This movie sat on my DVR for 3 months. I almost erased it several times. I was saving it as a last resort. I saw that it was a remake, or at least about making a remake of an absolute classic movie with an iconic star. I expected it to be a typical remake, cliché, derivative, just bad. I finally watched it.
First let me say that this movie probably pushed exactly the right buttons for me personally. I love sister stories. (When Hope Calls and A Christmas Note are always must see for me.) I won't give away some of the other heartwarming elements of that story. For me, that heaped on top of the Cinderella aspect of the story, was the heart of the movie. This combination was guaranteed to melt my heart. The romance was secondary for me. I did think there was good chemistry between Ricci and Porte.
Of course there are two things you can see coming from a mile away as far as this movie being predictable. But the writers used it to their advantage rather than having it be just another predictable ending.
I am sad to see reviewers who criticize the movie for Ricci being pregnant. I don't know Ricci well, so I didn't notice it. Shame on those people for several reasons. For one, it perpetuates the standard that seems to be expected that all of our female stars have not an once of fat. For another it hits unfairly at women who choose to be mothers while working in a world that penalizes them for that. Shame. I for one am glad to see a woman being able to enjoy having a family and still be able to work if that's what she chooses. I salute Hallmark for women like Ricci and Jill Wagner and Emilie Ullerup and Andrea Brooks who have all welcomed new family members in the last year and were apparently expecting while making a movie or TV show for them.
BTW: I often see complaints about book covers showing a scene that has nothing to do with the story. I had to laugh after seeing the picture featured to promote this movie and then watching the movie itself, it was Ricci driving the scooter, not Porte.
First let me say that this movie probably pushed exactly the right buttons for me personally. I love sister stories. (When Hope Calls and A Christmas Note are always must see for me.) I won't give away some of the other heartwarming elements of that story. For me, that heaped on top of the Cinderella aspect of the story, was the heart of the movie. This combination was guaranteed to melt my heart. The romance was secondary for me. I did think there was good chemistry between Ricci and Porte.
Of course there are two things you can see coming from a mile away as far as this movie being predictable. But the writers used it to their advantage rather than having it be just another predictable ending.
I am sad to see reviewers who criticize the movie for Ricci being pregnant. I don't know Ricci well, so I didn't notice it. Shame on those people for several reasons. For one, it perpetuates the standard that seems to be expected that all of our female stars have not an once of fat. For another it hits unfairly at women who choose to be mothers while working in a world that penalizes them for that. Shame. I for one am glad to see a woman being able to enjoy having a family and still be able to work if that's what she chooses. I salute Hallmark for women like Ricci and Jill Wagner and Emilie Ullerup and Andrea Brooks who have all welcomed new family members in the last year and were apparently expecting while making a movie or TV show for them.
BTW: I often see complaints about book covers showing a scene that has nothing to do with the story. I had to laugh after seeing the picture featured to promote this movie and then watching the movie itself, it was Ricci driving the scooter, not Porte.