Courtney Ford really shone as lead character, Erika, in this one. There were a few schmaltzy moments, when it seemed like the movie couldn't decide if it was a light drama or a comedy (I didn't care for the mother character - don't know if it due to acting, writing, or directing - she was too over-the-top for me, and seemed very out of place for this otherwise warm and gentle story). However, there was one hillariously sweet moment toward the end, concerning the the brother-in-law-to-be, in which I was simultaneously laughing and "aw-ing" out loud (Johnny Kramer, as Scott, toed the "dramedy" line quite well). Overall, the acting was well done and believable; the story was enjoyable; I would watch it again.
16 Reviews
I was disappointed, regretfully *spoiler info*
barbaralynn-8888116 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I gave this a 5 because the scenery is beautiful, and the actors all had chemistry. I couldn't fault the movie on those aspects. I watched this movie on the Feeln app. This movie is NOT what I expected. My emotions ranged from feeling empathy for Erica to feeling a bit repulsed at the idea that she almost cheated on her husband while he was deployed, before his death. It did not have to include that aspect in my opinion. The story could have been lovely without that thrown in, in my opinion. It was really hard to move beyond that and enjoy the remainder of the movie.
Borne from betrayal
MickyG33321 January 2023
7.0 stars.
Talk about the dark side of life. This film is sad, serious, and not fun at all. Any romance between our leads is not necessarily from a good place.
I can't give a summary of the movie, because anything I say to shed light on the plot can only be a spoiler, and I don't want this to be a spoiler review. A man dies some years earlier, and his wife and best friend grieve in a very unhealthy manner. She leaves town, finds a new man and then comes back to town for her sister's wedding. The drama begins.
The sister's side drama is much more intriguing than anything going on with our leads. Focus on this, and you'll see the reality of life as it materializes right before you. Ignore the leads main plot, it's not uplifting at all. The sister's fiancé has become a real tool as they come to the final days leading up to the wedding, and the sister naturally reacts with much more than cold feet. What a wonderful, and very plausible picture is painted with the grit and tension created. I loved it because it reminds me of so many people I've known. She is so sarcastic and downright mean to him, but as it unfolds, it's not far fetched.
Lets see if our leads come 'Back to Love', or simply back to 'August Creek' for a wedding. Huh? Why does Hallmark keep renaming these movies?
Talk about the dark side of life. This film is sad, serious, and not fun at all. Any romance between our leads is not necessarily from a good place.
I can't give a summary of the movie, because anything I say to shed light on the plot can only be a spoiler, and I don't want this to be a spoiler review. A man dies some years earlier, and his wife and best friend grieve in a very unhealthy manner. She leaves town, finds a new man and then comes back to town for her sister's wedding. The drama begins.
The sister's side drama is much more intriguing than anything going on with our leads. Focus on this, and you'll see the reality of life as it materializes right before you. Ignore the leads main plot, it's not uplifting at all. The sister's fiancé has become a real tool as they come to the final days leading up to the wedding, and the sister naturally reacts with much more than cold feet. What a wonderful, and very plausible picture is painted with the grit and tension created. I loved it because it reminds me of so many people I've known. She is so sarcastic and downright mean to him, but as it unfolds, it's not far fetched.
Lets see if our leads come 'Back to Love', or simply back to 'August Creek' for a wedding. Huh? Why does Hallmark keep renaming these movies?
she's a widow she's engaged she has a secret she's in danger of an affair it's too much
SnoopyStyle4 August 2019
Erica (Courtney Ford) is engaged to Marc in Chicago. She is still haunted by her husband Seth's death in the war. She goes home to prepare for her sister April's wedding. Everyone is walking on egg shells around her. She reconnects with old friend Nate and finds a support group for military widows.
So she planning to get married while dealing as a war widow and her almost affair. There is one too many relationships. I couldn't see how they could screw up a simple widower having a romance movie but this is how. It's an overly complicated premise and it isn't well laid out at the beginning anyways. The easiest thing to do is to eliminate Marc from the story. This is a story about loving someone while honoring the lost of a great love. Marc adds nothing but speed bumps to journey. The movie also moves rather slowly and it becomes a bit of a grind. It's too bad. Courtney Ford has the potential to pull this off without the emotional baggage of Marc or the secret.
