Date with Love

This is a poorly to mediocre acted movie with great life lessons on the reality of how shallow society is. Our children should watch this knowing how real this is of the ways of the world.

I was reminded of this movie when I watched a new movie with Shenae Grimes-Beech called When I Think About Christmas. It was her first Hallmark movie in the 6 years since Date With Love which I remembered with some fondness. In this earlier movie, she plays Alex Allen, a famous movie star who needs some good publicity. She accepts a student's request that she be his high school prom date as a publicity stunt. Sadly, the student who proposed wasn't very popular and was blind to the feelings of his best friend Heidi, played by the very cute and talented Bailee Madison. Andrew Walker plays his teacher Vincent Walsh and Andrea Brooks plays assistant Paige Sumner

I enjoyed this movie because of Shenae Grimes-Beech. And Andrew Walker went on to become one of Hallmark's biggest stars. These stories are basically a variation of the popular trope of a Royal falling in love with a commoner. This was fun, even if the prom kid got on my nerves a bit.

Like another reviewer commented, I found the opening scenes too farcical and stretched the imagination, but the following story wasn't that bad. Andrew J Walker at least keeps the acting on track.

I felt the little sister Devyn - played by Millie Wilkinson, was a surplus and not very nice character, and being so young why was she allowed to be a spare part on a date, instead of being at home with her Dad and Mum ? I also find the little girls wide eyes a little concerning.

My main reason for seeing 'Date with Love' was Andrew Walker. He is to me one of the best and most consistent Hallmark regulars and it is not hard to see why he is so popular, he has been in some misfires and has had leading ladies not up to his level but he has also been in good films and had good female leads. Also did like the premise quite a bit, which was cute, and Bailee Maddison is always watchable. The mixed reviews here dampened expectations a little though.

'Date with Love' left me with very mixed feelings and it was a rather uneven film, with a first half an hour that makes one want to bail but it does get quite a bit better. It is not one of the worst 2016 Hallmark films, not like 'Unleashing Mr Darcy' or 'Ms Matched' for example, but it is not one of the best like 'Love in Paradise' and 'Summer Villa' again for example. 'Date with Love' is watchable, but in my mind only for a one time watch rather than holding up to repeat viewings.

Walker is the best thing about it, he is subtly charismatic and charming with natural and witty comic timing. Maddison is perky and seemed to be having fun too. Shenae Grimes-Beech did have charming moments when she eased into the role. The chemistry between the three leads doesn't come over as stiff or distant, it was like they enjoyed working together.

The production values are lovely, the photography and scenery being easy on the eye. The second half on the whole was amusing and cute with a nice energy. Some of the soundtrack is pleasant.

However, there are things that work against it. The first act is pretty painful, am another person who thought it too farcical which went beyond the limit of overdone-ness. The dialogue is often very cheesy and stilted early on and the pace doesn't have the same energy the second half had. The film on the whole is formulaic and contains little original or fresh, things mapping out pretty much what one expects.

Also found the ending rather rushed and abrupt. Grimes-Beech did take a while to relax, with her looking rather uncomfortable and over compensating in the first act. The worst performance comes from Millie Wilkinson, who has an annoying character and really overdoes the brattiness.

Concluding, watchable but very average. 5/10.

High school senior David Rogers (Quinn Lord) has asked every girl in school to be his prom date except his best friend since the first grade, Heidi Watts (Bailee Madison). Of course, the only girl left to ask is Hollywood starlet Alex Allen (Shenae Grimes-Beech). Alex has recently been dumped by her boyfriend on the red carpet. Her publicist best friend Paige Sumner suggests doing some PR repair by accepting the kid's invitation. The media circus descends on the suburban neighborhood. Alex goes on the run and she falls for driver's ed teacher Mr. Walsh (Andrew W. Walker) after almost getting run over. He doesn't know who she is.

This Hallmark Channel romance is the lightest of rom-com. This is strictly a made-for-TV affair. The adult romance is weak. She's a Hollywood brat and he's bland. Neither are compelling and they probably deserve each other. I don't know why she shows up in class other than to engage in banter with Mr. Walsh and the story needs stirring. It's all rather sloppily and formulaically written. It's very manufactured. The pairing doesn't actually have any hurdles. It's not like it's a real date with David. Her best PR move is to bring David and Heidi together while having a fun time with the teacher. That's where the hijinx can happen. David is clueless and the mean girl can get in the middle. The kiddie romance has one good move which is telegraphed from the very beginning. It provides the only good acting pairing between Shenae and Bailee. The kids should be the stars of the movie but it insists on staying with the adults with their manufactured problems. I don't know why she's putting up decorations. The premise has potential but it goes down the wrong path.