Have never had any bias for or against Hallmark, and have always watched their films since starting my quest in the latter half of 2019 with an open mind and with a real effort with knowing what to expect. They have done some good, some bad or worse and plenty that is in between those extremes, so as has been said in other reviews for some of their previously seen output their filmography is pretty variable. While not being overly enamoured by the premise, there was potential for it to be charming.
To me, 'Hometown Hero' was not terrible. It was also not great, or particularly good. It was merely okay that left me rather conflicted. There are good things here, such as a couple of good performances. There are also some major debits that really spoil things, much of it story-related. If asked whether 'Hometown Hero' is recommended, my answer is that it is worth a one time watch but there is not enough to it to make it much more than that.
As said, a couple of good performances can be seen here. Brooke Nevin is on the most part controlled and at ease in her part, and makes an effort in not making her too perfect or exaggerating the flaws (apart from initially trying too hard with the cynicism). Megyn Price plays one of the most relatable and better developed characters with heart and charm. The best thing about 'Hometown Hero' is the dog, who is absolutely adorable with a lot of personality.
Furthermore, Rhonda's subplot is heartfelt and warm-hearted. It is the only one of the subplots that comes over near flawlessly, faltering only with ending on an incomplete note. It's a nice looking film.
Really do have to agree with the criticisms regarding Jake Sandvig, who comes over as stiff and never comes over as comfortable or involved. He and Nevin don't have much chemistry, where the communication is a mix of awkward and barely existent and the relationship itself is too abruptly and out of the blue introduced with no prior development. The characters are not developed enough, with only Rhonda and the dog coming over as real people.
Script on the whole is mundane and lacks spark, it never sounds natural as well. The story does try to cram in too many subplots that don't ever properly connect together and feel like more than one film in one, giving it a very disjointed feel. Also agree with the music being too constant and over-bearing, plus it sounded like the composer had written the music with no idea of what genre the film was (that's how ill-fitting it was). The direction has no character and really struggles to sustain momentum or stop the story from sprawling.
In conclusion, merely okay. 5/10.
