L'amour comme au cinéma

Like many, I was disturbed by the thought of Chris Russell in a fat suit and the potential for body shaming. But despite my initial misgivings, this movie turned out better than expected. The fat suit was an epic fail and totally unnecessary (just have him wear baggy clothes), but the story was engaging enough, and they snuck through a couple of lines that I never thought I'd hear in a Hallmark movie (a female character whose last name is Netherregions and a reference to someone dropping a deuce after you hear a toilet flush in the background?). Overall an enjoyable watch.

L Loved all of the cast. They were appealing and did well. It was funny to see Christopher Russell with a huge gut. I suspect he had fun playing that character. Always enjoy Latonya Williams and Cindy Busby as well. Even the writing was pretty good. Unfortunately the plot was lacking. Not much happening other than the usual. Pretty uneventful with no build up of tension, anticipation or suspense.

It is an OK movie. No villains, no fake drama, no spectacular fireworks. If you need a feel-good movie and you don't mind stereotypes, some awkwardness and predictable plot, give it a try.

The male lead is natural and credible enough.

The female lead is acceptable. She is by no means overweight or unpleasant looking. It's just that her body is definitely not that of a woman exercising for a job, eating healthy, obsessed with health, nutrition and exercise. That part is not believable and the film would have worked if she were a nutritionist or, maybe, if she just wore some different clothes.

Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell have been in about 4 previous movies together (I loved the very non-Hallmark ending to Chasing Waterfalls, when they spent the night together in a one person tent despite- gasp! - not being married).

Christopher Russell was a bit of a surprise here. He's obviously very handsome, and I've liked him in prior movies, but it seemed like he stretched his range a bit in this movie. He was actually quite funny and more animated than I remember. And the fake beer belly was a great idea. As was writing his character as a star of spy movies who wants to think of himself as a "spy" in real life.

Cindy Busby is very cute and gave a nice natural performance. And I really disagree with another reviewer who thought she didn't look good in her yoga pants (very unkind and very uncalled for). I thought she looked great in yoga pants! Not just OK, but truly great, especially when she was practicing a speech towards the end. Most women would kill to have a body like hers, especially given that she was 38 when this was filmed. Heck, she looked anorexic compared to Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez.

But her character was initially presented as a bit too edgy in a very unrealistic introductory scene. The new Santa Monica gym owner comes across as kind of ridiculous with his new direction and unbelievable motto ("no sweat, no effort, no problem"). And telling a personal trainer to apologize for suggesting sit ups at a gym?? Really?? But he did have one legitimate point about her behavior after she was a bit rude to a celebrity customer literally minutes after the owner gave her a warning. But if she was as in demand and respected as she was presented ("The most sought after personal trainer in L,A."), it's unlikely he would have fired her, or that she would have had any problem taking her client list to another gym or, as is often the case at that level, training celebrities in their homes.

And a fat Rick Steele would probably not be showing up a public gym with paparazzi out front. And if he needed intensive personal training, he'd probably get that done at his home and not at a Wellness Center 1,000 miles away with strangers milling about. And if I'm one of those strangers, I wouldn't like being told that I can't use my cell phone just because a celebrity is there.

I get that they needed a plot device to get her up to a place that looked like Washington in Canada where Hallmark films their movies, but the mechanism for accomplishing that just didn't ring true. Nor did bringing his co-star to Washington to join him during his "secret" stay at the Wellness Center, and having them do a photo shoot up there.

But the overused "misunderstanding" trope was done in a different and funny way here. The rest of the movie was pleasant, but admittedly little more than an opportunity to watch 2 attractive people work out together in a lovely setting. There wasn't any meaningful conflict and the inevitable appearance and disappearance of the ex was more forced than usual. But I didn't mind watching Cindy Busby in a breezy, easy romance movie in which most of her scenes feature her in yoga pants. I realize that's a bit shallow, but I'm not going to apologize for enjoying all the beautiful women who star in Hallmark's enjoyable happy ending movies. Female viewers certainly enjoy the handsome male stars.

Yes another. Many echoes of familiar formula plot lines. No real highs or lows or surprises. No real tension.

Except for one Christmas movie, I'm not a fan of Cindy Busby. It's hard to tell how sincere her bubbly personality is, and maybe that's the idea. Is there chemistry with Russell? I found it hard to tell because of that.