Fourth Down and Love

I watched this the first time awhile back and remember it as a rather blah romance. However, I just watched again, this time with an eye towards finding what I didn't like. While Pascale Hutton doesn't do much for me, I realize now the script called for her to be reluctant to engage romantically with Paevy because Paevy's agent sold her a bill of goods back in college. Now that I caught this, I think her character acting was fine as she was scripted. If anything this second time, I thought Paevy was too low key on the romance angle. His style is always laid back but with engaging charm, which I usually find enjoyable, but this time, he didn't bring enough charm to make it work. I have a feeling this role, the casting match and a rather lame script caused this to be one of his lesser outputs.

7.3 stars.

Ready, set, hike, pass the cheese... this one is a bit silly. I like the football theme and he looks like a baller with his muscles and physique, but his personality and how he handles life are not anything like an NFL receiver would be in my opinion. On the other hand, the romance is cool and they seem to have chemistry. I see patterns with Hallmark films and they seem to be stretching their legs with this film as it does expand some of the ideas in a way that I find unique and strangely stimulating.

There are several hard to ignore details like the fact that he's not mobbed by fans wherever he goes. If he's a pro, and he's back in a place where he would be recognized, he would not have any time to himself. Also the way his agent and the NFL are handling things is totally fabricated and fake beyond belief. Finally, how they were together but she let him go when they were younger so he could pursue his career has been beat to death, Hallmark, give us something original for once.

The way she is enamored with him showcases her acting ability, especially with his dry humor and acting style which seems to pervade every role he performs. All that being said, I enjoyed 'Fourth Down and Love' enough that I'd recommend it to any Hallmark fan at least once every few years.

Hallmark is making too many movies where the lead couple already knows each other from their romantic past. I don't find it compelling. I would like to see two people meet and learn about each other during the movie. It's a shame that all of that discovery process happened years ago so we don't see any of it. All we are left to do is wonder why they gave up on each other years ago, when their resentment will subside, and why they think the outcome will be different this time around.

The rest of the movie is fine -- typical Hallmark stuff really, which is probably what most viewers of this movie want. The actors were pretty good, and the football content was actually very good. I just think the movie would have been nicer if the leads were as new to each other as they are to us.

I recently watched a movie that left me with mixed feelings, mainly due to the lead actress, Pascale Hutton, and her portrayal of the character. Here are some aspects that I found particularly disappointing:

1. **Lack of Convincing Romance**: Pascale Hutton seemed more concerned with pushing the male lead away than convincing the audience that she was in love. It's essential for a lead actress to convey genuine emotions, and this was a missed mark.

2. **Prioritizing Spouse's Feelings**: In the movie, it felt like Hutton was more focused on her spouse's feelings rather than the character and the overall film. When you audition for a role, your job is to become the character, and this detachment was apparent.

3. **Chemistry Issues**: There were instances where Ryan Peavey tried to show affection towards Hutton's character, and she didn't reciprocate. This lack of chemistry between the leads hindered the believability of their relationship.

4. **Misleading Previews**: The movie's previews built up my expectations, but unfortunately, the actual film fell short. The quality of the previews didn't reflect the overall disappointment I experienced during the movie.

5. **Missed Potential**: The film had the potential to be great, but everything seemed to fall flat. The lead female's performance made the situation worse and hindered the movie's progress.

6. **Inconsistency with Character**: Hutton's performance felt like a repetition of her role in "When Calls the Heart," which could be seen as annoying at times. This lack of differentiation between characters was a missed opportunity.

7. **Overacting**: Hutton's tendency to overact in every scene contributed to the movie's lack of credibility. It also affected Ryan Peavey's performance, making their chemistry even more unconvincing.

8. **Lack of Character Development**: Hutton's character remained the same throughout the past, present, and future, which was baffling. Her fears as a student should have made her more mature in the present day, but this character stagnation made her seem non-authentic.

In conclusion, while the movie had the potential to be a success, Pascale Hutton's performance, lack of chemistry, and character development issues hindered its overall quality. It's essential for actors to adapt to their roles and create authentic on-screen relationships, which unfortunately didn't happen here.

I admitt, the presence in cast of Ryan Paevey is just enough for me to see a movie. In this case, near him, and the decent performance of pascale Hutton, a good point is represented by humor. And, indeed, in this case the humor is real important for reduce the unrealism dose of story and not the most inspired dialogue.

The football theme works not so bad, the past love story from universitarian studies at new beginning is more than reasonable and, sure, the supporting actors are precious.

But, in same measure, the sustain of their characters , interesting at whole, by the main actors is a virtue for film. Sure, predactibility and some mistakes. But decent. And nice.