Liebe auf der Piste

However it wasn't filmed in Colorado, being a Hallmark movie it was filmed in Canada with beautiful mountain scenery.

She works for a magazine in NYC, she is a copy editor but aspires to write. The editor comes up with an idea for a new type of story, any of his staff can participate, the winner gets a job as a travel writer and wins a first class ticket to their choice of anywhere in the world. She hopes to go to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

She is a fan of a certain Colorado photographer who seems to like to stay out of sight. She decides to travel to his area and write of overcoming your fears, she will participate in winter mountain activities that she is afraid of. In the process she meets the photographer, finds out he is a very nice person. He gets roped into being her guide for the week.

Being a Hallmark movie it is clean and entertaining. Even though she has a boyfriend back in NYC the title of this movie pretty well tells what the story arc will be.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library, a very pleasant evening entertainment.

Hallmark is great at making setting an important part of the movie, but this particular film does that in spades. There's incredible snowy mountain scenery here, especially in the scene where Alex and Cole zipline across a canyon above an icy river. Just gorgeous. Seriously, this is worth watching for the scenery alone.

As for the romance, I liked the leads, even if Alex's girly "I'm so not sporty" was a bit ridiculous initially. The premise of having her do a lot of winter-y extreme sports allowed for breathtaking vistas and for her to cling to manly extreme sports guide, Cole. The chemistry was pretty good, especially towards the end. The script was serviceable.

All in all, one I will rewatch. The leads are attractive and appealing enough that the romance was decent. But it's mainly the setting that puts this one over the top for me.

Hallmark movies most of the time are a pleasant timepass but hardly more. This one is one of the exceptions. This one leaves you with its impression. You actually see the development that happens over the course of the movie. The love that blossoms between the leads feels natural instead of forced and manufactured. Their expressive acting breaths life into the story. Overall a commendable job. One of those movies you can watch again.

Alex is a New York copywriter that wants to become a feature writer. Her boss has just introduced a cover story contest that might help her to fulfill that dream, but tells Alex that she'll likely have to step outside of her comfort zone to succeed.

So the city girl heads west to a ski resort where Cole, a reclusive extreme sports photographer she admires, is said to live. She hopes to get an interview, or at least experience the sports which inspire his work.

Of course they meet, she's a fish out of water klutz, but he's a social misfit that wants his foundation (which helps young kids experience the outdoors) to succeed. So they strike a bargain - Cole will help Alex try different outdoor activities on the slopes for her article, and she'll help him with his presence at his gallery.

One things leads to another with both gaining confidence, overcoming their weaknesses while growing personally - especially Alex - until her boyfriend arrives. However, if you know the formula, you can figure out how it will end.

Like most Hallmark romances, the scenery is postcard beautiful, and all the actors are attractive, so it's a carefree couple of hours of harmless fun.

Good family movie, however yet again background music forces the viewer to strain to hear the dialogue.