Pane, amore e bacon

Despite liking Michael Rady a lot, even in the films of his that are not good (where he has nearly always been a redeeming quality), the groan-worthy title that takes corn and cringe to a whole new level dampened things. Am also not a big fan of Natalie Hall and have been unimpressed by too many of her performances. Still saw 'You're Bacon Me Crazy' as somebody who is on a Hallmark completest binge and who has liked enough of their 2020 output.

'You're Bacon Me Crazy', the second Spring Fling film from 2020 (the first being 'Just My Type'), is better than the title suggests, and is a tolerable effort. It to me is still not particularly good, a case of starting off quite well but running out of steam in most areas later on. It is not one of the best 2020 Hallmark films, but a lot worse was done that year as well. 'You're Bacon Me Crazy' is somewhere around low middle and one of those films that doesn't offend but also doesn't wow in most areas.

Rady is the best thing about 'You're Bacon Me Crazy'. He is such a natural on screen and is a charmer, also looking very relaxed. Liked his character too, the only one to not feel one-dimensional and the only one one warms to straight away. The supporting cast are solid too, everybody gives their all without going too broad.

The production values are decent too, with the scenery being especially lovely. The first half is very pleasant, it has energy, amusing comic timing and is cute without going over the top on that.

However, Hall, apart from relaxing a little later, comes over as immature and overacts. Or at least she over-exaggerates her already exaggerated in writing character's flaws, not much here is done making the female lead character easy to like. The characters generally weren't developed well and were typical Hallmark cliches. Typical Hallmark sums up the plot very well too, which is pretty formulaic. Especially the too pat final quarter, which can be seen a mile away.

Despite starting off well, as said 'You're Bacon Me Crazy' runs out of steam. The momentum goes, in pacing (where it gets dull) and the writing (which gets perfunctory at best), the plotting thins out and becomes increasingly predictable and contrived. While the chemistry is there in spades, the relationship feels rushed and not focused upon enough. The script is too heavy on the cheese and the direction and music are routine.

In summary, tolerable but not particularly good. 5/10.

I don't understand all the moaning about this film, I actually thought it was one of the better Hallmark films, with characters who seemed vaguely normal.

Yes, they all very much follow a format, but this was well-played out and good fun.

Cute story. Likable characters. There was a pretty big error though. Movie takes place in Portland with Food Trucks. We have food carts set up in food cart pods. If there are any Food trucks, I have seen a few, they don't drive around like they do in other cities.

Cleo Morelli (Natalie Hall) has a food truck in Portland. She encounters Gabe (Michael Rady) who just arrived with his own food truck. She makes Italian sandwiches. His truck is called Mo-Bacon. It's all fair in love and war and food. There is a first annual food truck competition with a grand prize of $100k.

I want more food work. Sure it's a Hallmark romance movie but it's the title that got me. They need to do more montages of food preparation and they need to do it better. It needs to be thrilling and beautiful. Also I've never had a persimmon which makes it hard to judge the creation. There isn't much in drama which is fine for Hallmark but then it tries to manufacture some. Characters need to stop trying to open a restaurant. Restaurants always fail. Get another truck. Here's an idea. Marry the two trucks and create a new food truck idea. They could do all fruit-based sandwiches. In the end, the food is fine. The actors are fine. The story is fine. It's all fine for Hallmark and it's got a great title.

While there are a number of establishing shots of Portland, mostly from overhead, the locations for filming are in Canada, which is common for Hallmark movies.

A young lady operating a very popular sandwich food truck gets some competition from a new truck in town, one that specializes in bacon. There isn't much friction, but some, so you know what the story love arc will be. And the story involves a competition, if she can win the $100,000 then she can re-open her grandfather's old restaurant.

My wife and I enjoy the occasional Hallmark movie, they are always pleasant as this one is. This one is part of a two-movie set on a DVD from our public library.

The movie was filmed in February 2020, just before the COVID pandemic became widespread. There is a late scene, supposedly on May 8, 2020, with people gathered in a group to hear results of the competition. Ironically it turned out in May 2020 you could not have had that scene without face coverings.