An Unexpected Valentine

There was good chemistry between the leads, Lacey Chabert continues to be the queen of Hallmark movies. But all the driving around New York City, going very fast and always finding a way to pull over to a vacant curb doesn't seem realistic. And we have another Hallmark movie where someone takes a selfie with a camera that has a telephoto lens. That doesn't work. Hard to believe that they made all those stops driving around the city and still got to their events. Timeline does not seem right. That doesn't work either! But the chemistry was good, worth a watch. Supporting cast and scenery was also good.

Hallmark really knows how to deliver the goods! Their first premiere in February is An Unexpected Valentine, featuring the beloved Lacey Chabert alongside Robert Buckley from Chesapeake Shores. When Hannah (Chabert) and Finn (Buckley) cross paths on Valentine's Day, they embark on a whirlwind adventure through New York City to return a lost engagement ring and make sure another couple's day goes off without a hitch. Chabert recently lit up screens in The Christmas Quest, marking her fifteenth holiday film for Hallmark Media. She's also been in A Merry Scottish Christmas, Haul Out the Holly, Groundswell, and the Wedding Veil trilogies. Plus, you can catch her in Hot Frosty on Netflix. It's easy to see why she's a perfect fit for these feel-good TV movies-she brings so much charm and grace to her roles.

And let's not forget about Robert Buckley! He played Evan Kincaid in the last two seasons of Chesapeake Shores and has been in a bunch of Hallmark flicks like The Christmas House, Love in Store, and Blind Date Book Club. He's also known for his roles in Hart of Dixie, One Tree Hill, and Ghost Whisperer.

This movie is a delightful and laid-back rom-com that's a blast to watch!

With a whole host of Hallmark movies that are hard to differentiate from each other; this one doesn't just step out of the box, it leaps. And the leap pays off.

Excellent and original script, charming characters, some romance & humor and it was shot beautifully.

As the characters drive through NYC, searching for the owner of a ring, they experience all forms of Valentine's Day - couples in various stages of their relationships. It's done with fun, instead of the typical schlocky romance you might get in a movie like this.

Robert Buckley and Lacey Chabert are really good, letting us watch their attraction grow as we get to know them through one evening of various Valentine celebrations.

I can be cynical when it comes to these movies, but this won me over. I loved everything about it.

The story is not important in this movie. The allure is in the time spent on screen between Lacey Chabert and Robert Buckley. The chemistry is great and the two of them are completely in sync. There are great lines. There are great moments. There is a little physical comedy, but not in a big way.

Mostly it is just two people who never met before on a quest in downtown New York City to find the owner of the engagement ring that was left behind in Finn's car. Along the way, they make a lot of stops. Some are in hopes of finding the owner. There are others involving deliveries. And a couple of rest stops.

If there were any of the usual check-off items for a rom/com, there were barely noticeable. Oh, there were the main character's close friends egging them on to pursue love, but I really didn't notice anything else cliche. Unless you count the inevitable.

7.3 stars.

I would classify this as a laid-back romance that is unusual for Hallmark. I've seen Hallmark produce movies like this but not in many years. This is a tribute to some of the older stuff they did maybe back around 2005 through 2012 give or take. It doesn't fit into the usual formula, however, it still has the same feeling of all the usual movies they produce. They simply inserted a completely foreign storyline, utilizing the hallmark blueprint.

It's the story of a man who delivers things in his large SUV around NYC. He also transports people, somewhat like an Uber driver. The rest of the film is about an adventure between the man and the woman as they try to find the owner of a lost engagement ring. They drive around the city for several hours. They both have prior engagements that they need to attend so they are on a time crunch.

It's a very laid-back and feel good film. The romantic aspects didn't knock me off my feet, but it was original enough to entertain without the usual over used tropes.