A Valentine's Match

What a great movie . I notice Bethany does a lot of hallmark movie I'm not complaining. She really does a good job in these hall markntype of movies and her talent is so underrated. Anyways the movie was great her and the lead guy had wonderful chemistry and the acting was so believable

It seems that this movie takes place in Oregon (we see the plane landing at Portland International Airport when Natalie returns home). But is there a Hudson Valley in Oregon? Many times during the movie we see the sign on the barn that says "Hudson Valley's 25th Annual Valentine's Day Festival". Excuse me, but the Hudson Valley is in New York, just north of New York City.

A Valentine's Match was a pleasant surprise after the last few really bad Hallmark movies I have watched. These days it seems like a struggle to be able to even tolerate half of them, especially the newer ones. This movie was well acted and had a few touching scenes. Even though it was the usual done-a-hundred-times-before plot, I really enjoyed all of the characters and thought it was well put together.

This might've been cuter if the main characters were in high school but they aren't. The main characters are so immature, it's hard to believe they are adults. The mothers are so obviously manipulative yet the two leads seem oblivious to it. Most of it was so over acted that it would have worked as a silent film.

Really wanted to like 'A Valentine's Match' a lot more. The story is very familiar ground formula wise, but the premise sounded cute. Have also liked Bethany Joy Lenz and Luke Macfarlane in many other things, while finding the filmographies of both hit and miss both of them are very likeable actors that can never be accused of phoning in. Also have nothing against Hallmark, far from it, though they have always been wildly variable (especially their Christmas output).

'A Valentine's Match' did have some potential, but it never lives up to it. It lacks charm, is too overdone on the goofiness factor, it feels tired and it was very difficult to connect with the characters despite the efforts of the cast. Despite how all that sounds, 'A Valentine's Match' is not a complete dud and has its good things, but those good things are too far outweighed by the bad, and the worst of the bad things are very bad indeed. It is not one of the worst 2020 Hallmark films, but it only just about avoids being down there.

There are good things. The scenery is beautiful, almost always a given with Hallmark, and is nicely photographed. There are a few amusing and touching moments and glimpses of sweet chemistry.

Macfarlane is the best actor in the film, he is easy going and nicely subtle.

However, a lot is wrong. Lenz's character is agreed over the top annoying and she tries too hard to make her work, as a result the performance comes over as over-compensated and exaggerated (not like her at all). The rest of the cast also overact shamelessly and the supporting characters are caricatures with nothing whatsoever appealing about them, a notable example being the overdone manipulation. Macfarlane's character is the only character with any degree of likeability, but eventually he gets dull. He and Lenz have no chemistry together on the whole.

Furthermore, the script goes well overboard on the juvenile and exaggerated comedy, which is generally not all funny and feels forced. There is also too much of it and any charm and heart is generally lost. The story is very old-hat and has absolutely nothing new to it, also found it very bland and silly. The ending is too neat and leaves one exasperated. The direction is merely workmanlike if even that and there is nothing memorable or fitting about the music.

Overall, pretty mediocre. 4/10.