The Vows We Keep

PROs: The acting was good. Everyone did the best with what was given to them.

The script, like most newer movies, had an absence of the standard tropes or the tropes were done differently.

The scenery was nice, filmed at Harrison Hot Springs in BC and nearby Abbotsford. (We like to Google and check maps and images to figure out where exactly it was filmed).

It had a different vibe than expected.

It tries to be deep and philosophical, and sometimes it works.

CONs: In the noble effort to diversify, it is given precedence over personality. The leads had absolutely no romantic chemistry whatsoever. They would be friends, that's it.

The male lead was absent for a good chunk of the movie. The romance was nonexistent, and unnecessary.

The show tried to infuse drama, but it ended up forced and maudlin ( I looked that word up to be sure it was appropriate for this situation). Tears here and there in several parts of the movie. Way overdone and would have been more effective if used sparingly.

The ending was rushed and wrapped up quickly with no knowledge of what happened to make it all okay. We had to guess.

A voice over narrative at the beginning and ending which many would see as a nice touch, I found didn't make complete sense because I listened to what was actually said. The end voice gave reference to the title, which was made to sound more meaningful than it was. Or I just didn't get it.

The movie is all style over substance.

This weekend's premieres, for the first time ever, bombed, imho.

I was going to give it a 6, but going over what I wrote, I can't give it above a 5.

A waste of good actors.

Many will love it, as there is no Hallmark movie where someone doesn't say it's their favorite and they watch it over and over. #thevowswekeep SMH.

I like Hallmark recommitting itself to serious family films under its Movies & Mysteries banner. It is a nice break from TV mystery reruns, although new Hallmark Signature mysteries are always welcome.

Leave the fluffy, formulaic romances on regular Hallmark and give this service more depth.

They are off to a fair start.

Sadly, I see an overall low rating for this movie. The scenery is outstanding and adds to the scope of the story immensely. The casting was excellent. The storyline was sadly all tocommon where the brilliant long time employee who is a female gets passed over for a male not qualified for the job. But fortunately circumstances smile upon two people who are disenchanted with their jobs. And they find love and work that satisfies the both of them together in this pleasant and lovely movie. The flowers, the setting, the story, all add up to a pleasant evening of watching a worthwhile movie from Hallmark.

The reviewer mamachikn captures many of my thoughts. Decent acting. The premise of selling the family business is common, but after that the details are done a bit differently. The dialogue is just ok. There is some beautiful scenary.

Fiona Gubelmann and Antonio Cayonne have an understated chemistry. It's there, but it's quiet.

This is a story about family, especially sisters. We have two sets of sisters, one set starts out estranged and the other models the ideal. As a result of the emphasis on those relationships, the romance story doesn't get as much attention as some viewers may be used to.

I agree with the others about the lack of romance. Most of the movie was about a family business. The lead couple's interactions with each other were almost an afterthought, and their relationship felt unearned.

If you have 80-90 minutes of screen time, you have to spend more than a couple of minutes on the lead couple if you want the audience to buy into them.