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Reviews
Love's Portrait (2022)
A sweet quest for love
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie with it's quest to answer a question to which we already know the answer. The real point is when will Lily discover who the painter is and will William get up the courage to tell her the truth. How the painting travelled to Lily's museum in the U. S. is also a sweet story and Gerry Herbert as Jonathan O'Brien plays an important piece of the puzzle. I thought the acting was good and really enjoyed the interaction between Aubrey Reynolds as Lilly and Richard McWilliams as William. However, my favorite character was Saoirse played wonderfully by Kathryn McKiernan. While everyone else is searching for answers or true love, Saoirse is comfortable in her own skin and her lot in life. McKiernan plays this role with such joy and sincerity that it's hard not to fall in love with Saoirse and her small life, which is not small at all. Her dedication to the Post, her parents legacy, and the joy of her little village is very compelling and Kathryn McKiernan brings this character to life wonderfully. Unlike most Hallmark movies, this one was actually filmed in Ireland, not Canada which would have been a stretch. The scenery was beautiful and it was filmed beautifully as well. I truly loved this movie and it took me back to my visits to the Emerald Isle.
Big Sky River (2022)
A messy, real storyline
I watch Hallmark movies as a pleasant escape from the realities of 21st century life. However, this movie drew me into the reality of fractured relationships and messy divorces. Anyone, and that's a lot of us, who has gone through toxic breakups where children are involved can relate to this story. I really enjoyed the performances by. Emmanuelle Vaugier, Kavan Smith, and Cassidy Nugent as the daughter caught in the middle of a very difficult situation. I also enjoyed the direction by Peter Benson who inserted himself into the story as the clueless ex more interested with his next marriage rather than his daughter. This is a role he has played in other Hallmark movies, especially as the ex-fiancé Ben Morgan in Love and Sunshine. Throughout this movie I was rooting for Vaugier and Smith to finally realize their feelings for each other. I thought all of the actors were very good and the settings, although not really Montana, were stunning. I did not realize that this movie is based on a best-selling novel, I might have to dust off the old reading glasses and give it a go. All in all, I think this movie has quickly become one of my Hallmark favorites.