Fourth Down and Love (2023 TV Movie) User Reviews

Pass the cheese

[MickyG333 · 7/10 · 19 September 2023]

7.3 stars.

Ready, set, hike, pass the cheese... this one is a bit silly. I like the football theme and he looks like a baller with his muscles and physique, but his personality and how he handles life are not anything like an NFL receiver would be in my opinion. On the other hand, the romance is cool and they seem to have chemistry. I see patterns with Hallmark films and they seem to be stretching their legs with this film as it does expand some of the ideas in a way that I find unique and strangely stimulating.

There are several hard to ignore details like the fact that he's not mobbed by fans wherever he goes. If he's a pro, and he's back in a place where he would be recognized, he would not have any time to himself. Also the way his agent and the NFL are handling things is totally fabricated and fake beyond belief. Finally, how they were together but she let him go when they were younger so he could pursue his career has been beat to death, Hallmark, give us something original for once.

The way she is enamored with him showcases her acting ability, especially with his dry humor and acting style which seems to pervade every role he performs. All that being said, I enjoyed 'Fourth Down and Love' enough that I'd recommend it to any Hallmark fan at least once every few years.

Love the actors but not it's not Grease

[mysay-97-581086 · 6/10 · 13 September 2023]

Pascale Hutton is one of my top favorite Hallmark actors. And she is perfectly fine but my issue with this is having a greying 40 yr actor playing a pro football player. Nothing wrong with Ryan Raevey he looks good for his age but this isn't Grease and hard to make him believable in this role.

I just didn't get any feeling from this. It was quite boring.

Although good for having an all girl team winning the championship.

It was fun to see all of the other Hallmark actors taking small roles to add to the all star cast. Are they part of the strike or is Hallmark able to get them to ignore the strike?

Ryan Paevey clears before the strike

[druatlax · 8/10 · 12 September 2023]

Another shortened "Hallmark version" of a real movie. Been aware that Ryan had not had a new movie in almost a year. Glad to see him and Pascal. But. This is a poorly developed story, highlighting a good cast-missing a fully developed script. With the writer's strike, perhaps the best writing/rewrite was not available.

This story is more a paragraph than a good short story. Too, too bad. They had the bones, but no flesh of fully developed character background or story.

It is rather up to the audience to intuit the missing story gaps and fill them off-camera.

Gave the actors the score of 8 for doing as well as they could with the ghost of a script they had to work with. Just another disappointing, shortened version of what the story/movie could have been. Too much of this seen amidst the release of very few notable movies this year.

It's a challenging year, be patient

[joannemcbay-64621 · 7/10 · 14 October 2023]

Given the writer's strike and the exodus of some regular Hallmark actors to another network, this film does well. Most of the other reviews are spot on, but to try and blame one actor for a poor movie is unfair. The across all pull their weight with the script they have been given.

What no one else noted was the cameos of other popular Hallmark actors throughout the movie, actors who are usually in staring roles. I found it good fun. They just kept popping up!

I think it also shows Hallmark has nothing to fear from the exodus of those other actors. They still have a group of talented men and women (and kids!).

Love the leads in this

[akiwigirl · 7/10 · 1 October 2023]

This one was kind of alright.

And largely because of the two leads Pascale Hutton and Ryan Paevey. Each individually are always a joy to watch but together in this they were so sweet, I enjoyed their coupling and thus seeing their story unfold. Just wish it went a bit deeper but hello it's Hallmark who don't seem to care about silly things like characterisation, hooks or gripping storylines. I also thought the support players were well cast. And the football story different.

All in all a fun light watch tad predictable but again it's Hallmark. I'm going to go look up this flag football concept now.

One of the better ones!

[jenniferannkoch · 9/10 · 12 September 2023]

This one is definitely worth the watch! Casting is on point even with the secondary characters in this one. Lots of hallmark regulars to be seen. The storyline is more unique then the normal as it pertains to pro football as well as a teen girls flag football league. The script is actually pretty funny and very relatable as a parent of a teenager. I laughed out loud several times to some of the dialogue. Also a very pretty filming location with lots of Fall ambiance to be seen, either they shot it in Fall or did a really good job of making it look real. Definitely recommend you add this one to your list to watch.

Fourth Down & No Romance!

[wvawoman · 5/10 · 15 September 2023]

This is the third time I've watched this movie, trying to figure out what's missing. I always look forward to seeing Ryan's movies, & I'm normally glued to the tube. Not this time. I even dozed off a few times when I first watched it. I love the main actors, just not together in this story. I don't believe they had the chemistry it takes to make it romantic. Maybe, it's because I'm so convinced of Pascale's role with Kavin in the series, When Calls the Heart. Sorry, Ryan! I hope in the future, they will match you up with the perfect actress in a true heart-throbbing romance. I did hear in one of his interviews that he'd like to act with Emilie Ullerup...hint hint.

Well worth watching

[suewarren-74680 · 8/10 · 10 September 2023]

This is a good film. I would go further and say it's a very good film, worth watching and re-watching.

It has a smart and (mostly) grown-up script delivered by a smart, grown-up cast with a great deal of experience who know exactly what they're doing. I was impressed by the kids, who were neither cutesie nor precocious but likeable and actually added to the story.

Pascal Hutton was as classy as they come, as always, with a beautifully modulated voice which was a relief. Some female leads in their 40's seem to find it necessary to emulate excitable, squeaky teens. And they giggle. It's annoying.