So she planning to get married while dealing as a war widow and her almost affair. There is one too many relationships. I couldn't see how they could screw up a simple widower having a romance movie but this is how. It's an overly complicated premise and it isn't well laid out at the beginning anyways. The easiest thing to do is to eliminate Marc from the story. This is a story about loving someone while honoring the lost of a great love. Marc adds nothing but speed bumps to journey. The movie also moves rather slowly and it becomes a bit of a grind. It's too bad. Courtney Ford has the potential to pull this off without the emotional baggage of Marc or the secret.
Messy
Jackbv12323 January 2024
"I don't know what I'm doing." True words for the characters in this movie. I suspect different things tie together in a rather clever way, but maybe not. I saw hints of that but I wasn't able to fit all the pieces.
The story is jumbled and messy. And maybe given the situation Erica was in that's totally appropriate. Can you even imagine what she's been through? I think the script and Courtney Ford show all that to some degree, at least enough to make me pause and wonder.
As we progress through the early parts of the movie, we are introduced to an icon - Seth. The writers intentionally build him up bigger than life. Perfect. But the viewer has to wonder if it's true. Later, I think this subject could have been explored better, but there was a hint of something. Actually two somethings. One about Erica and Seth. One about Erika and Nate. Put the two together with Seth's death and anyone who can straighten out Erica's feelings has it more together than anyone I know.
Meanwhile there is April and her fiancée. April is showing her jumbled emotions in an even messier way than Erica. I thought this was a nice parallel thread.
This isn't an upbeat story. There is some humor here and there but it doesn't really lift the tone a lot.
The acting is good. Or maybe it is totally bad because the actors don't understand their emotions, but I think more likely it is good, especially Courtney Ford. I did have a little trouble figuring out David Stanbra's Mark, especially his las scene.
For quality, assuming some of the messier things were played exactly how it was intended, I give 8 stars. For enjoyability 4. Net 6 stars.
BTW, I don't remember too many Hallmark movies (at least it was on Hallmark streaming) where two unmarried people share a bed, and more than once.
The story is jumbled and messy. And maybe given the situation Erica was in that's totally appropriate. Can you even imagine what she's been through? I think the script and Courtney Ford show all that to some degree, at least enough to make me pause and wonder.
As we progress through the early parts of the movie, we are introduced to an icon - Seth. The writers intentionally build him up bigger than life. Perfect. But the viewer has to wonder if it's true. Later, I think this subject could have been explored better, but there was a hint of something. Actually two somethings. One about Erica and Seth. One about Erika and Nate. Put the two together with Seth's death and anyone who can straighten out Erica's feelings has it more together than anyone I know.
Meanwhile there is April and her fiancée. April is showing her jumbled emotions in an even messier way than Erica. I thought this was a nice parallel thread.
This isn't an upbeat story. There is some humor here and there but it doesn't really lift the tone a lot.
The acting is good. Or maybe it is totally bad because the actors don't understand their emotions, but I think more likely it is good, especially Courtney Ford. I did have a little trouble figuring out David Stanbra's Mark, especially his las scene.
For quality, assuming some of the messier things were played exactly how it was intended, I give 8 stars. For enjoyability 4. Net 6 stars.
BTW, I don't remember too many Hallmark movies (at least it was on Hallmark streaming) where two unmarried people share a bed, and more than once.
Cheaters Meets Hallmark?
bigsis_je8 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I was on my way to loving this movie.... The leading lady was cute, the guy was handsome, and it broke from the usual Hallmark formula. However, my feelings about the movie turned south when I realized that the handsome man she was going to end up with...was also the person with whom she had cheated on TWO other men! According to what I've learned in life, previous unfaithfulness doesn't exactly lead to a long, happy, monogamous marriage between the two cheaters. This movie is even more of a fairy tale than most normal Hallmark movies are.
If you can suspend belief in reality long enough to watch this movie, you'll probably enjoy it. In theory, it is a very touching movie.
The one other thing I want to mention is a heads-up for families who expect Hallmark movies to be innocent: This one depicts an unmarried couple sleeping in the same bed on multiple nights, as well as a woman saying she and her fiance haven't "'done it' in x weeks." There is also some drunken behavior and a couple discussions of how drunk a person got to explain why they did/said certain regrettable things.
If you can suspend belief in reality long enough to watch this movie, you'll probably enjoy it. In theory, it is a very touching movie.
The one other thing I want to mention is a heads-up for families who expect Hallmark movies to be innocent: This one depicts an unmarried couple sleeping in the same bed on multiple nights, as well as a woman saying she and her fiance haven't "'done it' in x weeks." There is also some drunken behavior and a couple discussions of how drunk a person got to explain why they did/said certain regrettable things.
some characters broke... hearts.
koriwos1 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I like the movie. wish it more romantic or more intense relationship (nate and erica) like more footage of them to build the complicated relations between them. maybe..
