Journey of My Heart (2021 TV Movie) User Reviews

Some of best scenery in a Hallmark movie

[Jackbv123 · 7/10 · 12 September 2021]

I watched this under the title "Journey of my Heart", but I like the above title better.

The general story of this is a complete rip-off of Chasing Waterfalls which didn't premiere that long ago on this same network. All through the movie I'm thinking that I've watched this before, but knew I hadn't. Still, I liked this one better and while I don't remember all the details of Chasing, this movie had more depth to the same general plot. Much of that was the Dream Quest aspect.

As I write this offline, the IMDb website has the production details of this pretty messed up. For one thing, ratings and reviews aren't yet available, but more annoying it has the wrong "Stars". This has since been corrected.

Funny how it seems like Rhiannon Fish was a supporting actor on this network not that long ago. Also, she was the star of one in April where she was new to me. This appearance makes two successes in a row as lead in my view. She's not quite as quirky here, but still always upbeat with her character taking one obstacle after another positively. She and Darien Martin have moderate chemistry together.

The way the conflict is handled is strange. First of all, like Chasing, it's obvious what it's going to be. In fact, it's so obvious that it's hard to accept that it is allowed to happen. But then, the way it's handled after that made no sense to me almost as if it didn't matter at all.

Hallmark often has stunning scenery, but I think this movie is one of the better ones, especially if you are an animal lover. There are shots not only of beautiful landscape but many shots and closeups of eagles.

Anyone else think that Abby fits an awful lot of different changes of clothes in her little backpack which also has a truckload of meal packets?

Good

[jewelch · 6/10 · 30 March 2022]

This Hallmark movie is worth watching Just for some of the scenery alone. That said the movie itself was not so bad itself. I will still be glad to recommend it. James Welch Henderson Arkansas. 3/28/2022.

Good could have been Great

[steven-obrien-1 · 7/10 · 10 September 2021]

A good Hallmark movie which could have been great. The cinamagraphic efforts were beautiful, the female lead Abby was very engaging, the eagles were outstanding, the supporting cast was right, and even the bear did his part - kudos to the film crew for all those shots. But what happened to the male lead, and who gave him that dialog? Then there was no chemistry with Abby, and by the way, that whole "I forgot the geo-tag was in the photo" has been done and overdone. Still recommended - Good, but could have been Great.

Worth a watch just for the soundtrack

[ELashes · 7/10 · 10 September 2021]

The music in this one is really good! The scenery too of course. The story reminds me a little of Continental Divide.

Gaffes are Unbelievable

[steve1620-638-301414 · 2/10 · 13 September 2021]

Does Hallmark think that we're all stupid? I guess we are if we continue to watch movies like this one.

When the producers show the "Alaskan mountains," they include a view of the face of Half Dome in Yosemite! Don't they realize that almost everyone whose been to Yosemite will recognize this?

Abby and Eric are backpacking in the Alaskan mountains of tribal lands where no one is normally allowed to go, yet they always seem to come across picnic tables and fire pits! They are carrying rather small backpacks, yet out of those backpacks they produce camp stoves, several tents, multiple lanterns, several different large coffee pots, metal cups, thermos, etc. I guess the producers think we'll regard these as the new "fold-up, light-weight models."

When Abby is fly fishing, she is using bright yellow "fishing line" that looks to be about 1/8 inch diameter that would certainly scare a fish and would be too large to even attach the fly. Yet she catches a fish as she is "guided" by the moves of her guide Eric's "training."

And Abby's camera is somehow capable of receiving internet signals in virtually unexplored tribal mountains so that she can transmit photos back to her office! And Hallmark had the audacity to repeat this "unauthorized photo location publication via Internet" storyline from one of their previous recent movies as the hook to "temporarily break-up the romance."

This was really a weak and boring movie, so if you're going to watch it anyway, do it for the gaffes!

Unbelievable location shots

[r-baratka · 9/10 · 3 October 2021]

It is quite typical for a Hallmark movie. Predictable story, but the scenery was unbelievable, so beautiful. And all the eagle shots couldn't have been easy to get. Along with the still water reflection scenes. I enjoyed this movie.

Not impressed

[johanohammar · 3/10 · 18 October 2021]

If they, at any point, had treated the equipment (such as life wests, tents, backpacks, ropes etc.) as something else than accessories in a fashion show I would have been more impressed.

Abby is presented as a daft young girl and Eric as a patronizing know it all. Not a serious ornithologist and as a modern man as one would expect of a film published in 2021.

Eagles

[mitchellrharl · 10/10 · 28 June 2022]

What a beautiful story I love eagles.

Scenery is beautiful. Why are all Hallmark women type cast thin pretty and arrogant know it alls bossy men are treated as dim witted. Bad casting make both sexes normal not one above the other Casting in this movie pretty good.

