Flower Girl (2009 TV Movie) User Reviews

Had potential...but my goodness, THAT Grandmother!!

[mamahen18 · 6/10 · 22 January 2011]

I don't really think I'm including any spoilers, but I wasn't sure how someone might interpret this so I'm just putting the warning out there just in case.

I thought I would really enjoy this movie. I turned it on knowing that it was going to be one of those predictable easy to watch movies. Just what I needed on a Saturday night. And there were parts that I enjoyed. I agree with the previous writer that sometimes the pacing of the story was unrealistic, but as we all know movies aren't always realistic. Especially movies advertised on the Hallmark Channel to run during the weeks leading to Valentine's Day. We watch these movies knowing what we're getting ourselves into when we sit down and turn the TV on. And in most ways, this movie fits that bill. But I just have one major complaint.

The grandmother and the best friend are so negative to the possibility of the main character being in love with one of the men that it really brings the movie down. The friend just has a bad attitude and clearly has a problem being happy and encouraging for her best friend, and I do realize the part was probably written this way and she is acting it as it was intended. And if the friends attitude was the only one in this movie it probably wouldn't be that bad. You always have to have an antagonist. But the Grandmother is so nagging and meddling that its not endearing and she's not really viewed as a woman with good intentions. She's just plain annoying. This movie would have been so much better either without a grandmother/parent character in it...or the grandmother's part should have been written as one of those old, wise grandmothers who encourages her granddaughter to follow her heart and find the man of her dreams. I realize that this movie was intended to be this way and the grandmother character is exactly what the writer intended, but you (the author) took it too far. She is so annoying that I actually cringed every time she entered a scene.

I've only written one review before and I generally only would write to support a show that I want to continue into a second season. But I had to come on here and warn any other potential movie-watchers to what you may be getting into. So anyway, watch this movie knowing what you're getting into. It's predictable and likable, but prepare yourself for the annoyance of the sabotaging grandmother. If you can get past her, you'll probably enjoy yourself.

Best friends should want what's best for you.

[Xjayhawker · 7/10 · 9 March 2013]

I never bad-mouth any one's work, although I do sometimes offer constructive criticism.. In the case of a film that's already been finished, it's too late..I figure there are a few movies that I know their central story-line and am not interested so I don't watch. Others like Flower Girl I find have some redeeming things going for them. This one has a case of mis- casting..Marion Ross as an over-bearing,meddling grandmother who thinks she knows who may be better suited for her marriage-age grand-daughter more than the young Laurel (Marla Sokoloff) is a lot to put up with..someone playing it more subtle would have played better. Terry Maratos playing Dr. Evan Cooper is quite unbelievable as the doctor..not even after the first date he has already told his mother about this girl he can't forget. There is no chemistry whatsoever between them. Other reviewers have said the pacing is awkward..TRUE..some of the character's names came right out of central casting..check out the credits ..Evan Cooper..Stephen Banks..but back to the story..a lot of stories have a romantic mis-understanding..we have it here in spades..but hopefully it will all work out in the end..the things it does have going for it are the two leads playing Laurel and Stephen..that's it..they are good together ..mis-understandings aside..there is a good natural chemistry..he doesn't feel as though he's acting..he's pretty good and Marla/Laurel complements him..not a bad film..just annoying in those two areas..Marion Ross and the hard to take Dr. Cooper as a love interest..when their scenes are on you can always head to the fridge..7 out of 10..

