I adored this movie! I'll admit, the premise made me skeptical, but it was really good. Even more so than the chemistry between Bonnie and Patrick, Phoebe (and the kid actress who played her) are really the star of the show! A lot of the times child actors can overdo it depending on the scope of the role, especially in holiday movies, but she nailed it as Phoebe! The balance between being a little schemer to get her dad back in the dating scene again, to also being in tune with her grief and sharing that with Bonnie, really drove home why this movie was a hit for me.
Additionally, I liked that Bonnie's development felt realistic. Retail therapy being her outlet to avoid having tough conversations or making big decisions made sense for her character, and her deciding to donate a lot of what she'd bought felt like a full circle moment!
Of course, very few Hallmark films get away unscathed in terms of contrived scenarios, and there's nothing I dislike more than the miscommunication trope, especially when all Bonnie had to do at the dance was ask Patrick if he was dating anyone, but alas. It wouldn't be Hallmark without a third act separation of the leads.
Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would!
Additionally, I liked that Bonnie's development felt realistic. Retail therapy being her outlet to avoid having tough conversations or making big decisions made sense for her character, and her deciding to donate a lot of what she'd bought felt like a full circle moment!
Of course, very few Hallmark films get away unscathed in terms of contrived scenarios, and there's nothing I dislike more than the miscommunication trope, especially when all Bonnie had to do at the dance was ask Patrick if he was dating anyone, but alas. It wouldn't be Hallmark without a third act separation of the leads.
Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would!