Lead with your hearth is an OK movie: good, not great. It's a family movie which you can see with everyone, including kids and teenagers (and talk about later). It is not the typical romantic comedy, and there is no melodrama either. The characters represent very normal people facing a real issue. Few twists and turns but enough to keep you tuned. A couple for twenty years. But the nest is on the verge of becoming empty with all kids in college. Wife and husband have different tastes and have to face the challenge of a great job opportunity for one of them that may make them drift apart. The plot follows from there. Sober and good acting. Enjoyable.
7 Reviews
Listening to the heart
TheLittleSongbird22 April 2023
Have always admired any film that explores family relationships and mature themes. Hallmark have proven more than once that they can explore family relationships and mature themes well, where there are good intentions well executed, where the results are heart-warming and heartfelt. So not all their films explore merely one formula, and 'Lead with Your Heart' is not one of the too formulaic ones. Really liked the idea for the film and the themes, so expectations were not low.
'Lead with Your Heart' is pleasant and inoffensive enough and has a lot to recommend it, with its emotion and good intentions. It is though very uneven, with some real pacing issues and one performance that didn't really pass the mustard. As far as 2015's Hallmark's films go, 'Lead with Your Heart' is not one of the best. Nor is it one of the worst. In ranking, it is probably somewhere in the middle, being a decent time passer but not an awful lot more.
There is a lot done well. Most of the performances are committed, moving and charming and the chemistry sincere. The production values are strong, with photography that is not drab or garish or static or overblown and the picturesque scenery is even better. The music isn't intrusive in placement and isn't used too much, while there is not much memorable it is easy on the ears.
Furthermore, the script flows well and doesn't go too far on the cheese or the sugar. The story isn't perfect, but is often poignant and heart warming and a nice job is done with the themes, done in a sincere way and never coming over as childish.
On the other hand, not everything works. William Baldwin spends his whole screen time looking perpetually befuddled and like he was in pain and his character annoyed rather than charmed or warmed me. His interaction with his colleagues generally is too distant feeling.
Also felt that the story execution was patchy, with a very draggy and uneventful first half an hour, too much pedestrian pacing and a serious lack of tension in the too little conflict there is. With so little conflict and how easy it is to see how things would resolve and resolved very easily the film did feel bland as a result.
In conclusion, decent time passer but not an awful lot more. 6/10.
'Lead with Your Heart' is pleasant and inoffensive enough and has a lot to recommend it, with its emotion and good intentions. It is though very uneven, with some real pacing issues and one performance that didn't really pass the mustard. As far as 2015's Hallmark's films go, 'Lead with Your Heart' is not one of the best. Nor is it one of the worst. In ranking, it is probably somewhere in the middle, being a decent time passer but not an awful lot more.
There is a lot done well. Most of the performances are committed, moving and charming and the chemistry sincere. The production values are strong, with photography that is not drab or garish or static or overblown and the picturesque scenery is even better. The music isn't intrusive in placement and isn't used too much, while there is not much memorable it is easy on the ears.
Furthermore, the script flows well and doesn't go too far on the cheese or the sugar. The story isn't perfect, but is often poignant and heart warming and a nice job is done with the themes, done in a sincere way and never coming over as childish.
On the other hand, not everything works. William Baldwin spends his whole screen time looking perpetually befuddled and like he was in pain and his character annoyed rather than charmed or warmed me. His interaction with his colleagues generally is too distant feeling.
Also felt that the story execution was patchy, with a very draggy and uneventful first half an hour, too much pedestrian pacing and a serious lack of tension in the too little conflict there is. With so little conflict and how easy it is to see how things would resolve and resolved very easily the film did feel bland as a result.
In conclusion, decent time passer but not an awful lot more. 6/10.