Love, Meddling, and Jumping to Conclusions

[tiffanytallent1981 · 5/10 · 26 May 2021]

Laurel is a florist who believes in true love and happily ever after. Her grandmother, Rose, thinks all Laurel needs is to marry a successful man. Rose sets her up with a doctor, Evan, who shares the love of plants/flowers with Laurel. They go out on a couple of dates, but Laurel doesn't feel a spark. Then one day, Laurel is at a wedding handling the flowers, when she and the best man, Stephen, meet. As their eyes lock, there is an instant connection. They talk for a couple minutes but fail to get each other's numbers. Stephen is only in town for the wedding so Laurel figures he probably went home. Around this time, Evan receives a job offer in another country and wants Laurel to go with him. She is taken by surprise because they haven't known each other very long, but says she will think about it. While Evan is gone to the other country to get things ready for his move, Laurel focuses her attention on Stephen. They share the love of books and reading, especially since he is a writer. Laurel has feelings for both men, but only what she thinks is love for Stephen. Unfortunately, Laurel's grandmother Rose tells Stephen about Evan. She makes it seem more serious than it is, saying that Laurel is practically engaged. This causes Stephen to cancel his next date with Laurel and not call for several days. Laurel is heartbroken and doesn't understand what happened. Things become more complicated when Evan returns and proposes to Laurel. She tells him she'll think about it, but can't stop thinking about Stephen. Rose finally comes clean about her meddling and Laurel wants to talk to Stephen. She takes him yellow tulips because he said earlier that they represent a deep love. But she sees him with someone else and assumes that it's his girlfriend and gives up hope. Laurel contacts Evan and denies his proposal because her heart isn't with him. In the end, Stephen does find Laurel and everything is straightened out. The woman is his publisher and the face of his books, not girlfriend. They end up getting married in a fairytale wedding!

Okay so this is a sweet movie for sure! I love Marla Sokoloff in these romance flicks. What drove me crazy was all the meddling and desperation! The grandmother kept setting Laurel up on dates and didn't let her be happy with Stephen because he wasn't good enough. Laurel's best friend was just as bad at pushing her to be with Dr. Evan. Who cares that her heart wasn't in it. Apparently, artistic creative types like Stephen are not suitable marriage material. Evan and Laurel had absolutely zero chemistry. None. Zip. She had that instantly with Stephen, but it was barely explored because of all the misunderstandings and lack of communication. When Rose told Stephen that Laurel was almost engaged, why did he automatically believe that? He should've talked to Laurel. When Stephen was seen with another woman, everyone assumed it was his girlfriend. Why not ask? I don't understand why characters in these movies always jump to conclusions.

Overall, I liked the movie, but won't watch it again. Maybe if Stephen and Laurel had had more time to allow their relationship to blossom, it would've been a better flick. (You see what I did there. Blossom? Because she's a florist. Ok I'm done.)

Moved really fast...even for this kind of movie

[CranberriAppl · 15 November 2009]

I caught this movie when it premiered on Hallmark (11.14.09) and while I expected the typical Hallmark/Lifetime (well maybe not Lifetime these days), I thought the pacing of the movie was too fast. I know they've got a block of time to fit the story, but it's really hard to buy a marriage at the end of the film after what 2 dates? It's the standard story: girl is alone, all of girl's friends are married, girl wants to be married, girl has meddling family member, girl meets two men who are polar opposites, girl has to decide btwn the two, girl chooses. The endings to these types of films are predictable, so in the end, it becomes about the execution. For example, in Hallmark's other new movie Always and Forever, while it's clear what the end will be, the execution of it all and the pacing of the movie made it all believable. I think movies like this work best when the script shows that time has past..that the characters have really gotten to know each other. For example, the guy Stephen, was holding a big secret. We eventually find out why he was so secretive, but there's really no way I or most other women would have let him dodge the subject soooo many times and not said screw it.

I don't want to give any major spoilers, so I will just say that it's an easy-going movie, the cast was great, lots of familiar faces. I just felt that better pacing would have gone a long way to help fill out the storyline.

Worth a watch

[jml1988 · 7/10 · 23 October 2019]

A charming, endearing movie EXCEPT for the unsufferable, overbearing grandma. She very nearly ruined the entire movie. All of the other actors/actresses did great and the characters were good, but the grandma was just terrible.

So dour, you'll wanna hurl!

