Love Under the Stars

How have I never seen this movie before now? Ashley Newbrough has been on my radar for at least a year or two. Wes Brown is always solid. And Jaeda Lily Miller by now has turned out more significant roles than a lot of adults and I think this might be one of her best even if it is early in her career.

I was thoroughly enjoying the story especially the three way relationship between man, woman and child. So much chemistry. Then after what I thought was a little hiccup (see below), it kicked into overdrive. Watch for the postcard size picture and take note of all of the people in it. But then the climax not only surprised me but touched me deeply, as well it should have. So well done.

The dialogue between Becca and Emily was a lot of fun and I always enjoy quirky characters. Emily is probably a bit too mature in some ways for her age and for a movie about child psychology, I think it's ironic that she exhibits thought processes a child her age hasn't developed enough for. But we call her precocious and audiences love it.

In some ways the story rehashed plot lines that have been done before, but Becca's thesis puts a fresh spin on it. And yes there were some other predictable things. I definitely saw the conflict coming, even if I thought maybe this was a terrible excuse to create a conflict. Yet it had to be that way for the whole thing to work.

Tiny pet peeves: 1) Some of us older adults can't read the tiny text on phone screens even if we pause it. 2) I'm always a little annoyed, especially in books, when more than a few words are spoken in a foreign language without an immediate translation.

8.0 stars.

I've not been blessed with the opportunity to see this until now. After monitoring and watching just about every film in existence (since 2005 or so) in the family genre (Hallmark, UP, Family channels),this one has eluded me? Wow, so they haven't aired this, that I can see, for over two full years on any of those channels, but who knows, I could've simply missed it (probably not).

What a wonderful experience going on a journey with a woman who is working on her third college degree. She's 30 years young, has dated a number of college men, and is now learning all about what it means to truly love people through the eyes of a little girl and her daddy.

That's all I have to say about it. The movie is sappy and sad and fun and wonderful. Enjoy!

Of all the Hallmark romances I have watched so far, this is my favorite. It is a sweet story.

Becca (Ashleigh Newbrough) is a fun-loving college student who seems to drift through life, never finishing anything. She forms a friendship with a young girl, Emily (Jaeda Lily Miller), whose widowed father, Nate (Wes Brown), has no idea how to bring Emily out of her reserved, withdrawn depression.

This is a character-driven story, but the dialogue is touching and the plot offers some wonderful moments. All three leads shine in their performances--- especially the two ladies, who rise above the usual characterizations in Hallmark films.

There is one disappointingly familiar plot twist near the end that pulled me out of the story, but that moment passes quickly and the ending is very satisfying.

First, I do realize that this a Hallmark movie of the week but I really wish Hollywood would either find a new formula or find some actors who don't have that Ken and Barbie look. I'd rather watch great acting from ugly people than bad acting from good looking people. Otherwise, all Hallmark needs to do is stop spending their money, make one move and run it over and over again. They are all the same anyway.

The kid is mildly cute but the two main adult actors, are formulaic, predictable, tiresome and over done.

I'd rather watch 24 hours of a good working formula (Murder, She Wrote, MASH, etc) than this goulash of nothingness.

Becca (Ashley Newbrough) is a flustered aimless college grad student. Her mentor English professor Walt (Barry Bostwick) wants her to get serious about her thesis and directs her to his school teacher niece. She befriends student Emily (Jaeda Lily Miller) who is still dealing with her mother's death. Nate (Wes Brown) is surprised that her daughter's new friend is a full grown woman.

This is a Hallmark movie. Newbrough deserves more and better roles. The little girl is plenty cute. The dude is boring. Bostwick has a minor role for the pay. It's pretty pedestrian as far as these movies go. Newbrough and the little girl have some nice emotional moments. There isn't much else.