frustrations and weigh of the appreciations of others and nice eulogy of friendship. For music. And for Peter Benson, a sort of Hallmark fireman. Sherri Saum proposes a fair portrait of Barrett , fair puzzle of vulnerability, determination and hot temperament . And the contrat, complementary, between her character and James Denton one just well works. But , something is missing in her acting for give more credibility or charme to character.

Indeed, a nice film and this, in fact is matters thing.

Main female lead does the following:

1. Starts off being rude to the main guy multiple times, despite him still being nice to her.

2. She can't sing but he goes out of his way to help her, despite her not being worth it.

3. She lectures others about being rude, talking bad about his music, which she did herself, so now that she knows him better, how dare anyone do that.

4. Steals his notebook without telling him & wonders why he's upset.

5. She states she is determining how much time of her life she'll lose with another man.

And we are supposed to love this woman? It's just mind-boggling to me what people will choose to believe because their mind is in fantasy land. It's like watching a soap opera, it doesn't matter that the same actor is now playing a different character & the previous one was killed off.

As a romance this pushed all my buttons.

James Denton has been so enjoyable in prior endeavors but really captured my total attention in this one, almost like truly seeing him for the first time. When he came away from the bar, grabbed the microphone and sang TURNN AROUND.." I positively melted. Loved the stuble beard - perfect for the character.

So believable and heart-warming without being over the top. And a well-told story, not run of the mill. A good deviation from similar themed stories. Very believable.

Thoroughly enjoyed it and played their karaoke scene over and over, loved Denton's musicality and portrayal of the supportive and nurturing character. Thought he had a surprisingly good voice, smooth and strong with good depth, perfect for his leading male contribution.

This movie has it all. It has humor, sadness, romance and really good music. The story and the acting by all was exceptional. I've always liked James Denton, but this is probably the best work he has done. This is first time I've seen Sherri Saum, but she was excellent also. Peter and Julia Benson were fun together. I've seen both actors in other movies, but never as a couple. Hallmark should make more movies with them together. I also liked the inclusion of James Danton's real son.

I can usually find something negative to say about a movie, but not this time. This definitely a movie I will watch again.