Betting on the Bride

This is a COMPLETE copy, down to the lines of movie. The original move was A Bride For Christmas and it had better actors...

Like almost an exact copy. Some of the script is exactly the same. The plot is almost exactly the same. I actually watched this one first and would've rated it maybe a 7, since I like cheesy Hallmark-type movies. But then I started watching A Bride For Christmas and I got really confused as to why they were the same. The other one was made first. Why was this movie even made at all? I understand using the same plot point of a bet but seriously, some of the lines are exactly the same. I don't understand.

Likeable characters, believeable acting, and a story line that was not overly dramatic or ridiculous. A pleasant hour-and-a-half spent; at the end of which, I was smiling and satisfied. I loved the fact that the sister character was not the stereotypical rom-com "best-friend." She was every bit as pretty and likeable as the main character (Mel).

It's a bad enough premise to begin with. Offensive actually, especially when combined with all the other misogyny. But this movie is the closest copy to another movie that I have ever seen without actually being a remake. It's actually closer than some remakes. Almost every significant plot point is the same.

The girl scouts were the best part of this movie and they brought out a few good laughs.

Sadly for me, I kind of liked Karissa Lee Staples and her relationship with Peter Mooney. It's too bad the woman really needs about 5 years of counseling before she's allowed out in public. And he family needs help too.

If you can get past the stinky premise, either one of these movies is OK, but not both.

PS I don't know if I was clear above that my biggest complaint about the movie is the misogyny and the cruelty, mostly early in the movie. The Bet is not just insulting to women (general) and the woman (Melanie), but the way his boss engineers it and persists with it is even worse. And the attitude of ownership by the third fiancée adds to it even more.

The fact that the movie is such a copy of the other one(s) is even worse given how insulting the premise was in the first place. The fact that my rating is as high as it is says a little about how much I enjoyed the interaction between the leads, oh and the girl scouts.

I adored this movie! It reminds us how love should be and why finding the person to spend the rest of our lives with is done with the heart, not the head! And it all starts with a bet!