[Foreverisacastironmess123 · 2/10 · 3 August 2011]

:WARNING SPOILERS:I found Flower Girl to be a most sweet and sunny film, but one far too sweet and sunny for it's own good. I felt that the plot of the film was very weak and thin, and I also found it to be real boring pretty much from the start. It also had what was to me an unrelenting tone of cloying sweetness. You know how films like these are classified as romantic comedy, romantic drama? Well this one was ALL romance, no drama no laughs, no nothing. Real sickly sweet,like Betty White.(Love her.)I've seen a ton of romantic girl movies just like this one, and I have enjoyed them for the most part. Not so much with this one. I have seldom seen a romance movie so very bad... The plot was not something anyone who knows there romance movies has not heard a hundred times before: There's this lovable girl who has just gotta get married, but first this pretty girl she has got a few iddy biddy hurdles to overcome, such as having to choose between two stud muffins, but, and call me crazy now, I had a very strong feeling it would all work out in the end...(!) Of course the little sweety does indeed achieve her dream and a bitchin' huge fairytale of a wedding and is most assuredly going to live happily ever after. Meh... Sounds good, don't it? But trust me in this instance it's a case of style over substance. I actually love schmaltzy, uplifting movies like these-When.They.Are.Done.Well!!! I couldn't glean a thing from this slushy garbage. And as for the pace of the movie, I had no problem there. It certainly wasn't over until it was over! The reason I didn't give this rotten movie a numero uno is because I didn't actually think the acting was bad, and it did have a very nice, clear look to everything, but big hairy deal. It's not how it looks its how it feels. The entire thing to me was dull,(Ha! it was the first time I ever saw something that was simultaneously both shiny and dull!)pretentious, and real, REAL boring. In films like this I have watched in the past the lead, always a girl, was likable, lovable, and fun. The lead girl in this film to me however, was very non-likable and just plain annoying. I just found everything about her performance to be most false, and I just couldn't bring myself to care about her at all. Don't ask me why(!)Perhaps it would have been a better picture had they picked a better lead, no? As I read his directography(?) I see that I have caught quite a few of Bradford May's movies on the telly over the years, including his romantic ones, some of which are very similar to this film. But, I enjoyed all of those far more than I did Flower Girl. It seems that something just wasn't written in the stars when he directed this one... Awful. I never enjoyed a romance movie less. Bye.

These people ruined it!

[ukheather · 3/10 · 28 February 2021]

The movie is fine. Typical romantic TV movie. But the grandma and the best friend are a joke and don't fit in the movie at all! Suggesting she dates 2 men and then suggesting he might be dating 2 women makes no sense! Also the saying how bad this guy is they haven't ever met before is stupid. They even suggested that the guy leaving the country who dated her twice will ask her to marry him soon makes no sense at all! 2 freaking dates and he's leaving the country.... These 2 people ruined the film totally. Overpowering grandma and best friend. Not seen a romantic TV movie like this with such horrific characters before and I've seen a LOT of movies!

Plenty of hard spots to find in this movie

[Harbinger_3781 · 9/10 · 8 February 2016]

Just want to vent some of my stacked-up thoughts about one aspect of this kind of movie.

So glad there's another review on the "best" page that's got the exact same direct thoughts I did! Man, that grandma was SO friggin' annoying. This movie would have been yet another 10/10 perfect movie for Master Marla Sokoloff had it not been for that meddling and nagging grandma! Years ago, during college, there was a reading class, and the article was a story about a poor boy and a rich girl in love, then the relationship ended in tragedy after her parents intervened. When the teacher asked us what did we learn from the article I immediately jumped out, "Parents are jerks."

True, parents do want what's best for their children, but sometimes they intervene way too much, they presume to know everything, and even stepping into off-limit zones unauthorized. My temper just flares every time Laurel's grandma says that Laurel's "not gonna be happy with Steven", that he'd "undermine her plan", and she "had to protect her, and couldn't let her get hurt", or sh*t like that. Don't these parents ever get the irony? That's exactly what causes those tragedies, what hurts them, and loses those who are closest to them!