Was looking forward to this

[kimraspberrytart · 2/10 · 10 September 2021]

But the male lead is just such a male jerk.

Stop writing jerky male roles.

It is not the worst movie we've ever seen...

[adeloris · 2/10 · 20 September 2021]

But close!

1. She fell down from the weight of three bags of dehydrated strawberry shortcake, but her fifteen costume changes and entire kitchen she brought along on the hike were no problem at all.

2. While sharing an 'intimate embrace' under the improbable summertime Alaskan Northern Lights, Abby was at least a foot shorter than him. She had a very sudden growth spurt before their makeout at the end of the movie and they were magically the same height.

3. She was a scientist. Who never went outside. Or saw a bird in real life.

4. She had better cell service while fighting off a grizzly in the back country than I do in my house right now.

5. She brought her entire wardrobe, a laptop, a camera, a tablet, hiking boots, a giant fleece sweater, a vest, a hugeeather journal, makeup, and a blow dryer, which all managed to fit into a tiny duffel by the end of the movie.

6. When her friend told her to 'look really closely' at the pendant to try and see the huge feather I almost spit out my drink.

... Worth the watch, if only for the scenery... And the laughs!

Outdoorsy Romance filled with humor and eagles.

[cgvsluis · 8/10 · 19 May 2022]

Ornithologist Maggie is sent to find a woman who first shared a report on the decline of the Bald Eagles due to the widespread use of DDT, which lead to them being put on the protected species list.

Alice tells Maggie about her experiences which excites Maggie into following in her footsteps and redoing the study in order to get an idea of the changes to the Eagle population.

Great scenery and wonderful footage of eagles in flight. The main actress is a little awkward at times...but Darien Martin, who plays the male lead and guide Eric, was fantastic.

Maggie bluffs her way through canoeing, hiking, and camping out...thankfully guide Eric is not fooled by her bluster. So while she is saying things like she was "born in a canoe", Eric is teaching her how to paddle.

This is a wonderful spring/summer romance with great outdoor activities and amazing chemistry. Lots of humor makes this romance a must see!

Highly recommend for romantics with a sense of humor or an outdoor bent (especially my fellow PNWerners!).

Very bad cting unfortunately

[dianneenns · 1/10 · 11 September 2021]

I look forward to the Hallmark Saturday movies every week. I've seen every one pretty much. Unfortunately, the last year or so, the acting has gotten worse. They seem to be filming them so quickly that they are losing the magic that was a Hallmark movie. This one in particular has some very bad acting, no chemistry between the leads and their lines were, simply put, horrible. Very disappointing. And basically a copy cat of the last few, just a different locale.

Better than expected

[kimbogolf-91969 · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

I was getting tired of Hallmark movies. They had the same story lines or terrible scripts, horrible actors like Kellie Pickler and Lauren Alaina and at times no chemistry with the actors. I've never reviewed a Hallmark movie before, but I was really surprised by the negative reviews. Lead actress Rhiannon Fish was adorable and funny and this was the only Hallmark movie that actually made me laugh. There could have been a better option for the lead man, but Darien Martin wasn't bad. I really enjoyed the movie, storyline and scenery.

Where Eagles Should Not Dare

[domer-88239 · 3/10 · 11 September 2021]

Shuffle script pages of Hallmark's "Chasing Waterfalls" and "Pearl in Paradise", and plop the movie in BC/"Alaska" forests and mountain lakes and you have this movie. Another "hidden"/off-map destination trek. Another mistakenly-published photo that might reveal the destination. Another lack-of-leads'-chemistry and sudden or forced romantic ending for a Hallmark movie. This movie would have been salvageable with a better lead pairing. A few rotten Easter eggs if you stay through the end: an out-of-season August-ish aurora, and a brown bear that morphs into a circus grizzly bear.

Boring, ridiculous, rehashed movie.

[malachite-78432 · 2/10 · 23 January 2022]

He should be FIRED as a guide if he thinks that someone who tips over from a few ready to eat meals in her backpack is in any shape to "climb two mountains in one day".

Also, he asks her if she's in shape for it and she says she does yoga and is very flexible. It's obvious to a newborn that she's lying about her physical abilities at every step of the way.

Take her back to the cabin and send her packing back home to civilization.

Lawsuit avoided.

Abby Morgan (Rhiannon Fish)

[aab874 · 10/10 · 7 September 2021]

Favorite scene with

Abby Morgan (Rhiannon Fish) - Bear Scare. BTW, I Loved this movie!

It got awkward to the point of embarrassing.

[gary-426-161272 · 4/10 · 17 February 2022]

There were elements of the location and culture that could have been examined and developed. They weren't. The plot was superficial and remarkably aimless.

More crucially, the lead played most of the movie like she was a high school sophomore giggling her way to the prom. When she reached the de regeur kiss, the hero looked like he was twice her age, and the kiss was awkward enough to be truly creepy.

