2020 was not a consistent year for Hallmark, but that was not unexpected at all. In fact, part of me was expecting it to not be a good year. While there were quite a number of average or less films that year, that year overall could have been a lot worse. Hallmark did make some surprisingly decent and more films that year and 'Follow Your Heart'/'From the Heart' had potential to be one of those films, with its attempt at something different with the inclusion of the Amish.
'Follow Your Heart' unfortunately turned out for me to be one of the wastes of potential, with its biggest interest point being also its biggest frustration and disappointment in execution. Is it one of the worst 2020 Hallmark films? Not quite. One of the worst Hallmark Movies and Mysteries films? Again not quite, but it sounded like one of the more refreshing ones and ended up being your typical Hallmark reconnecting film. The story did sound lovely, but sounded a lot more interesting than it turned out in the film.
There are good things about 'Follow Your Heart'. The production values are good on the whole, especially the scenery. Regardless of authenticity, at least it looked picturesque and colourful. The photography was clearly in awe of it without being too in love with it. Also thought that the acting was pretty decent considering what was given to them. Galadriel Stineman and Kevin Joy do not work as a couple, but give committed and deeply felt performances individually. The rest of the cast likewise.
Some pleasant moments musically too and the film started off with some promise.
It is a real shame that that promise did not continue, with the story going downhill early on and never fully recovering. Pace-wise, it is all over the map. Mostly very slow going and too padded out, and then the final act is very rushed and over-stuffed, as if the writers realised that there was a lot left with little time to go and crammed the rest in in a panic. There is no chemistry between Stineman and Joy, with too much of a mismatch in the character's personalities and their acting styles. The relationship could have been better developed too, not going very far most of the time and then in an abrupt gear change rushed through later.
Moreover, the film is very predictable. Hallmark has done the reconnection sort of story many times, 'Follow Your Heart' does nothing new with it other than the setting and as well as messily paced the structure has a disjointed and incomplete feel. Namely in the character motivations, which are at best vague and at worst abruptly introduced and unrealistic. Especially in the final act, which does not ring true, not to mention too pat, considering how the characters behave and when you take into account the way the Amish really live. Everything that happens in this section would not be allowed in real life. The dialogue is cheesy and awkward sounding, with a heavy dose of schmaltz. Absolutely agree about the representation of the Amish being insulting, with the writers clearly being in an alternate universe, not just fantasy land. The biggest interest point and the thing that would have set the film apart, and it is fouled up.
Overall, frustratingly lacklustre. 4/10.
