Flip That Romance

You're never gonna get too much deviation from a typical Hallmark storyline - past relationship, running away, death of a loved one, misunderstanding etc. This one had a novel twist of Julie Gonzalo & Tyler Haynes as past lovers, doing up one side each of a duplex, which first becomes fiercely competitive between the two and then becomes National as a magazine gets people to vote which property is now the best. Both leads were good in this role although Julie's character is a bit oversensitive. Pretty good.

Jules Briggs (Julie Gonzalo) is shocked to find that former lover and rival house flipper Lance Waddell (Tyler Hynes) has returned to town to help his father. The combative duo fight over the same property in a public auction. She ends up overpaying. It turns out that he's working on the other side of the same duplex. They challenge each other to a bet and it becomes a media story.

She's good at being flustered. He's fine at provoking her although he could be better. Their chemistry is good. It's fine as a Hallmark romance. I expect that Gonzalo will continue to be a Hallmark regular. Hynes has a simple unthreatening persona which Hallmark seems to like. Quite frankly, I'd like to see Gonzalo be teamed up with a more energetic partner and set up a more combative chemistry.

I like Hallmark movies but I'm getting tired of the main female character being a witch with a chip on her shoulder. Why does Hallmark think all women are like that?

I love the banter and chemistry between the two main characters. Definitely keeps your attention through the whole movie. The guy who plays Lance is probably my new favorite male hallmark actor!

Say what you will about Hallmark movies, but their pattern to love is consistent: one person is usually snarky, they may have known each other "in the past," they are on competing sides, they may have broken up with a recent beau, etc. The fun take in this version is the "Love it or Leave it" (HDTV) feel between the two characters. The banter is not much unlike the "Property Brothers" as well. The two protagonists as house renovators was a welcomed new theme. It was also nice to see Cardi Wong play a BFF to one of the main characters for a change.