It's Hallmark. I'm not looking for Emmy Awards here, but this was substandard by any standard.

Chasing waterfalls clone

[techmaniis-31282 · 3/10 · 17 September 2021]

Instead of looking for the secret waterfall that the female lead promises to never reveal but does because her cameras gps tied to the pictures is accidentally sent to her publisher it's Eagles. I know most hallmark movie a cookie cutter but at least they try new stories. Pathetic.

A loveless journey

[TheLittleSongbird · 3/10 · 23 June 2022]

While 2021 was a very uneven year for Hallmark (not unexpected, all the previous years saw lack of consistency in quality as well), it could have a lot worse in quality considering how the pandemic would have affected costs and time constraints. There were some very good Hallmark films in 2021, a few of which shouldn't have worked when they had such unappealing premises. 'Love on the Wings of Eagles' didn't sound all that special on paper, and most of the 2021 Summer Nights films did not impress me.

'Love on the Wings of Eagles' was yet another 2021 Summer Nights film to not impress me at all. For me it is the worst of the block, which is not a good sign considering how mediocre the Summer Nights block was. It is a shame that one of the best looking 2021 Hallmark films is also one of their worst written and acted from that year. As one can guess, 'Love on the Wings of Eagles' is definitely down there with the worst 2021 Hallmark films that does nothing with an already eh premise.

It is saved from total doom by the absolutely magical scenery and photography, hence what is meant by it being one of the best looking 2021 Hallmark films.

Did like the charming music score too, which had a nice subtle character and didn't intrude.

The acting unfortunately is lacklustre at best and truly atrocious at worst, with an incredibly stiff and wooden Darien Martin getting the dubious dishonour of giving the worst performance of the film. Rhiannon Fish fares better and it does look as if she was trying, but she did get blander the more pronounced her characters flaws became. The two don't have any chemistry whatsoever and the supporting cast are pretty non descript in nothing roles. Didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, with Martin's character's perpetual excessive jerkish-ness and uptightness being incredibly hard to take. Fish's silliness and naivety later are taken to extremes.

Furthermore, the story is derivative (could also see a close indebting to the superior, but far from perfect, 'Chasing Waterfalls') and truly ridiculous to the point one cannot take it seriously. The pacing is off too, with a lot of dragging. The ending is one of those easily foreseeable ones that one hopes would not happen, and it is executed in an over tidy cop-out way and yet another unwarranted outcome in a year full of them. The dialogue is on the most part embarrassing, easily some of the worst of the year, especially for Martin's character.

Overall, really weak despite looking fabulous. 3/10.

Just Cosmetics

[westsideschl · 2/10 · 25 April 2022]

Typical Hallmark cheap daytime soap romantic and as usual all actors have perfect cosmetics/make-up, and frequent clothing changes - typical perfectly unwrinkled. Guys, of course for a certain viewer demographic, have that two-week beard manly look with tight t-shirts to emphasize the bod. Females have that dumbed down '50s era cutesy flirty behavior. All that going on even with a backcountry setting. Just a total lack of realism.

acceptable

[Kirpianuscus · 1 June 2023]

It is a Hallmark romance. So, the recipe is familiar, the acting - almost decent, the story- a ball of unrealism, maybe more obvious in this case than in others.

It is a film to see for details - the cool body of. Darien Martin and the absurd status of homo universalis of his character and the vulnerable macho posture, for Amerindian stories about connection between animals and people, for the landscapes and for Marion Eisman and Raz Thunderchild.

Silly in couple scenes, it is saved by the poor bear, terorized with high enthusiasm and a photo who gives the expected spice of story.

In short, just modest. But a modest Hallmark.

Breathtaking scenery, great soundtrack

[bonnersonlinepurchasing · 5/10 · 24 August 2022]

Mediocre acting. I am appalled that someone was so lazy s/he inserted a shot of Half Dome, oh only about 1,000 miles away from Vancouver. A shame that Hallmark films almost everything in or near Vancouver, British Columbia. Must get generous tax credits.

Authenticity is Sorely Lacking.

[iriebiker · 1/10 · 19 August 2023]

There's so much about this movie that's just unbelievably hokey. It's possible that a city-dwelling lab rat "wildlife biologist" is sent on a trip to the Alaskan wilderness. The outdoor gear used in the canoeing, backpacking, and camping scenes is laughable. More like an afterthought than sturdy, dependable gear one would carry into the wilderness. And where did they pack that big camp stove and enamelware collection in those small backpacks? A photographer not using at least a monopoly and the viewfinder to shoot wildlife? But that's not even the worst part of it. The Alaskan scenery somehow includes an iconic shot of Yosemite's Half Dome. Then there's groups of soaring eagles that look suspiciously like circling vultures. Maybe they honed in on the death of this movie's authenticity?