We Love You, Sally Carmichael! (2017) User Reviews

Writing

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 5 August 2021]

What is a writer and should he/she critisize other writers? I wouldn't say that the movie digs too deep on that subject matter, but at least it gets touched upon. Overall this is a romantic comedy or drama, depending on how you look at it, I reckon.

Having said that, especially the female lead (which you may know from a fantasy tv show about Grimm fairy tales) is really charismatic. Which if you already seen her before you know of course. The main male character is cast good I'd say, but I can see some people not really digging him or being on his vibe. Decent enough if romance is your thing movie wise ...

So sterile - So Hallmark - So white

[thejdrage · 5/10 · 28 June 2023]

I watched this because I am a Christopher Gorham fan. A am NOT a Hallmark channel fan and this reminded me of a pure Hallmark movie.

The homes they are in are literally spotless. And sterile. The only picture was of Jesus Christ. WTF?? Seems odd to not see photos in any home, let alone in all of them.

Even the soles of his shoes were spotless!! They matched his empty spotless kitchen.

I don't mind low budget films at all, but come on - use Command Strips and hang up some interesting art.

Also, talk about a movie that is NOT inclusive. This movie was definitely pure Utah Wonder Bread.

I know I'm going to get dinged, but it's the truth.

It's slow to start, but eventually delivers some good laughs

[srdjan_veljkovic · 6/10 · 15 December 2018]

It's not that the movie (pace) is very slow at start. It's a little slow, but, that's kind of the point, our protagonist, by choice, lives a slow life. What's really slow is getting to some laughs. There's some intent there, but, it's not well executed.

But, once all the characters are established, including the cute love interest and crazy famous actor, things start to warm up. There are some good laughs. Sure, the best ones seem to be making fun of the "celebrity culture", but, those are not all of them.

Another big problem is that there is an obvious wasted opportunity to make more fun of Twilight and similar "young-adult sagas". There's some critique, but, it actually feels more like the movie is "tagging along" rather than exposing Twilight and its ilk for what they are - empty shell(s). Just saying that is no enough - after all, it should be obvious.

Acting is OK, but not great. Betsie Tullough does a good job, but, she doesn't "sell" her growing affection for the protagonist well. It starts good, but, later we don't really see any progress and when she feels betrayed (because he didn't tell her that he's the actual author of the "Siren" saga), it doesn't seem to bother her as much as it should. Protagonist, Gorham, "does his thing", portraying this bad-adjusted talented writer with all his quirks, but, somehow, fails in the same area as his partner, also not showing his growing affection for Betsie Tullough, nor the devastation when she dumps him - and he should be devastated, she's the only woman willing to spend time with him and it looked like she loved him. So, both are OK, but, miss a very important element.

Unlike them, the crazy actor is well portrayed by Sebastian Roche. A little over the top, but, it's a comedy, to be expected.

So, it's a movie with several flaws, but, in general, its heart is in the right place and it does deliver good laughs eventually. Thus, you get what you can expect from a comedy.

A sweet romantic comedy

[Gordon-11 · 23 February 2018]

This film tells the story of a man who appears to be a budding author, but in fact he has several best selling novels under a pseudonym.

It is refreshing to watch a romantic comedy with authors in it. The film is fun and light hearted. The inclusion of children and teens in the film make it different from other romantic comedies, giving it a fresh spin. I enjoyed it a lot.

Pleasant little movie....

[gee-15 · 6/10 · 10 May 2019]

Not much to see here but a good-natured time waster (whose 83 minutes or so means you don't waste much time). Christopher Gorham plays the writer of a wildly popular set of novels about a Merman (a la Twilight) that he's embarrassed to have written (under the pseudonym "Sally Carmichael.") However, his publishers won't let him out of contract given the upcoming movie version of his books. Through a series of circumstances (involving a pretty bookshop owner), Gorham write an article criticizing his own books that goes viral. It's all resolved neatly (as these kinds of movies are) but Gorham does a good job as the anxiety-ridden author who gets outed as the author and has to make peace with popularity of his books. A stronger script could have explored these themes a bit more effectively and I would have jettisoned the character of the overenthusiastic actor who ends up revealing Gorham's identity. The movie kind of slows way down whenever he's on the screen. Wait through credits though for a scene from the movie version of the Merman books. It's brief but a real hoot!

