Love Strikes Twice

Not schmaltzy. Great lead character. Made me smile. Little gems like this are so easy to miss in among the blockbusters. More of this type of film please.

A different movie than usual featuring time travel similar to Back to the Future and a caper familiar to fans of Leverage. Second chances are what we all wonder about and this movie shows how small decisions can lead to big results later.

Katie Findlay is not only adorable, she is an incredibly skilled actress. Her performance was outstanding, as her facial expressions and physicality were crucial in creating a believable comic character. She is a real star and if Hallmark is smart they'd sign her to a long term contract.

Hallmark Movies made prior to 2018 had interesting storylines, twists, funny, and characters beyond the same ol same' ol cast. I rarely rewatch any Hallmark movies made in the last few years. They are boring and so predictable despite the fantastic scenary and locations. This movie meets all the criteria above and is worth re-watching. Take note Hallmark to all your advertisers.

Starts out slow and doesn't really have a hook that sucks you in, but if you give it time it actually does get better and funnier. Kate Findlay's comedic timing is on point, her facial acting is sublime, and eventually she will win you over with her charm when at first she's not all that likeable. Bonus points for the thinly veiled James Bond theme as she & her "future husband" pull off a little caper. Most of all not a stereotypical Hallmark movie which is a refreshing change. The only thing that needs addressed is a note to the director that pretending a movie is set in America only works if you remind your Canadian actors to say "owt" & "abowt" and not "oot" & "aboot" because it's just jarring to an American ear.

I hate the do-over premise where the person is plopped down into a situation she knows nothing about and is expected to bring about her happily ever after and instead is more likely to be committed for acting crazy. This movie doesn't do that. Maggie knows exactly what's going on.

I also hate that so many of these movies start out with a competent young woman who just had a great success and her boss dangles a promotion in front of her. There's nothing wrong with it, except how often it's used.

So what's good about this movie? The story is just a bit different. Maybe I should have, but I really didn't know where the story was going. I made a good guess about the ultimate outcome, but I wasn't completely confident it would turn out according to my guess.

The dialogue is sparkling. Maggie's character is fun and interesting. Like the dialogue she is witty, which is good because much of the dialogue is hers. And .Katie Findlay delivers her lines brilliantly.

The movie isn't exactly a traditional rom/com because the screen time normally spent on relationships is instead spent on the quest to save the library. It involves non-romantic activities like peaceful civic protests, court time, and digging up secrets about the opposition. There's barely any time on relationships. The quest dominates the screen time. As a result, the story is fresh.

The premier broadcast of this movie has a trivial but highly irritating flaw. Maggie receives a text late in the movie. It is mostly obscured by banner advertising by the channel.