Love of the Irish

7.1 stars.

This story is nestled right in there with 1000 other Hallmark stories. It doesn't stand out particularly, there is nothing substantial in the story that makes me think I want to return to watch this anytime soon.

The acting is pretty good, nice to see a return of Moira Kelly. The setting is in Ireland, there's a lot of scenery, and it feels cold, it is during the cold season after all.

It's a story of a woman who is down on her luck, so to speak. She works odd jobs while trying to land a prominent role in any major ballet show. She and her mother live in New York. Her mother (Kelly) has never known her real mother, all she knows is that her real mother lives in Ireland. Mother and daughter set out on a journey to Ireland. Most of the movie is in Ireland. It's somewhat fun, partially interesting, a bit entertaining, but nothing spectacular.

Fiona (Shenae Grimes Beech), a woman with "bad luck," goes to Ireland with her mother, Helen (Moira Kelly), to search for her mother's biological mother and to try to improve her luck. She meets an interesting local man, Liam, (Stephen Hagan), who owns the local pub and brews his own beer. Liam helps Fiona try to improve her luck by showing her customs in Ireland that are deemed to bring luck. This naturally leads to romantic feelings for both.

Meanwhile, Helen finds her birth mother and spends time getting to know her.

The best thing about this show is the setting in Ireland. It offers beautiful scenery and some Irish customs, dancing and Irish music. It's nice to see something different on Hallmark!

Plot (25%) The plot is engaging, with heartwarming and refreshing storylines. Score: 25% Characters (20%) The characters are heartwarming and nice, but the repeated use of "bestie" felt cringey for adult women. Score: 18% Direction (15%) The pacing was well-done, but the tone felt overly gloomy at times. Score: 12% Visuals (15%) The visuals are stunning, proving live-action can deliver impressive imagery. Score: 15% Music (10%) The song "Eye of the Irish" felt unnecessary and out of place. Score: 5% Theme (10%) The theme of luck is intriguing, and Fiona's change of fortune was satisfying. Score: 7% Entertainment Value (5%) Surprisingly more entertaining than expected. Score: 4% Overall: 86% Better than expected, a strong start to 2025's romance movie lineup.

Anyone with half a brain could figure out where the story was going to go about a quarter of the way through the movie. As a Hallmark movie, there are tropes that need to be followed. Most important - no kiss until the last moment before "roll credits!" Well, this movie violated that rule not once, but TWICE! (There are no epilogues in a Hallmark movie - stop that!)

The story did have its moments, and I will always tear up at a reunion of long-separated family members or a moving goodbye scene. So Hallmark still did a good job of tugging at heartstrings. But I have to complain about the IMDb listing - only the three primary actors listed? Is that because the woman playing the grandmother looked younger than the woman who was supposed to be her daughter? I do hope that is fixed once the movie has been released on all platforms...

There were major plot holes and continuity issues that disrupted the viewing experience for me. (What happened to the tulips? Why didn't the women buy a beverage in the pub? Why did repairing the garden table transform it into something so ugly when they were both supposed to be historic heirloom preservers? I HAVE QUESTIONS!!!)

Props to the main characters for actually looking like you cared about each other. That's rare in a Hallmark movie.

This movie has a lot of the formula stuff in it, but they seem to have a little different flavor to them. Fiona gets an audition rejection and Helen's shop is flooded, so it's time to go search for their roots. The obstacle to the romance and the climax both fit the mold of so many other rom/coms, but with a slight twist after the die is cast.

The way the issue of the birth-mom was handled seemed a little strange. The mom found Helen and wrote her a letter. I don't recall any discussion of how Helen was raised or ended up in America. Still, this part of the story is the hook for the movie.

Fiona considers herself about as unlucky as can be and evidence seems to support that (except for darts). Making part of the story about Fiona actually chasing luck is an unusual story angle. There is almost a mystical quality to this part of the story.

The epilogue ends abruptly. It sure seems like something more was intended.