Duller than a Hallmark Christmas Movie.

[man-96513 · 2/10 · 14 December 2020]

There is a time and a place for promoting the Mormon Church. It is NOT appropriate in a simple romantic comedy directed at a general audience. If you choose to do a movie with these influences, then you should not attempt to pass it off as a standard ge Eric comedy.

I felt uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable, by the ongoing references to the Mormon philosophy. I would note that there is absolutely nothing in the trailer which suggests this "influence" in the movie. This should be "entertainment" not "religious indoctrination"

This is a very modestly budgeted movie. This is glaringly obvious in every scene. The entire film has a "bunch of friends get together and do a movie" feel to it. The world wide gross of the movie was less than 150,000. I suspect almost all of this came of this came from playing in Utah.

I assume the only reason Amazon Prime has the movie is because there are no other new movies available in this period of Covid Shutdowns..

Don't bother with this dreadful little movie. Rewatch a more well made movie you enjoy.

Good kind of quirky

[keystonedata · 10/10 · 5 August 2017]

My wife and I were laughing out loud through the whole thing, and very few movies do that for both of us. The lead male and female are both incredibly good at being comically uncomfortable, and the quirky story line (contrived in a good way) with eccentric supporting characters gives them plenty of opportunity. It's set in Utah, and there are a couple of passing mentions of Mormon this or that, but in no way is it about being Mormon or poking fun at the culture. It's just a funny "what if a popular romance series were secretly written by a grumpy guy" yarn.

A Feel Good Movie For The Whole Family!

[jonathanblackham · 8/10 · 4 August 2017]

A delightfully simple, but elegant comedy where a struggling writer and his wildly successful pen name are pitted against each other (or himself). The comedy is spot on and appropriate for all ages, with the plot and acting quite stellar on all counts. This movie is not only believable, but the take home message will resonate with audiences from all walks of life.

Hilariously Funny!

[lancegamero · 10/10 · 19 August 2017]

We laughed out loud many times in the movie! Well written. Well acted. Incredibly funny. It pokes fun at a lot of things but it's all in good taste and with class.

It's very family friendly and people of all ages can relate. We took our 6 year old and she liked it and laughed a lot as well.

Sweet movie!

[kflandro · 9/10 · 5 August 2017]

Funny, surprisingly fresh and charming movie about a writer, his alias and his phobias. Christopher Gorham is so talented as the star and director of this film. I took my two children (ages 9 and 11) with me to see it, and while it is not a children's movie, we all loved it. Do yourself a favor and enjoy this one.

Super cute and enjoyable!

[laughing_cat · 8/10 · 18 June 2020]

Clean, funny, and endearing. You'll smile all the way through. Family-friendly too.

The Funniest Movie this Year!

[Mewsigal · 10/10 · 12 August 2017]

"We Love You Sally Carmichael" is a clever, funny, and clean comedy with a great parody aspect. I cried the whole movie from laughing so hard. I had no, or perhaps low expectations for this film, but did anticipate some light-hearted humor. What Gorham has done is a brilliant hybrid of "Utah humor" and Hollywood caliber casting, screenplay, music and directing.

What I love about this movie is it is a CLEAN comedy with excellent acting and a stellar screenplay. You can bring the whole family to this movie. It pokes fun at the Twilight series phenomena (in my humble opinion) and that makes it even better. I myself am a Twilight fan, but not one of those crazy fans--of which this film has plenty.

The movie is set and filmed in Utah and--coming from a homegrown Utahn--is perfectly authentic. All the way down to the radio co-hosts telling the news to the morning segment "Good Things Utah." If you're afraid you'll find religion in this movie, fear not, as there isn't any, other than the admittance of the protagonist author that he is a Mormon.

There are no words for how great, or how funny this film is. I can't wait to see it again and own it and enjoy it over and over again.

Great For All Ages!

[detaileddesignllc · 10/10 · 8 August 2017]

I LOVED this movie! I took my sisters, my daughter, my 81 year-old mother, my girlfriends and my 10 year-old granddaughter -- what movie can you do that?!? The story line was adorable; the jokes were clean and fun (and I wasn't embarrassed to have my mom & granddaughter there!); and we all laughed til our sides hurt! GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! It will be 2 hours well spent!

Great movie!

