The Memory Book

'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.

"The memory book " was one of those rare movie that inspired you to look for the deeper meaning of life and the mystery that floated around the puzzle piece called 'Love'

All the characters played their roles with just the right amount of emotion and passion.It was only towards the end that i remembered the fact that this movie was a Hallmark TV movie. The plot, the characters and the general feel of the movie was that original.

I think i learned a thing or too from this movie at the end..The one line that really struck me was something i heard towards the end.

"You cant live other people's life for them...you've got to define what you want."

This movie taught me just because Love didn't work out for everybody else around you , doesn't mean its going to end up the same way for me... i get to define what i want and 'perfect' was never it.

So maybe..just maybe there's some hope ill be living happily in love someday.

I'm not sure how I missed this back in 2014! Watched it on Hallmark Drama and thought it was wonderful. The story is sweet. There is great chemistry between the leads. Nice seeing Adrienne Barbeau again. She's still gorgeous. It was a sweet story about finding lost love and current love - and finding your own calling.

What a wonderful romantic/mystery film that delivered a lot more than I ever expected from another Lifetime movie. Lead actress Meghan Ory plays a professional expressionist photographer named Chloe Davenport who purchases a complete stranger's 1970's Memory Book from a flea market. The Memory Book piques Chloe's interest to find the actual owner of this romantic historical portfolio of this unknown couple's young and genuine romance captured in the pictures contained in their memory book.

The big question is....who would ever relinquish their loving memory book with their personal lifetime of romantic memories and how did it end up being sold for a mere $10 at a local flea market? In walks an amateur photo critic named Gabe Sinclair (Luke Macfarlane) while Chloe has an art exhibit underway at a local gallery and with every word that comes out of Gabe's mouth in his attempt to describe his personal opinion of Chloe's photos on the art wall he keeps burying himself further and further into Chloe's bad books.

Eventually Gabe and Chloe meet again under more pleasant circumstances and slowly but surely Gabe makes up for his initial blunder and criticism of Chloe's photo art exhibit. Their two personalities could not be any more different but isn't that what true romantics say? "Opposites do attract!" As Chloe explains to Gabe her interest in the strangers Memory Book she just purchased and her need to find the owner and hear the owner(s) romantic story Gabe takes it upon himself to spontaneously move forward with the investigation. Gabe decides on his own to do some of his own investigating of what each romantic picture in the mysterious Memory Book means that also sets Chloe on an unexpected and spontaneous adventure with Gabe leading the way with the reluctant and very cautious Chloe who has little interest (at first) in getting to know Gabe on any personal level.

As with rock and ballad singer Rod Stewart's famous album "Every Picture Tells A Story" so did each of the pictures in the enclosed Memory Book tell a story that Gabe boldly chose to take Chloe off of her feet and explore each of these stories behind each of the pictures. As the Memory Book mystery gradually is unfolded by Gabe's and Chloe's dogged approach so does the relationship between these two forlorn and cautious lovebirds. I will admit it, I had uncontrollable tears flowing a few times as the director Paul A. Kaufman did an excellent job in bringing out the best performances not only in Gabe and Chloe's performances, but also in the mysterious Sarah Lund (Adrienne Barbeau) and Jack Dodd (Art Hindle) whose romantic pictures tell their true story.

How this particular romantic/mystery film kept my attention without becoming just another notch in the string of so-so Lifetime films is a credit to the writer Duane Pool, the director Paul A. Kaufman, and the four main stars, Meghan Ory (Chloe), Luke Macfarlane (Gabe), and the mysterious romantic couple Adrienne Barbeau (Sarah) and Art Hindle (Jack/Jonathan). I found this made for TV movie was deserving of more than one Academy Award nomination even though it was a made for TV film and only entitled to the Emmy awards.

This is truly a film classic worth watching multiple times that I will be sure to purchase and pop into my Blu Ray player from time to time and watch with Mrs. Shullivan to remind ourselves that any good romance comes with both its share of good times, hardships and true love in varying proportions, but all contain our memories worth cherishing.

A perfect 10 for 10

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.