La Robe de la mariée

We all know these Hallmark movies (whether mystery or romance or combination thereof) are uneven qualitatively. Some are worse than others, and this one is pretty bad.

I was motivated to watch it for a couple of reasons. First, I am an admirer of Peter Deluise. He directed and/or wrote some of my most favorite Stargate SG1 episodes (I still mourn the loss of SG1). So I figured that some of Peter's directorial brilliance shown in SG1 (I was going to name a few episodes here but really, there are just too many to choose from!) would surely shine through in this movie.

Second, it has Steve Bacic in it. He brilliantly played Camulus, a Goa'uld System Lord in SG1. Those Goa'uld characters are way, way fun. And I was interested in seeing him again.

So, yeah, there's that. Then there's the fact it is the dog days of summer. Too hot to go out. To hot to do anything. So a nice, mindless movie was just the thing.

But this movie is terrible. Granted I've not seen other movies in the series. Not that it matters. I can hit the ground running as well as the next guy, and besides, these tend to not be too intellectually challenging.

But let's get it out in the open -- I don't like Lori Loughlin. She is cold and has an almost cruel look on her face most of the time. I sense no warmth or humanity emanating from her. The story line about her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend just made me roll my eyes. Seriously? You're going to harshly admonish the poor boy for making a mistake at the dinner table? Plus, she plays nasty games of "if you don't know I'm not going to tell you" with her husband. Gak.

In fact all the characters seem highly stereotypical, and frankly uninteresting. The ditzy, goofy friend. The inept police detective. The irritating, clueless daughter (really?! she's a college junior and she's still living at home? KMN!). And, sadly, the annoying and deceptive husband (oh Steve Bacic! What have they done to you?).

The mystery itself was pretty one-dimensional, its outcome foreseeable. They try to shake it up a bit at the end, but even that was predictable (if not judicially disturbing).

I just don't know. Clearly these movies are made for a different segment of the population. I kept thinking about the amazing international mysteries I've seen out of Scandinavia (for example), and there's no comparison. They are better in every way imaginable. This movie was a waste of time to watch. I should have done laundry instead.

I honestly can't think of one positive thing to say about the movie. I didn't give it a 0 out of respect for Deluise and Bacic. I want to pull out my SG1 DVDs.

........ but with a sloppy sappy whitewashed ending. Why did Director: Peter DeLuise , end this episode with that goofy oh so feel good ending? I found the buildup in solving the wedding dress mystery very absorbing and well written as Jennifer Shannon brings the events together on that day in 1979 in line with her inquisitive research.

Her deductive reasoning while evaluating the evidence she finds added a more than usual interest to this episode. Then when the two principle characters confess to the detective what happened the day of the wedding I was expecting a deeper secret to come to light after 36 years had past. Such as a hidden affair between the socially prominent bride of that day and the lesser prominent auto garage repair owner.

But no! Hallmark threw in the sugar coating and nostalgia and everybody goes home happy and pleased. That just ruined the mystery for me.

This mystery had me guessing until the end. It was sad but the truth all came out in a beautiful way.

I have watched all of the Garage Sale Mystery films so far and although I liked them all, this one was my favorite by far. I must have seen something these other reviewers didn't, but I really enjoyed watching The Wedding Dress. Lori Loughlin was great as Jennifer Shannon, and there was nothing cold or cruel about her, imo. And, I did not find her smile distracting, I thought it was nice. Also, I thought the secondary plot between her daughter and the boyfriend was a very welcome addition to the story. Yes, the ending was predictable, but come on, its Hallmark! All in all, a very enjoyable film, that IS worth watching. My grade: B+.

The Garage Sale Mysteries, like many Hallmark mysteries, are for light watching and mild entertainment. This is unlike, say, the Hallmark Christmas films, which are awful.

I love seeing the antiques and collectibles featured on the shows, and the cast is likable. These films also move a little better than others on the network.

In this one, Wedding Dress, the shop owners Jennifer and Dani (Lori Loughlin and Sarah Strange) find a vintage wedding dress from 1979 at an estate sale. Given the styles back then, I rather doubt it was a real vintage dress - guess the set dresser couldn't find one. On investigation, they learn the groom disappeared during the reception and was never seen again.

They meet the bride, Helen (Cheryl Ladd), and Jennifer becomes involved in the mystery.

These are usually easy to figure out - this one was slightly more intriguing.

The thing about anything Lifetime or Hallmark is you have to know what you're getting into and take it for what it is: made in Canada without big budgets and a mostly Canadian cast with one American TV or soap star, and not particularly well directed.

On that basis, Garage Sale Mysteries are a slight cut above the norm.