Just the Way You Are

Now that was a different Hallmark movie for sure! It starts out in a love relationship, married with kids, lasts up to 15 years, then they have to work on rekindling the flame that was there all along, it just needed a little shove in the right direction. It was different because it wasn't really about FINDING NEW LOVE, more than it was about FINDING THE LOVE THEY HAD AND LOST in each other. What a sweet movie indeed! It was a Mother's Day movie too. This would have been better to watch around Mother's Day instead, but I hadn't seen it yet and I enjoyed it a lot. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries pick great movies to view. Some of them might be corny and cheesy love stories, but I like most of them. Give it a shot! Record it on your DVR and watch it on Mother's Day with your mom. My absolute favorite part of this movie was the 'front porch' idea. It was the gathering place when I grew up. What happened to them!

for fans of romance, it is a wise choice. because it is different and well made and seductive. for the others - like me - , it could be a not bad choice. for the generous theme of marriage crisis as result of lost of flame. for the decent performances. and, sure, for beginning and the end - father Bob remembering so well Obama -. in same measure, the film has few virtues who are smart used . one - Rukiya Bernard as Claire who did an admirable job. the second - the front porch as symbol of family. the dance. the return to hobbies of youth - baseball , taco, song, dance. it is a beautiful film for the science to reflect a mature love. sure, using clichés and predictable recipes. but in a reasonable way. and this transforms it in a real, real seductive romance.

A couple (Candace Cameron Bure, Ty Olsson) married for fifteen years struggle to put the spark back in their marriage. Unfortunately, they also struggle to put some spark into this movie. I usually enjoy Candace Cameron Bure's TV movies a lot. But this one was just so blah. The leads have very weak chemistry. Candace does a decent job but she's better in lighter, more comedic roles. She's gorgeous though and when the movie does lighten up she shines. The highlight of the entire movie is the batting scene. There is the charm and adorableness that I watch a CCB movie for. She's really the only reason to recommend this, although I think it will test the patience of even her biggest fans. Ty Olsson is more of a problem. I know him from a variety of guest appearances on TV shows. He's not a bad actor but honestly, and this will sound like more of a slam than it's intended to be, he's just not leading man material. I'm baffled as to why he was cast in this part.

To be fair to Olsson, I doubt even a stronger leading man would have saved this. It's just very clichéd material that fails to connect with its audience. Perhaps if the characters weren't so successful and perfect I might have cared more about them and their ONE problem. I mean, really, I rolled my eyes at these two so much while watching. "Oh no my life is only 85% perfect instead of 100. Woe is me." The biggest drawback to the movie is that it's so dull. I will give props to them for using the original Billy Joel song instead of some generic knock-off by a no-name singer, which is what I tend to expect from these things. Yeah they let the girl sing it in the end but there was an in-story reason for that. Prior to that every time they play it, it's Joel.

I've read that Candace thinks this is the best TV movie she's done yet. Just goes to show how actors and viewers aren't always on the same page because I think this was one of her worst. It's not a romantic comedy, as IMDb has it listed currently. It does have some light parts but it's really a romantic drama and not a particularly original or interesting one.

The movie was watchable, but the movie was full of entitled and privileged people simply bumping into one another. No real problems that most people face. The wife appeared to be upset with the husband because he was serious about his job. Didn't she want that huge mortgage to get paid??

Both the wife and the husband had their hearts in the right place which can be a rarity nowadays. Families stick together in tough times. I don't know why the rating is so low here but the movie is done well. Old school, a true spouse supports the other and not create more problems. Even during their fights, there was no shouting. I think this is how a marriage should be and not what's shown in "A Marriage story".