Parents want to set their children up with people THEY deemed suitable and do everything in their power to ruin their children's relationship with their own true love... what is this, inland China? Didn't Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi tragedy, or more popular - Romeo and Juliet tragedy - manages to tell those intervening parents to f*ck off? Wonder when the hell children are gonna tell their parents, once and for all, "Basta! Enough is enough! Stay off my personal life; it's off-limits!" I personally detest parents who presume to think that forcing their children with the ones THEY deem suitable a good idea. This isn't ancient China no more, and liberty to love is what keeps the essence of Humanity going, and if all marriages are done via arrangements, then I'm guessing Humanity would extinct emotionless and cold.

Although, on the other side, Stephen's partner, Elsa, was indeed helpful. She seems always supportive of Stephen's relationship with Laurel, and the first time this confirmed was when Stephen told Elsa about Laurel, she spotted the fact Laurel's grandmother intervened and replied(paraphrased), "nothing is as important as love." That is true friendship right there. Then when she figures out the yellow tulips Laurel brought, first question she confronted Stephen with was, "Why didn't you tell her about me?" As in, "Why didn't you tell her that YOU were the one writing the books and I'm only a public face?" A friend that puts her partner's wellfare first and not being overwhelmed by public fame - that is rare greatness. Clearly fate rewarded her with her next personal book a success.

Gonna end this review on a funny note: There's a guy at the Bridezilla wedding that just suddenly went "Pffv" laughing, that was really fun. Wonder if that was in the script, or someone on the filming set actually cracked...

Sweet, romantic film

[herrcarter-92161 · 8/10 · 30 October 2023]

This movie was a romance, pure and simple. That was the whole plot: getting our heroine Laurel together with her true love. There were no other plot elements to distract from that. As such, you might say the plot was a little thin, but I quite enjoyed this movie.

There were a few things that I really liked about this movie. Front and center was Marla Sokolof. I've enjoyed her in everything I've seen her in. She has such a cute, sweet, girl-next-door appeal that it's hard not to like her. This movie was a Hallmark movie from the days before their plots were so formulaic and boilerplate. I love that Laurel isn't in some high-powered career like advertising, marketing or the arts, as seems to be the case in all of today's Hallmark movies. She's a simple florist, a down-to-earth job that most of us in the real world can relate to. Yet, she loves her job and she does it well. And the two men in her life are attracted to her for who she is, not because she's someone out of the ordinary. The dialog in this movie was real and natural, and you mostly felt like you were viewing a snapshot of real people's actual lives and not some characters in a movie.

I thought the love triangle between Laurel and doctor Evan and author Stephen was handled pretty well. There will always be one of the two love interests who you instinctively know the girl will end up with, and this was no exception. However, I saw both guys as reasonable alternatives for Laurel, and the story could have gone either way, had the screenwriters chosen to do so. They did a fairly good job of throwing you off about Stephen, and making you think he might be either a player who already had a girlfriend, or a slacker who was lying to Laurel about really being a writer. The plot twist, where it's revealed that Stephen is really romance writer Victoria Darling, and that the beautiful supposed girlfriend is really his editor, is pretty clever. I suspected something like this, but was still somewhat surprised.

I'd have to give a few negative points for the character of Laurel's grandma. She was just too annoying and meddling. She seemed like she would fit in better in the world of Jane Austen, where parents largely arranged marriages for their daughters to who they considered suitable husbands, with no consideration of whether the daughter actually loved them. In all fairness, however, I can see how the grandma would see Evan as a better prospect than Stephen, especially since it appeared that Stephen was cheating on his girlfriend to date Laurel. The "follow your heard" philosophy works well in rom-coms, but in real life, many a girl has ruined her life by "following her heart" and getting together with a guy that she connected with, but who was totally unsuitable as a marriage partner. Had the screenwriters decided to change the story, you could as easily have had Stephen be a slimy, smooth-talking player and have Laurel eventually realize that Evan, an attractive, successful, sweet guy who absolutely adored her, was the person she really wanted to be with and would be far happier with.

In the end, this was a sweet, feel-good movie that delivered the happy ending that we all love. One of the more enjoyable rom-coms I've seen lately.