The 27-Hour Day

She is an efficiency expert based in Manhattan, her company is "The 27 Hour Day", and when she meets a famous influencer she is advised to slow down, find some "me" time. So she arranges a week in a get away in Montana. No cell phones, no computer, no watches. Just relax and eat, sleep, arise when you feel like it. And of course the yearly honey festival.

This wouldn't be a Hallmark movie unless there were an attractive, single man to get her attention. He was once a promising Veterinarian student but dropped out when his dad died, going home to Montana to help run the family farm and business.

The "Hallmark Kiss" comes a little earlier than usual but it fits. This story isn't just a romance story, it has good advice about finding time to relax and to appreciate others around you.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library. Good movie, entertaining and meaningful.

The premises aren't that unusual on the face of it, but they play out differently and have a fresh feel. Lauren is a workaholic and is forced to take time to slow down. Jack is trying to save the family business.

Autumn Reeser plays the workaholic a bit different than the usual. Maybe it is her combination of extreme competence combined somehow with klutziness. Andrew Walker plays someone who comes off a bit backward or maybe it's more innocent.

The two have definite chemistry and they spend plenty of screen time developing it.

There aren't many big highs or lows or surprises, but that didn't matter. I enjoyed the relationship.

The climax and ending didn't impress me. It lacked a real conflict. It seemed dragged out and included a speech that was a little preachy.

After the third viewing, I'd like to add that the story line is erratic and seems like a cut and paste for desired messages. Autumn Reeser barely holds this one together with her charm and slight touch of quirkiness. She has a comic and sensitive nuance and is a seasoned pro. Chances for a good laugh were sometimes lost like where the scene Autumn when unloading her bag of tech gear, computer, iPad, etc. Was rushed. In fact, the first few scenes were hurried and the story line was hard to grasp. Autumn and Andrew had zero chemistry in fact it seemed he wished he was somewhere else. What longfull looks between the two came across as empty. The scenery was beautiful. Overall, since the cast and crew had to deal with the constraints of the COVID restrictions including a two-week quarantine for US personnel the production went well.

Was hoping for more from this movie but I had a hard time putting up with Autumn Reeser's character, Lauren. Her triple A-type personality was a bit over the top. The story line is just OK but at least Andrew Walker is in it.

The plot is similar to many Hallmark films, but with a few fresh aspects and messages, with two of the best leads that Hallmark has. This makes it worth watching.

It does an excellent job showing how our reliance on technology for efficient work and play can lead to a robotic way of living, and how a balance between work commitment is required with personal emotional commitments. The importance of always caring for our loved ones and new people we meet is demonstrated beautifully with the likeable supporting cast in this film. The piglet was a cute complement!

Certainly a feel good movie, with the relationship between Autumn and Andrew developing without too much of the unrealistic gush that too many of the lower rated Hallmarks have. Some good witty banter, which is what I enjoy in these films. There was no initial meeting of the love interests in a harsh circumstance which too many of Hallmarks feel is necessary, when it is not. How many real romances start that way, anyway?

The relationship developed with both assisting each other with their view of their life journey to that point ... not by forcing any changes ... but by suggesting a few different ways to reflect and view things ... which, of course, they grow to accept in their future life path. This clearly is important in any true romantic relationship, so is demonstrated very well.