Newlywed and Dead

The latest in female amateur detectives from Hallmark Mystery casts Alexa PenaVega who is a video and still photographer and makes a living recording some meaningful moments for people.

Such as for her latest clients wedding couple Kurt Szarka and Lindsay Maxwell. But marriage is even shorter than one for Britney Spears. Szarka is shot dead on the floor with a small caliber pistol with the sound muffled.

Alexa's wedding work is examined thoroughly by the cops and the lead detective is Carlos PenaVega. Suspicion goes to Maxwell's brother John Kor, but we know that cannot be right.

Let's say that a fresh look at the pictures and video give Alexa and her sidekick in photography Trezzo Mahoro the defining clue. In fact they and the police had a wrong theory of the crime all around.

Nicely done story by a very well cast cast.

This is a typical, moderately entertaining B-movie. It is brought to us by husband-wife producers Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega. In fact they are also the two stars, she is a professional photographer and he is a crime detective in this Rhode Island community.

(Alexa is the same young actress, 11 at the time, almost 12, who starred as the daughter in the 2001 movie "Spy Kids" all those years ago.)

The movie begins with the big event, the bride and groom are having their first dance at the wedding reception when a bang is heard and quickly we see he was shot in the chest. He dies on the dance floor.

Alexa PenaVega is Allie Adams and her brother, a former boyfriend of the bride, is the first suspect. Carlos PenaVega is Sam Acosta, forer New York City detective now working in this community. Several leads arise, they begin to doubt their suspects, and as things are wrapping up most of us are surprised at the outcome.

This is a rather simple movie but the acting and production values are reasonably good and my wife and I were entertained, streaming on Amazon Prime after our usual Saturday evening steak and wine dinner.

This movie opens like a 1960's crime drama. Both actors are good. I think the writing is weak. Alexa and Carlos are believable. I just felt the script was a little rough.

Too many quiet moments drag the film down. After all, this is supposed to a fun light mystery....no one is wants numerous quiet moments when nothing happens, such as Sam (Carlos PenaVega) contemplating his chess game all alone and strumming his guitar to himself.

A good cast but they need to write larger parts for Trezzo Mohoro who plays Allie's assistant Noah. He provides great comic relief but we see far too little of him. Also Sunita Prasad is terrific in a smaller part, playing Maya. Also Allie's brother Greg played by Jon Cor is very good & easy on the eyes!

Good editing would have pared this film down to an hour tv show. Hopefully the writing & editing improves with the next one.

Photographer Allie Adams (Alexa PenaVega) is working her friend Jenna Cole's wedding. Everyone is on edge after a confrontation earlier when Allie's brother and Jenna's ex Greg showed up. Then, the groom Kevin is killed and Jenna accuses Greg. Sam Acosta leads the police investigation with Greg as the prime suspect.

Alexa PenaVega and her husband Carlos PenaVega seems to be long term employees of Hallmark. I remain unconvinced of their acting skills although they are well suited for these roles. The mystery is nothing special but it's good at maintaining suspicions about Greg. His innocence is never in doubt but he gives good guilty faces. This is nothing special. It is blandly uninspired. It is better than most Hallmark mysteries. It's a pretty low bar and it's able to step over it.