Amore a Big Sky River

I watch Hallmark movies as a pleasant escape from the realities of 21st century life. However, this movie drew me into the reality of fractured relationships and messy divorces. Anyone, and that's a lot of us, who has gone through toxic breakups where children are involved can relate to this story. I really enjoyed the performances by. Emmanuelle Vaugier, Kavan Smith, and Cassidy Nugent as the daughter caught in the middle of a very difficult situation. I also enjoyed the direction by Peter Benson who inserted himself into the story as the clueless ex more interested with his next marriage rather than his daughter. This is a role he has played in other Hallmark movies, especially as the ex-fiancé Ben Morgan in Love and Sunshine. Throughout this movie I was rooting for Vaugier and Smith to finally realize their feelings for each other. I thought all of the actors were very good and the settings, although not really Montana, were stunning. I did not realize that this movie is based on a best-selling novel, I might have to dust off the old reading glasses and give it a go. All in all, I think this movie has quickly become one of my Hallmark favorites.

She is a 40-something teacher who lives in New York, after some 11 or 12 years together she and her husband have a messy divorce, he has a new girlfriend, and the 13-yr-old daughter who never knew her birth mother is caught in the middle.

It is summer break so she decides to rent a house in small (fictional) town Montana, with a river nearby. She had visited there when she was growing up. Her 50-something next door neighbor happens to be the town sheriff who is widowed and has two young sons. He also has several horses and she loves horse riding.

So the story plays out, being a Hallmark movie, where the two single adults develop a mutual attraction. But the problem is she has no intention of staying in Montana, she has a teaching job and a stepdaughter in New York, and he has no intention of leaving Montana. Perhaps a good break is when the stepdaughter travels to Montana and pretty much starts to enjoy it there.

All Hallmark movies are clean and predictable, but this one is entertaining enough on a Saturday night after a steak and wine dinner. With chocolate cake for dessert, for sure. My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.

I've read several of Linda Lael Miller's books and had high hopes for this one. If Vaugier had been able to show the same depth of emotion in her scenes with Smith as she did with her step-daughter, or the two sons of Smith's character, I'd have added a couple more stars.

When Vaugier and Smith are alone in the scene, she's not doing much more than reciting lines. Not so with the child actors, who do quite well in this tale, especially their scenes with Vaugier, so I suspect there was something going on there between the actors.

There's enough general conflict and tension to keep up the pace. The scenery could have been developed a bit more, but other than that slight nit-picky comment, the production values are good.

A solid, realistic story with great acting, and believable chemistry between the leads. Predictable ending but an enjoyable watch! Wish Hallmark didn't add in the awkward dance scene. These seem to be written into every Hallmark movie and this one, like most of those in other Hallmark movies, includes dancing that seems out of step with the background music and just uncomfortable to watch.

The reviewer above is incorrect. Perhaps if they'd listened carefully, and/or waited longer than 2 minutes before reviewing, the viewer would have discovered that the child in question is not the biological daughter of the main character; she's from his previous marriage.