The Memory Book

This is one of the most delightful movies I have ever seen. Meghan Ory is gorgeous and very enjoyable to watch on screen. The story is not particularly original, but you wind up really pulling for the main characters even though you know how it is going to end! I just happened to catch this movie as I was channel surfing a couple of weeks ago and was so taken with it that I have been attempting to catch it again to enjoy the experience all over again. I just about missed it totally last night, but caught the ending. I look forward to being alerted to its next showing so I can record it so I can watch it and bleep through the commercials. I cannot find that a DVD is available yet, but will definitely obtain one as soon as it is available.

Photographer Chloe Davenport (Meghan Ory) is exhibiting her photos in a gallery but her confidence takes a hit from bartender Gabe Sinclair (Luke Macfarlane). She is taken with an old photo album at a swap meet and buys it for $10. She grows interested in the couple in the photos and decides to track them down with Gabe's help.

It's a Hallmark mystery romance and it's better than most of Hallmark's offerings. I actually like the chemistry of the two leads as they banter back and forth. It could have done more. I do have an issue with Chloe's obsession even after Sarah's plea for her to stop. It puts a damper on the treasure hunt aspect when it's a journey against Sarah's wishes. There has to be a way to put up a speed bump without derailing the whole train. It may work better if Tori's Garden is the one who tells them to stop. There comes a point when being pushy is no longer cute and becomes destructive. Nevertheless, it's great to see Adrienne Barbeau again and she still has it.

This is such a gem! A truly beautiful story and two great leads. I also like the theme of being scared of love while secretly desiring it, it's very relatable for a lot of people and highlights the delicacy of love, a surprisingly refreshing take on romance for a Hallmark movie.

A memory book has peeked the interest of Chloe, a photographer who believes a long lasting romantic relationship just isn't in her genes. Curious to know if the deep love she dreams about actually exists, she sets out on a search to find the original owner of the book. An annoyingly and sometimes conveniently spontaneous man who she meets after he criticises her artwork becomes her partner in crime.

'Memory Book' (2014)

Opening thoughts: 2014's 'Memory Book' did sound very charming even if the plot synopsis was nothing earth shattering. My Hallmark film completest quest (which has gradually overtime included Lifetime and UPTV), that is still ongoing with no intent to stop just yet, has been a very uneven endeavour but an interesting one with some real winners. Luke Macfarlane has been good in other films (especially his later work), though his films are uneven like with a vast majority of Hallmark regulars.

His performance in 'Memory Book' is no exception, and the film itself impressed me quite a lot. Not quite one of the standout viewings of the whole Hallmark completest project but of the early 2010's films it is one of the better ones in my view. It is not earth shattering or anything out of the ordinary, but it was watched by me in the want of something charming, light hearted, touching and heart-warming. 'Memory Book' succeeded in all four of those areas on the whole, even if not every single area overall quite comes off.

Bad things: 'Memory Book' isn't perfect. There is admittedly nothing new story wise. It is very easy to tell what is going to happen before it happens and the ending is the pretty typical Hallmark film sort of ending (meaning easily telegraphed and on the too neat side) not in doubt.

It is a slight film too, meaning that there are times where it drags a little.

Good things: Despite those few things, 'Memory Book' is a charming, heart-warming charmer that succeeds at a vast majority of its aims. One of the biggest strengths is the very winning performance of Macfarlane. Very subtly charismatic, very natural and very honest. Luckily, Meghan Ory (another relatively Hallmark regular who has also done good work in a hit and miss filmography) is every bit his equal, performing with a lot of heart and charm. Have always liked Adrienne Barbeau, ever since her great voice work on 'Scooby Doo on Zombie Island', and she is her usual reliable self. The characters are more than merely ciphers and easy to root for.

Visually, 'Memory Book' looks nice. It's not drably lit, is cohesively edited and the locations are made good use of and photographed in an easy on the eyes way. The music is not constant or overpowering. The dialogue doesn't have too much cheese and doesn't fall into schmaltz, it's amusing and sometimes movingly delivered with spirit. It is very touching later on. The direction is more than capable and while the story is far from perfect it is light hearted and heart-warming, with the sentiment never becoming too much.

Concluding thoughts: Overall, very well done.

8/10.

If you like what could have been movies you will LOVE this. Yes I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 2/8/2021