La bataille des mariés

I am kind of annoyed with this Hallmark romantic comedy...you either love someone or you don't. Being with them is not about making your career aspirations come true.

This film starts in a very dark place with a couple making the decision to break up, but before they are able to tell their family they are ambushed with the surprise that they are one of four couple contestants on a popular national morning show to win a "wedding of a lifetime".

Initially their plan becomes have a good time meanwhile intentionally loosing the contest. Right from the beginning they let a competitive couple from Chicago get under their skin...and then it is game on!

Filled with ridiculous tv game show like trivialities...there is more "comedy" than romance in this film.

I will say I was glad they didn't end with them going through with the paid for wedding. The ending in fact was the best and most romantic part of the entire film.

To my romantics...I am sorry to say that I would probably give this movie a miss.

As to the story not being original, you don't have to look far in Brooke D'Orsay's resume to find another movie with a wedding contest story. The two have some big differences, but both are based on circumstances being out of control for the bride and groom.

I expected that and a story that was out of control as well. This story does push the envelope of silly situations, which are a negative for me, but it manages not to go so far as to lose me altogether. Just when things are going crazy, there are some sweet moments to pull it back.

Given that silliness is frequently intentional, the acting is good. The dialogue is good. I thought there was great chemistry between D'Orsay and Jonathan Bennett. The story follows one of the more obvious paths but then takes a turn that surprised me.

I won't regurgitate the plot, but this one really shines on several fronts. First it was an unusual plot for Hallmark. Not pulled out of the usual grab-bag of tricks. The acting was top notch from the leads. Brooke D'Orsay always adds a certain sweetness and authenticity to her roles, but this one gave her more comedy and drama to work with. Her heartbreak at the beginning of the film was very touching. I loved that they acted like mature adults despite some tense situations. Even when they had an argument, they were were still supportive of each other. The next day after the blow-up, they even apologized to each other.

Last but not least, instead of the "Big Misunderstanding" with 15-20 minutes to go, darned if they didn't have the exact opposite. The crisis actually brought them together even closer.

To add to the positives, the secondary cast was great, and didn't have the usual predictable reactions. The bickering host couple was very funny, and I loved that the publicity from the show saved their businesses.

I think that this is one of the best Hallmark movies I've seen in a long time. The two lead actors were perfectly cast they had such chemistry. The entire cast was wonderful. Hallmark must have hired new writers because it seems like they did not follow the standard formula with this movie. Brooke was wonderful as always. She is such a beautiful actress. The scenery was also beautiful. I hope that the writers and directors at Hallmark continue to think outside the box and produce more movies like this one. That is all I have to say about this movie and the actors and actresses in the movie....

I enjoyed this romantic comedy. When I mentioned this new movie I was going to watch, my daughter thought the leads would not be a good fit. They have very different personalities onscreen.

But I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the actors and their interactions together. I have a new respect for Jonathan Bennett as an actor. He is versatile, and this was a good fit. Brooke D'Orsay is always a great watch.

The couple had some serious and poignant moments for the first 20 minutes of the film.

Then the comedic situations arose and the two were excellent physical comedians. There were a few laugh out loud moments.

Towards the end there were some over the top situations which thankfully didn't last, and the final ending was perfect. These two were outstanding, imo.