Was very mixed on the 2016 Summer Nights Hallmark films. While really liking 'Summer Villa', which is my favourite of the block, 'My Summer Prince' underwhelmed me and with it being the only below average 2016 Summer Nights films it is the easy least favourite. Did like the premise and have liked some of the cast in other things, the most familiar name to me being Vivica A Fox, as someone who usually finds good premises and worthy casts big selling points for seeing anything that was more than enough reason to see it.
'Summer in the City' turned out to be quite good. As far as the 2016 Summer Nights films go, even with imperfections it is one of the better ones in my view. A great film it is not, but it is also a long way from terrible in my view (the complete anti-thesis of that), somewhere around high middle in ranking Hallmark's films for that year, which was a very up and down one that year. The Christmas output being especially variable, which was true for Hallmark's succeeding years as well.
It isn't perfect. Story wise, 'Summer in the City' is very formulaic, with everything in the story pretty much mapping out exactly as one would expect from any Hallmark film with this particular formula.
Did think that it was a little bit of a slow starter, with some awkwardness and Julianna Guill's character not immediately easy to warm to. Fox disappoints, she is usually a bright spot in her films (and she has been in a lot of bad ones) but here her boss character is an over the top cartoon and she comes over as rather too hammy for my liking.
Guill however is very charming and seems to be enjoying herself, and her character does become likeable when she relaxes. Marc Bendavid is a warmly charismatic and down to earth presence and their chemistry is genuine and sweet. Natasha Henstridge is suitably zesty. The characters may be cliched but have personality, on the most part appealing ones, and aren't too perfect or over flawed. Fox's is the one exception.
The script doesn't come over as too cheesy or schmaltzy and is both fun and sincere. The story is far from special, but it goes at a good pace and is heart-warming while not taking itself too seriously. The music fits nicely and isn't used too much or overpowers, while the direction is well above routine level. Production values are lovely, New York always is a delight.
Overall, worth seeing. 7/10.