GOOD Movie
jewelch18 January 2021
This movie deals with reality: kids about to leave, 2 careers, busy life, outside people relationships, past the first romantic years. The empty nest period is when a GREAT NUMBER of marriages break up. If the above describes you, this is a good movie to use as a wake-up call. Not only that it is well acted, has a note of realism & shows a couple still in love, but....watch it you might like it also. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/17/2021
Doesn't follow the usual clichés
rebekahrox21 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This hallmance takes a surprisingly mature approach: None of the silly misunderstandings, overreactions, juvenile antics, or unnecessary conflict for the sake of following the stock romance formula. Although nothing much happened, it kept me engaged with refreshing surprises along the way. His woman friend whom the kids think are making a play for their dad turned out to be just really nice, wise, and only a friend; Her handsome divorced boss really was nothing more than a nice boss; the immature irresponsible lifelong buddy not only does not seduce the husband into bad behavior, but gives him some heartfelt touching advice about working on his marriage from the perspective of actually being a still grieving widower. Both were somewhat at fault for losing touch with each other, and not making an effort to share each other's interests. Their problems were molehills, however, not mountains. Refreshingly, they don't lose their perspective and blow things all out of proportion. I really appreciated how the husband sacrificed his love of small town life and his socially conscious (but probably low-paying) career and agreed to move to the city to support his wife's once in a lifetime career opportunity. Too often, the husband or wife's career is sacrificed on the altar of what the children want, the family home, and wholesome small town/country living. This Hallmark movie's message is that home is where the heart is, not some idealized lifestyle.
slow drift
SnoopyStyle13 September 2019
Ben (William Baldwin) and Maura McCabe Walker (Kari Matchett) seem to have a perfect life with their teen son Adam applying for college and daughter Lacey is away. Maura has a possible promotion at the bank taking her away to the big city of Minneapolis. With an emptying nest and underlying personal differences, the couple finds themselves drifting apart.
The drift is too slow which keeps the movie rather bland for the first half hour. Instead of talking about it, they need to be hit with something. I know that Hallmark doesn't want real drama but it should try. I don't really care about the kids. I don't care about the parents. I'm not rooting for some sitcom contrivances but this movie needs something. The reality of the slow drift does not give much intensity.
The drift is too slow which keeps the movie rather bland for the first half hour. Instead of talking about it, they need to be hit with something. I know that Hallmark doesn't want real drama but it should try. I don't really care about the kids. I don't care about the parents. I'm not rooting for some sitcom contrivances but this movie needs something. The reality of the slow drift does not give much intensity.
Insightful look at a real issue
phd_travel19 August 2016
This is not a fluffy Hallmark romance comedy. It shows in an entertaining way a very real issue between couples not necessarily just ones that are married a long time - having things in common and being interested in what interests the other spouse. William Baldwin has a rather strange expression on his face but the rest of the cast is good.
The couple are empty nesters, she likes the ballet, he likes baseball. Do couples really have to like what the other one is interested in? Or is it okay to have separate interests?
More Hallmark movies could be like this - prettily made but still deal with a real life problem.
The couple are empty nesters, she likes the ballet, he likes baseball. Do couples really have to like what the other one is interested in? Or is it okay to have separate interests?
More Hallmark movies could be like this - prettily made but still deal with a real life problem.
Good movie
jewhitmer2512 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I liked the movie good cast, good plot. Good script.
I fail to understand the fascination with the Baldwin brothers, they all look alike and none of them can act.
In this one William Baldwin has a permanent expression on his face that I assume was supposed to acting but actually came across as terminally confused and befuddled or is he contemplating passing a kidney stone.
The woman who we are supposed to think is after Ben, isn't, she is just a friend. And the man who we are supposed to think is after Maura, isn't, he is just a nice boss. So where's the conflict? There isn't one. Then we veer into O. Henry territory, he quits his job to move to Minneapolis to be supportive of her in her new job and she gives up her high paying promotion to move back home and be supportive of his job. ("The Gift of the Magi". For those of you who did not catch the reference) But in the end it is your classic Hallmark movie and all's well that ends well.
My advice watch the movie decent family film.
I fail to understand the fascination with the Baldwin brothers, they all look alike and none of them can act.
In this one William Baldwin has a permanent expression on his face that I assume was supposed to acting but actually came across as terminally confused and befuddled or is he contemplating passing a kidney stone.
The woman who we are supposed to think is after Ben, isn't, she is just a friend. And the man who we are supposed to think is after Maura, isn't, he is just a nice boss. So where's the conflict? There isn't one. Then we veer into O. Henry territory, he quits his job to move to Minneapolis to be supportive of her in her new job and she gives up her high paying promotion to move back home and be supportive of his job. ("The Gift of the Magi". For those of you who did not catch the reference) But in the end it is your classic Hallmark movie and all's well that ends well.
My advice watch the movie decent family film.
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