The 2016 Summer Nights block was a mixed bag but mostly actually in retrospect pretty good. Certainly much better than the June Weddings output that year especially, where there was only one good film. While liking 'Summer Villa' and 'Summer Love' a lot, 'My Summer Prince' did very little for me. Have liked Pascale Hutton in other things and she is the most familiar name to me actually, am aware that for many others it would be Debbie Gibson and fair enough.
'Summer of Dreams' is pleasant enough and is better than its follow up, 2018's 'Wedding of Dreams'. It is though a bit half and half as a film and not particularly great, a good number of good things are here but also some not so good things too big to overlook. As far as the 2016 Summer Nights films go, 'Summer of Dreams' is possibly second weakest, though a lot better than 'My Summer Prince'. While not being either among the best or worst films for Hallmark that year.
As said, there are good things. The scenery is lovely and photographed lovingly. Hutton has the most likeable and real character and gives a very honest and charming performance, her dialogue is the best in the film too with the advice being relatable and well intentioned. Some of the music is also quite pleasant.
Robert Gant is also charming and looks very natural in front of the camera, his smile is lovely and more natural than Gibson's, and does have some decent chemistry with Gibson. Enough of the story is light hearted, heart-warming and sincere.
Having said all of this, 'Summer of Dreams' is not great. Did find Gibson rather wooden and she could have had a wider variety of emotions and less of the slightly too forced smiling. While there is chemistry between her and Gant, the relationship itself is not developed very well (her chemistry with Hutton actually has more heart) and could have been warmer. The music has pleasant moments as said, but too much of it also sounds dated within the film and Gibson's singing at times sounds tired.
Did find the dialogue too stilted too often and too heavy on the sentimentality, while the story is predictable and unevenly paced, with some dragging going on in the second half where the story got thinner. The ending is too neat, but that's not uncommon for Hallmark.
In summary, not a great film but not bad either. 6/10.