Ryan Paevey was charming, laid back and had good chemistry with the lovely Ms Hutton. It's always nice to see him sans shirt (think 'Two Tickets to Paradise') but the man can actually act. There was an interrupted kiss, an irritating trope, but also a much better uninterrupted one which balanced it out.

Did I see the gorgeous and multi-talented Kimberley Sustad in a cameo as a sports reporter?

The film looked excellent, the score was appropriate and added to rather than detracted from the action.

I know less than nothing about American football, but I liked this, despite the hurried ending. The villain was blindingly obvious so the original break-up was silly but they were kids so I'll give it a pass.

My favourite film of 2023 so far is 'The Wedding Cottage' and this doesn't overtake it, but it's a pleasant watch and so nice to see both Ryan Paevey and Brendan Penny with some grey in their hair. Aging gracefully is very attractive.

Another second chance romance

[EPMD57 · 5/10 · 15 September 2023]

Hallmark is making too many movies where the lead couple already knows each other from their romantic past. I don't find it compelling. I would like to see two people meet and learn about each other during the movie. It's a shame that all of that discovery process happened years ago so we don't see any of it. All we are left to do is wonder why they gave up on each other years ago, when their resentment will subside, and why they think the outcome will be different this time around.

The rest of the movie is fine -- typical Hallmark stuff really, which is probably what most viewers of this movie want. The actors were pretty good, and the football content was actually very good. I just think the movie would have been nicer if the leads were as new to each other as they are to us.

Decent hallmark romantic film that was a little bit different from their normal fare.

[cgvsluis · 8/10 · 21 October 2023]

I love Ryan Paevey and it was great to see him as the romantic lead in this football centric hallmark romance. I was happy to see that even though this was a football film, that they didn't make it male centric. Ryan Paevey plays the professional NFL football star Mike. He gets injured and has to go on injured reserve for his team while he rests his broken ribs and allows them to heal. His big brother Jimmy invites him to his home to rest with family support. There Jimmy and his wife Danielle talk Mike into helping Jimmy coach his daughter's all girl flag football team. Meanwhile, there is a single mom played by When Calls The Heart's Pascale Hutton whose daughter Kiera just wants to play football and is the only girl on her flag football team where they never give her a chance. One day while sharing the field she discovers the all girl team and has her mom talk to the two coaches. We learn that the reason Jimmy started his daughter's all girls team was because his daughter Zoey experienced the same thing as Kiera the year before. And this is how Pascale's character Erin meets Mike...again. As it turns out these two were college sweethearts and Erin broke Mike's heart.

This is filled with some sports romance cliches for sure...like the money grubbing manager played by the beloved Steve Bacic, the athlete having to leave town playing havoc on a romantic relationship, etc., but the truth is I didn't care. I enjoyed it and I appreciated some of the fresh aspects...like the struggle of girls who want to play, the camaraderie between the real estate partners Erin and Georgina that played out like a real friendship, and the loving and supportive family dynamic between Jimmy's family and Mike.

I though this was one of the better stories to come out of Hallmark, who has had a rough spell in my opinion trying to be too political or working overly hard to be inclusive and loosing the authenticity...that love and family that used to be their brand and attract their core audience. I feel like this was just a feel good romance that got back to that....love and family. I recommend this to all those romantics out there, especially fans of Hallmark.

A Dissapointing Movie with Missed Potential

[brisakriner · 3/10 · 11 October 2023]

I recently watched a movie that left me with mixed feelings, mainly due to the lead actress, Pascale Hutton, and her portrayal of the character. Here are some aspects that I found particularly disappointing:

1. **Lack of Convincing Romance**: Pascale Hutton seemed more concerned with pushing the male lead away than convincing the audience that she was in love. It's essential for a lead actress to convey genuine emotions, and this was a missed mark.

2. **Prioritizing Spouse's Feelings**: In the movie, it felt like Hutton was more focused on her spouse's feelings rather than the character and the overall film. When you audition for a role, your job is to become the character, and this detachment was apparent.

3. **Chemistry Issues**: There were instances where Ryan Peavey tried to show affection towards Hutton's character, and she didn't reciprocate. This lack of chemistry between the leads hindered the believability of their relationship.

4. **Misleading Previews**: The movie's previews built up my expectations, but unfortunately, the actual film fell short. The quality of the previews didn't reflect the overall disappointment I experienced during the movie.

5. **Missed Potential**: The film had the potential to be great, but everything seemed to fall flat. The lead female's performance made the situation worse and hindered the movie's progress.

6. **Inconsistency with Character**: Hutton's performance felt like a repetition of her role in "When Calls the Heart," which could be seen as annoying at times. This lack of differentiation between characters was a missed opportunity.

7. **Overacting**: Hutton's tendency to overact in every scene contributed to the movie's lack of credibility. It also affected Ryan Peavey's performance, making their chemistry even more unconvincing.

8. **Lack of Character Development**: Hutton's character remained the same throughout the past, present, and future, which was baffling. Her fears as a student should have made her more mature in the present day, but this character stagnation made her seem non-authentic.

In conclusion, while the movie had the potential to be a success, Pascale Hutton's performance, lack of chemistry, and character development issues hindered its overall quality. It's essential for actors to adapt to their roles and create authentic on-screen relationships, which unfortunately didn't happen here.