An Easter Bloom

7.4 stars.

A woman and her mother are about to lose their flower farm. They need an early spring for any chance of saving it. The father and husband passed away last year. The woman needs money in order to save the farm, and she can obtain it if she wins a contest. There is a man in the picture as well, he's a pastor. Maybe he can help her.

Wonderful and beautiful and charismatic actors don't always amount to a good film. We have a plethora of cream-of-the-crop performers here. To me they are the best of the best for wholesome family genre movies. The leads are among my favorites and the two women at odds with one another, are very recognizable. Some of the other supporting cast are semi-regulars.

There is so much missing with this story, yet all the ingredients are present. 'An Easter Bloom' is what I would flag as "too familiar". In other words, this is one of those stories that has every single repetitive aspect that every movie of its kind has shared over the past 10 years. The only problem with this, is that it's been overdone. Last year (2023) there was an obvious trend of new ideas, fresh plots, and a variety of other small changes and nuances that have helped the genre move into the next phase. This movie is stuck right in the middle of 2020.

Either way, I don't get a lot of satisfaction from this particular style of telling this story. Had they kept up with the times, maye it would be more relatable. Not sure what's missing, but certainly the the lead female is miserable, and too good at it. The lead male's attempt at enthusiasm and encouragement is insufficient to bridge the gap.

Amada and her mom are about to lose their flower farm after a rough winter, so it occurs to her that she can get into a flower arrangement contest and win usd 20 000 to save said farm. So she meets Lori, flower expert and also mom to Derrick, the brand new pastor in town.

This story is about grief and finding hope again. And while it can be heartwarming for some it may be sad for others. Personally, I liked the story but going through grief myself it reached me in some way that I prefer a Hallmark movie doesn't since these movies tend to be a happy place to me. I like them funnier and happier, and preferably, religion as a side theme.

This movie sounded like something I'd enjoy watching, especially because it's Hallmark romance so by design, I'm at least guaranteed some kind of happy ending. The movie started out well with a clear story. Then, it all struggled to flow and click together.

Let's start with the good. I like the emotional touch to the story, it's more meaningful than the classic colleagues vying for a promotion or Christmas reindeer games we've already seen so much of in this genre. I also like the actors a lot individually. None of the main actors seem fake nor does their performance feel forced so in terms of acting talent, this one is of the better quality amongst soft romance tv movies. Additionally, I love the flower farm theme. We usually see the flower thing in wedding movies so I like that this is a little more rugged.

Now, the bad. Although I never struggled to understand the story as a whole, it does seem to be a bit bare throughout the middle. It's a story that starts out at the right pace and then just gets rushed a bit. Along with what I assume to be mediocre directing, this all waters down the connection and relationship development aspect of the couple. By the end of the movie, it sort of felt like they'd hardly talked. In reality, they have about as much interaction as in any other movie of the kind but in reality, it felt rushed. I think this is probably on the director and perhaps the writer.

Lastly, I must admit that I found the heavy religious focus quite uncomfortable. If you are a devoted Christian, you'll probably like this aspect but as an agnostic person, the whole thing was quite preachy. I can normally handle mildly Christian movies just fine but in this one, it almost seems as though the only thing the couple talked about to each other was the preachy part, which ruins the romance a bit for me. It is an Easter movie so I'm okay with a little Christian touch but I don't like it when it feels like I'm being preached to.

Part-time coffee barista Amanda Raymond (Aimee Teegarden) has eager new customer Derrick (Benjamin Hollingsworth). Her family's flower farm has been struggling ever since her father's death. She just doesn't have her father's green thumb. Retired florist Lori Matthews tells her about the Easter floral arrangement competition with $20k prize. It's her last ditch chance to save the farm. Derrick turns out to be the new pastor.

I do like the flowers although the vast vistas of flowers look fake. It is obviously special effects. Quite frankly, they should find a greenhouse to film. As for Teegarden, her character is so sad and she's playing sad girl very hard. Derrick is a bit of a dud and he's a pastor. He can't exactly be flashy. I also don't buy his big tip in retrospect. It's not like he has one of those mega-churches. This is a bit flat and the sad tone is not Hallmark's calling card.

This is a family movie about the power of forgiveness and giving and that forgiveness can change a persons life. It shows how one good gesture can have a great impact upon another life. This movie edifies others and will show us that giving of ourselves comes back to us and blesses us in return. This movie also shows the contrast between different aspects of life and how everything overlaps and reveals so much truth. Opening up and being vulnerable can be tough but when we become vulnerable with others we give of our deepest self and this is how we show others our true self and develop close relationships with peopl. This is a faith based movie that will make your heart smile and it is a joy to watch.