'Designed with Love' (2021)
Opening thoughts: 2021's 'Designed with Love' did sound very charming, even if the plot synopsis was nothing earth shattering and it did have potential to be very cheesy. My Hallmark/Lifetime/UPtV etc film completest quest, that is still ongoing with no intent to stop just yet, has been a very uneven endeavour but an interesting one with some real winners. Liked the setting too, always interesting seeing films cantered around fashion.
Mostly, 'Designed with Love' was a winner when taking it for what it is and what it was aiming to do. It is not a great film and if anybody doesn't like it that would be understandable as it doesn't completely escape the traps this premise has. It was for me nonetheless very cute, inoffensive, undemanding fun that doesn't try to do any more than it needed to.
Bad things: It is easy to see why anybody may be critical of 'Designed with Love'. It does tend to be very cheesy, and for my tastes it was a little too much so in the first quarter. Quite a lot of lines are rather forced sounding.
Will agree that the central relationship was a little more sibling-like than romantic to begin with. There is a predictable final third that is not unlike endings for similar films with the same, or similar, setting.
Good things: Having said that, Kelly Van der Berg and Benjamin Sutherland are appealing leads. Despite my reservations of how their relationship was more reminiscent of in the writing, the chemistry was there and it was sweet and natural. Elise Braum is zesty support. The characters engaged and didn't do anything that irritated me, even if quite typical for the genre. Van Der Burg's character actually inspired me.
Furthermore, it is nicely shot and the locations picturesque. Standing out visually were the fashions, which were very colourful and cleverly designed. The music fitted quite well and wasn't too low key or repetitive. It is assuredly directed and there are some cute and witty lines. The story while predictable is very cute and endearingly light hearted, the charm never going. The message is inspiring and relevant today, nothing preachy about its delivery either.
Closing thoughts: Overall, pleasant.
7/10.