I must confess, I do love the concept of the 'Godwink' series. A 'godwink' is an event or personal experience, often viewed as a coincidence, where God is trying to nudge you in the right direction. In the past, Hallmark has done a good job of balancing the religious and secular elements in the series. 'Miracle of Love', the fourth installment of the series, might be the exception to this for some viewers, as it does have a stronger religious undertone than, for example, last years' 'Second Chance, First Love'. The story in this one follows Joy (played by Katherine Barrell), a recent graduate with a master's in nursing who is still trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. After attending a seminar, she decides to volunteer as a fellow for a community service event called Advent in Oshkosh. There she meets Eric (played by Alberto Frezza), who is also volunteering as a fellow, working as a writer for the organization's newsletter. And so, our journey begins as we watch the two spend time together helping a family rebuild their home while, at the same time, discovering the feelings they have for one another. The story is slow-paced. Indeed, reading the other reviews, it seems some viewers found the story to be too slow, boring even. True, for much of the movie, it is mostly about Joy and Eric getting to know each other (while helping the family) and Joy's inner conflict concerning a life choice she must make. In other words, the excitement level for much of the movie isn't very high. I did find Joy's inner conflict somewhat problematic, morally speaking, and, thus, maybe it is a bit overdone. By the time we get to the climax of the film, though surprising, I did not engage with it as much as I would have thought. This is partly due to the slow-paced nature of the storyline (as just noted) and partly to do with how the event (the miracle) is attributed directly to Joy, as another reviewer pointed out. It felt odd or put differently, it is a bit too much. The acting, overall, is strong. Barrell and Frezza have convincing performances. Given that I am a fan of Wynonna Earp, I am familiar with seeing Barrell on-screen. I thought she did a good job portraying Joy's inner conflict (even if I thought the issue was problematic). Frezza too has an engaging performance as Eric, the wannabe writer. The two have good chemistry on-screen, which for me is the most appealing aspect of the film. Like another reviewer, I am a fan of the photos of the real people (the movie is based on) at the end. It provides a bit of authenticity to the story. All in all, it is a warm, slow-paced Christmas movie with a religious undertone. If you are a fan of the 'Godwink' series or prescribe to the 'God has a plan' mindset, you'll no doubt enjoy 'Miracle of Love'.