[schaumannmik · 10/10 · 6 August 2017]

I recently went to see this movie. I can honestly say that I have never laughed harder watching a movie. It was hilarious, well-acted, and extremely quotable. The lead actors were all excellent and the supporting actors were hysterical. If you have the chance, go see this movie.

Rest assured

[jerrywiseman · 10/10 · 29 March 2019]

Age 67 and looking for simple and rewarding movies as the same for other things in life. Cancer , Parkinsons, and a recent stroke. Nothing better than a good clean laugh with the story of what makes the real world go round and round. Thanks

A wonderfully romantic and funny movie

[reeseabel · 10/10 · 8 August 2017]

A lot of positive messages came from this enjoyable movie. It was great to see an individual not caught up in the popularity frenzy nor tainted by attained wealth. Even though the story is made up, it can still yield an example of good things to emulate. Particularly touching was the fact that a family had lost a parent/spouse yet over time they were able to adjust to the loss and keep the dreams alive. The depiction of affluence and worldliness next to down-home goodness reminds us of what is better to seek for. The use of texting made for a wonderful use of technology of our day in the telling of the story. It was hilarious and left you with a good feeling. Don't stop bringing us these kinds of experiences. Hollywood's usual alternatives are not a match for good, wholesome cinema like this.

Funny, a bit exaggerated, but with some vibes from "As Good as it gets."

[criscal · 8/10 · 20 April 2021]

As in that other, more famous, movie the author is a guy who is having personal issues and awkwardness with other people. Both are writing romance novels and in this movie the writer has strong acceptance issues with what he is successful with. Both get to slam their own work, which is a big topic in this movie and a short joke in the other movie.

The names in that movie are not big, but the casting has been done well.

I enjoyed it.

Small gem of a movie, set and shot in Utah.

[TxMike · 4 September 2022]

My wife and I were looking for a pleasant, happy movie after dinner on Amazon streaming. This one caught our attention. It is NOT a Hallmark movie but pretty much follows the Hallmark approach. Two single strangers meet by coincidence, they hit it off pretty quickly, seem ideal for each other. Then a big wedge crops up, it looks like it will spoil the relationship, until they figure out how to repair it.

He is a writer, he has had some success under his own name, but his biggest success has come from using the pen name Sally Carmichael. Under that moniker he writes romance books about a merman. He hates the books, he hates being associated with them, but no one other than his publisher knows the truth.

She is the owner of a bookstore, plus a small local newspaper hardly anyone reads. She asks him to write an article, that is how they meet. They hit it off immediately.

Then something happens, he is exposed, and that becomes the rest of the story. It is pleasant entertainment with attractive actors playing pleasant characters. We enjoyed it, good entertainment.

This is one of my favorite movies! You Gotta Watch It

[chloeisabel · 10/10 · 1 September 2017]

I was in this wonderful movie as an extra. Meeting Christopher Gorham and Sebastian Roche was a dream come true and just to be at the premiere and see the complete movie was an even bigger dream. This movie is a cute, romantic, funny, emotional roller coaster and oh do i love roller coasters!!! #WeLoveYouSallyCarmichaelSuccess - i'd give this movie a 100/10 if i could! You must watch it!

More Fun than You Should be Able to Have in 90 Minutes

[frank-hood · 10/10 · 27 August 2022]

We Love You, Sally Carmichael is hilarious, outrageous, heartfelt. The first half is funny in an uncomfortable kind of way, and the last half more than delivers. I couldn't stop laughing. I nearly fell out of my chair during the final interview he gives. More fun than you should be able to have in an hour and a half. It's got everything, nerdy failed author who becomes best selling pseudonymous sell-out and hates it, smarmy publishers, one considerably crazy actor, and a bunch of normal people who actually like Simon.

Watch carefully and you'll see that despite Simon's hatred and disgust at his alter ego, ordinary people's lives have been altered for the better by what he considers total schlock.

My only question is how did Christopher Gorham go from nerdy Jake Foley in Jake 2.0 to badass blind hunk Augie Anderson in Covert Affairs and back to nerdy Simon Heath/Sally Carmichael in a few short years. That's some special acting.

Find this movie! Watch this movie!

BTW I should also call out for approval director Christopher Gorham's very effective use of texting. He doesn't try to display a screenshot of the phone. It's always too hard to read those. Instead he just overlays the relevant text responses in a cartoon-like bubble. Best way of handling this type of thing that I've seen.