L'Affaire des bijoux volés

I watch Hallmark Mystery Movies all the time and I like them, though they are always very slow. This was different. It was fast paced and very funny, almost as if without trying, and it didn't feel like a Hallmark Channel movie, it was better. The actors Kimberly Williams Paisley, Wendi Malick, and Tom Cavanaugh were all great and carried the story and the humor very well. I will totally be watching the sequel when it comes out.

Although Darrow & Darrow bears more than a passing resemblance to the Judging Amy series of the Clinton-Bush years it certainly has enough originality to be judged on its merits.

It does however look like a TV series pilot than a primer for a series of these Hallmark Mystery films. Kimberly Williams-Paisley is a single mom raising an on the cusp of pubescence daughter. She comes from a father and mother team of attorneys. But dad has passed on and Mom Wendie Mallick views the legal profession differently.

Williams-Paisley is an idealist and ready to give of her time and services to those in need as in her current client a guy who has a donut shop, but who is on parole and who is an old childhood friend. Mallick wants to make money because she spends a lot of it. They also have differing parent styles so its with a lot of trepidation that she comes into the home and the firm.

I know Hallmark will give us more of the Darrow family and their differing views on law and life. I do look forward.

This tv pilot/movie was well done and set up for a running series. The characters are likable and real. The plot moved along nicely. The direction was exeptional. I keep searchng for more episodes to see if it's been picked up. I'm intrigued by the characters and their possible development. This series could use more diverse characters, however, it's rare to see something this well directed/photographed on tv anymore. Either it's done cheaply with poor output or it's a mega production with expensive cast. This production is well crafted, and one of those potentially beloved series that became another "missed opportunity" by Hollywood.

This pilot for a proposed Hallmark Channel series features a strong cast. Though it is listed under the Crime, Drama, and Mystery genres, it has strong comedic undertones, which has a lot to do with its stars: Kimberly Williams-Paisley ("According to Jim"), Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me") and Tom Cavanaugh ("Burn Notice").

Williams-Paisley plays Claire Darrow (I wonder where they found that name?), a small-town attorney who has revived the law firm formerly run by her father. Malick plays mother Joanna, a successful New York City attorney who used to handle big cases, but is now down on her luck and jobless, looking for a place to land. Cavanaugh plays Miles Strasberg, a pragmatic attorney who faces Claire in court, despite his attraction to her. He asks her out every week, and she always declines.

The pilot revolves around a smash-and-grab jewelry burglary. When a local merchant is accused of the crime, Claire defends him. Miles thinks he has an open and shut case, but Claire's instincts tell her the guy is innocent.

As a crime procedural, the writing is mediocre. Claire is not shown to be insightful or decisive in defense of her client. But she is caring and empathetic, which is more important in a Hallmark offering.

This first episode sets up conflicts between Claire, her mother and her daughter. Years of resentment and the teenage temperament must be overcome if these three are to coexist in harmony. This could have made a good series---especially given the acting talent---but Hallmark instead made some follow-up films in subsequent years.

Reasonably entertaining and I hope they make more. Tom and Kimberly are good together and very watchable. The story had its highs and lows, but my wife and I enjoyed it. There needs to be some better writing for Wendie because her character is not terribly likeable. If that was what was intended, they succeeded.

Actually a bit above the regular Hallmark mystery movies; somewhat less contrived anyway.

I hope they make more just so we can see what happens with Tom and Kimberly, if nothing else.