-last but not least, feel sorry for marc. he maybe the next erica in his own life story. but i believe he'll get use to it. since he always busy with his work.
-last but not least, feel sorry for marc. he maybe the next erica in his own life story. but i believe he'll get use to it. since he always busy with his work.
slow and a bit confusing
thindi3119 July 2022
I thought this was a Hallmark movie.. which I count on for more chaste relationships. She is a widow and suffering as would be normal. She is dating a guy named Marc who she is sleeping with. Not a husband, a boyfriend, who are not committed to each other. It is not what Hallmark usually shows and I would not want children watching it as being okay and normal. Hallmark does not usually do that..
wish it more than that
koriwos1 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I wish the story about erica n nate going back together more intense or more exciting. but i can predict what will happen since erica pack seth things in the begining. and the whole story of april and scott weddings plan, its brilliant. i mean it is the best story inside this movie.
-i feel sorry about marc. maybe he's the new erica in his own life story. after broke up with the girl she love. hope he's o.k, coz he is to busy with his job..
-i feel sorry about marc. maybe he's the new erica in his own life story. after broke up with the girl she love. hope he's o.k, coz he is to busy with his job..
Terrible not worth the watch
tazzaretto14 May 2022
Loved it
jewelch1 February 2021
This was just a lovely story. Not overdone or over acted. With a great cast as well. This movie is all about how to deal with relationships that are complicated but have love. Real life is can be very messy but there are times when the answers are clear. This movie shows this. Yes I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/31/2021
It's just okay
karlabutters30 September 2021
Can we get a story set in Iowa to be shown halfway right? Probably Field of Dreams, but that might be the limit. There were mountains in the background in this movie, what? Where in Iowa would that be? And if there is corn growing... its HOT, even at night. You're not wearing your Uggs or a flannel shirt. You are sweating in places you didn't really know could sweat, it's in the 90s and 100% humidity in the summer. Plot was okay, pretty predictable.
Widow, love again, psychology humor
jgefl27 January 2020
One of Hallmark's more "real" movies
mguelkerwilson14 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Hallmark movies are an escape for faithful viewers, lovely stories with predictable obstacles along the way but still happily ending, no big surprises. This one still followed that formula, but I felt it was a little more realistic than other Hallmark films in illustrating the messiness of life and love. The young widow, grieving the loss of her soldier husband, and feeling guilty about the escalation of a relationship with their mutual best friend before his death. Some reviewers felt it wasn't necessary and tarnished Erica's character, but to me it just showed that everyone is human. While her "official" relationship with Marc may not have seemed to add anything to the story, I thought it was necessary. Perhaps Erica didn't see, or didn't want to see that Marc really wasn't her "person." I think she believed that relationship was the expected path and timing for someone who had been widowed to move on. Still, her uncertainty first surfaced when she arrived home and her mother (who I thought was horribly miscast) asked about she and Marc buying a condo. There were other indicators ... him hiding in a closet to cover a work call, rushing back to Chicago ... it didn't seem like Erica was a priority for him. Combined with her spending more time with Nate it all added up to the realization that she didn't belong with Marc. No one is perfect when dealing with the impact of trauma (like losing a spouse), managing the complexity of emotions that comes with it, and how all of that translates to our actions. This movie and the actors, I felt, did a great job of telling that story. Other than Erica's mother, I thought the acting was genuine it wasn't forced or over the top, the actors were real -- I loved the fact that Scott wasn't the usual hunky male model type Hallmark uses, but just a regular and imperfect guy madly in love with his soon-to-be wife, it made him all the more endearing and likable. Overall, I hope Hallmark continues producing movies that are more like this one.
Confused
clintondenise26 May 2019
Great acting and an interesting storyline
piperLJ22 January 2024
I don't want to give any spoilers so please just watch it. I think this was beautifully written and acted. Ryan as Nate was incredible. Erica was good. Very well cast. The story is not your typical Hallmaek type romance story. It has a bit of a change in it and I love it. My third time watching it and Ryan needs to be in more romantic movies. He was brilliant. No I am not his mom or friend. I just thought he was great. The actress was also. The sister and her fiancée were an added bonus to this. Put these two together again or a sequel. I loved the military was mentioned. So few movies talk about veterans and military life. Kudos.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
