14 Love Letters

This was an amazing movie. It had all the elements to make a movie delightful. The story line was interesting and the narrator of the poems made them come to life. The actors made their characters believable, which helped you to enjoy the story. Even the student in the class helped to smooze out an awkward situation.

Everything from the scenery, music and story line was great. I also loved that Kallie and Jackson told so much in this story by their expressions. Like when Jackson beamed while introducing Kallie to Mr. Fisher, These two have great chemistry and Hallmark should pair them together again.

Jackson has purchased part of Kallie's family ranch from her mother...the problem, he wants it all to start a therapy riding ranch. Unfortunately, recluse and avid mystery reader Kallie not only doesn't want to sell, but she uses her part for her goats who are needed for her goat milk products soap business. Kallie starts receiving historic love letters anonymously in her mailbox and in order to figure out who is sending them she starts going out with two of the town's bachelors, a teacher and a doctor...but could the letters be coming from someone a little closer to home.

Surprisingly decent story. I really appreciated the reading of the love letters and the slow farm chores...including the very realistic ever escaping goat! Slow build romance that was delightful. This was my first time seeing both Rebecca Sears and Franco Lo Presti and I think they both knocked it out of the park. Great addition to the Hallmark romance vault.

If you like poetry, especially historically famous poetry, then the first half of this movie will appeal to you more than it did to me. I'm deaf when it comes to poetry.

This movie is based on the secret admirer premise but about half way through there is a very nice twist. Fooled me completely. The reveal is not long after that and it is a little twisty also. That leads into the conflict which is where I had trouble following the why's of it. I thought Kallie overreacted and getting things put back together was a little rough.

I really liked the muffin metaphor toward the end.

Vanessa Sears and Franco Lo Presti were OK together but by no means sizzling chemistry.

I can't say much for the dialogue and there were a lot of sequences with little or no dialogue.

Another reviewer characterized this movie as slow. That's fair, but I was actually OK with the slower pace which matched the pace of the ranch life depicted. And lots of pleasant scenery complimented the generally pleasant characters. But I didn't buy the "conflict" that inexplicably drove the budding lovers apart. It seemed forced.

Another reviewer insightfully noted that "manufacturing food and skin care products at home can be problematic." That's true, and Hallmark is notorious for making movies in which economic and regulatory realities are blatantly ignored, as they were again here (did anyone work at the farm or the ranch besides Kallie and Jackson?)

Also, and it's admittedly a minor point, but if Mr. Fisher was like a "second father" to Jackson, why does Jackson call him "Mr. Fisher"?

I thought the movie was mostly pleasant (though not great) and it was refreshing, and surprising, to watch a Hallmark movie with multiple suitors without any of them being easy to dismiss caricatures. I could see Kallie ending up with any one of them.

Also, one of the best and most surprising things about the movie was the music. There were several very good songs by Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound. I also liked other songs by Campbell and Johnston's Black Market Band and The Redhill Valleys (thanks Shazam!)

But one of the WORST parts of the movie was when the "journalist", in a mean spirited fit of jealousy initiated an extraordinarily awkward, inexplicable, and cringeworthy moment. Which was then quickly followed by some VERY unflattering moments that portrayed Kallie as a VERY selfish and self involved person with no empathy or understanding.

Fortunately, there was a nice follow up scene where everything was explained in a satisfying way.

Final thought: when the annoying trope of the "almost kiss" occurred, the phrase Goatus Interruptus came to mind.

I thought this was a precious movie. The main characters had amazing chemistry. Kallie is a genuine character who I couldn't help but cheer for throughout the movie. Job well done!