En Busca Del Amor

I am surprised that Hallmark would pick up an independent film like this. They are hit and miss, but I enjoy them because they don't follow formula. Some small favors in the wake of covid I guess. There is the basic premise, woman goes back home and reconnects with old boyfriend, but Hallmark doesn't have the patent on that. Some people will find this boring because they are not used to seeing something that quietly focuses on two characters rather than alot of silly, contrived and overused situations. Thankfully this is missing the evil bf/gf, perma-smiles, town festivals, baking contests, and saving the small business that actually went extinct about 3 decades ago. Maybe Hallmark can get a few clues from this film.

It does have the pitfalls of a low bugdet - the horrid tertiary characters and inappropriate music. Loud jazz piano while strolling through the woods? Awful. But I will forgive that because while none of these movies are realistic, this at least is plausible and sweet. I enjoyed the story and the leads' acting. Unlike some real life Hallmark couples, this married acting duo manage to connect and portray actual emotions. No cheesy embarrassing declarations here. Good job.

While I faithfully watch all new Hallmark movies, I'm so thankful to COVID for slowing the factory down. I really love the older Hallmark movies they're showing, and the outside productions like "Midway to Love." This move was refreshing because it's outside the formula. The characters also felt more realistic than the normal Hallmark fare. I think even my husband would like it.

Lovey scenery, believable, good for when you don't want a movie with a lot of put on drama and complications. Allows you to breathe and relax.

I really liked this one primarily due to the likability of the two principals and their chemistry together. Daniel Stine plays an unconventional though very appealing looking hero who was an unlikely match with Dr. Rachel, who was sharp of mind and looks. Mitchell, her love interest was kind of shlubby looking. Kind of a Vince Vaughn type. She is a famous big earning Doctor (a psychoanalyst) and he is a fourth grade teacher. I do like unconventional pairings so much more that the typical beautiful person falls in love with another beautiful person. It adds intrigue, anticipation, and a layer of emotional depth. I liked that although he was not her equal in terms of career choice or "typical" good looks, he didn't grovel at her feet.

That's it though. The story was unremarkable and, Of course, predictable. The career crisis was interesting and although Dr. Rachel put up with the indignities meted out by the villains way too long, when she did leave, it was a pretty satisfactory scene.

The constant production line of Hallmark's mostly formulaic movies means that it is often the presence of established actors like Danica McKellar, Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliot or Cameron Mathison which make the difference between fun and watchable or a bland marshmallow experience. Selecting a film with unknown leads almost then becomes a game of chance as to whether the film will be engaging or will require a hasty exit after 30 minutes.

Midway To Love is such a film, with unknown leads and a micro sized cast to carry it along. The result though is an unexpected triumph mainly due to the gigantic sized heart at its centre.

Rachel Hendrix (as Rachel) and Daniel Stine (as Mitchell) are both small town characters who escaped to the big time with differing results. Rachel made it big in New York and never returned, Mitchell didn't and returned home empty handed to teach instead. Their subsequent reuniting is handled very sensitively and you are drawn into their world as they try to reclaim some of the magic that carried their friendship through school. In particular, Stine does a great job portraying the pain of someone who has gone from being the high school hero to a real life zero but has then re-built his life as a popular teacher in town.

The interplay between Hendrix and Stine is authentically performed and you actually feel these are real people with real lives who once loved each other. There is also some solid support from Joe Gatton as Rachel's doctor Dad who as the town doctor somehow manages to live in a palatial mansion with a sweeping driveway.

The film has standout moments - the restaurant scene with the two leads lost in a dance to a lovely tune from Beth Dean called, aptly enough, The One That Got Away. The dialogue scenes next to the river bed are filled with reminiscences and an underlying sadness for something long gone

Overall the micro cast and limited locations give it a feeling of being a play rather than a film. Even the obligatory cute kid adds depth to the plot.

The ending of course is pure Hallmark but it doesn't matter since the proceeding 90 minutes contain the important bits about finding and losing love and then finding it again.