Sounds like most people complaining about the movie are bitter about the thought of being invited to a wedding
It was HOW the actress told the story to the girl that made her enthralled. The story itself was in fact good. Not sure what children's books y'all have been reading.
If you want a cute Hallmark movie whose plot actually gets complicated by there being no one-bad one-good scenario, this is one for you. If you find ice sculptures and winter art beautiful, this is one for you. Kevin Mcgarry shines again -- no clue why the reviews seem to criticize him -- he perfectly represents a nervous man who struggles to communicate. Maybe most the reviewers are women, but as a man, I think he was one of the best, most realistic Hallmark male characters I have yet too see -- and I've watched a lot of Hallmark! Rather than being what-girls-want, he was what-girls-experience... like in the real world.
The plotline was very fast-paced, so when it finally got to slow down and showcase more music (which is one of my favorite parts of Hallmark movies), it felt like such a reward and respite after a fast-paced, anxious, complicated-situation plotline. No one is the "bad guy" in this, and that may also have turned off some people. I, on the other hand, prefer a romance plotline where no one's just simply bad; rather, a lot of different urges and desires colliding with each other.
I teared up when the little girl told her story about the prince and princess and the bunny. The woman's storytelling was enthralling. I liked this year's trend of Hallmark movies dealing with authors and storytelling. I think it's a breath of fresh air from the local entrepreneur versus corporate trope they quite exhausted.
Definitely check out this movie and don't let the negative reviews deter you! The average rating is so high because people who came in expecting a good Hallmark movie got what they wanted and don't usually feel the need to review. I just decided to peak at the reviews today and was dismayed not to find a positive perspective, so I thought I would share mine. This is worth it for any Hallmark fans, fans of winter art, fans of fast-paced Hallmark movies, and fans of the recent trend of author-focused Hallmark movies. I guess I felt compelled to write this review primarily because the top review gave so little info and simply was a rant claiming the one scene of the woman telling a story indicates the child must have "low intelligence" to have enjoyed it... Can't believe people even gave credence to that...
