Love by the Book

I'm a sucker for a good Hallmark/Lifetime/ABC Family movie. I've have never, to this point, left one unfinished. I'm one of those people that never leaves a book unfinished or stops a movie early because I always want to know how it ends.

That said.. this is the worst acting I have seen so far; and I'm comparing this to other made-for-TV-moves. I think I am at the 13 minute mark and Leah Renee and the character she plays is like a knife to my stomach. Maybe the director was trying to make her seem like a hard up Disney princess type... but the voice, the hesitations in her acting (?)...horrible. I. Just. Can't.

I should have listened to the other reviewers and skipped it. The on reason I continued watching it was because Kristopher Turner was so cute. Stephanie Powers and John Schneider looked great.

I have no idea why this actress was chosen. Is her acting really this terrible or did the producers make her into this awful character?

As if the high pitched, whining, little girl voice wasn't enough, the female protagonist in capable of holding a logical thought or a reasonable conversation. Unable to see past her bias against the only person genuinely trying his best to improve her business. Is this how people see women? As completely closed minded (even in the face of evidence - the guy improved book sales) and done in by fantasy and whims?

No wonder she couldn't finance her bookstore on her own. The only reason this receives 2 stars instead of 1 is because some of the other actors showed some skill.

Absolutely atrocious portrayal of a young woman. I like romance as much as the other woman, but I couldn't stomach more than 20 minutes of this trash.

It's an enchanting, quirky film about real life and real decision and relationships. Before you judge this movie, take in consideration of little girls who grew up watching Disney fairytale a their entire lives, hoping and dreaming that they would actually find their Prince Charming. Is he really going to ride up on a white horse? Of course not. These girls as they grow up realize that, but the idea of Prince Charming with all his bells and whistles still captures their thoughts. Love by the Book allows that fairytale to come to life in a completely different light: that is not about the romantic things a guy does, but his support and love to help you become a better person. We see Emma grow through the story as Eric helps her. And we also see Eric grow as well.

As Phil declared after Emma read her first blog post, "this one gets an A."

Let's get out the checklist. Pretty leading lady with a squeaky voice and a rigid way of looking at the world, running an improbably successful business in an undefined town? Check. Handsome leading man to make her hate him until the inevitable moment when he turns out to be right about everything? Check. Handsome other man who sweeps her off her feet but who, we know, will turn out to be a phony? Check. Tweedly, intrusive musical score that tells you how you must feel about this particular moment whether there's anything else to raise emotions? Check. Plot proceeding almost entirely via dialogue? Check. No jokes or gags? Well then, the form book tells us we must be looking at a Hallmark Channel romantic comedy.

And a particularly dire example of the beast it is. Leah Renee seems to be under orders to act like a four-year old in a Princess tutu having tea with her stuffed animals. I'd urge you to not look at it, but it doesn't show up under the title it plays on the Hallmark Channel.