L'Amour selon Emilia Bloom

Set in New York but filmed in Canada, this Hallmark movie doesn't quite follow the common Hallmark story arc. Some of it is silly in spots but overall it tells an interesting and entertaining story with good characters.

Emelia Bloom travels home for a reading of her latest novel and a book signing. Both her adult son, an artist, and her adult daughter, who owns a flower and plant shop, are surprised. She had been gone five years, right after their dad, her husband, died and the children had heard little to nothing from her.

So, much of the story is mom trying to reunite with her two adult children. Her son seems more willing, her daughter is really a hard case.

Melora Hardin, from here in Houston, is very good as the author and mom, Emilia Bloom. As a side note, way back when she was a teenager was chosen to play Jennifer, the girlfriend of Marty McFly in 'Back to the Future.' However, when Eric Stoltz was fired and very short Michael J Fox was brought in, she would have been too tall so she didn't get the role that went to Claudia Wells. Funny how random events can have such an influence.

Anyway my wife and I watched this movie at home, streaming on Amazon Prime, we enjoyed it.

This movie is trying way too hard to be cool or relevant or Gen z friendly...it failed, miserably. Only got about 10 mins in and I gave up from boredom and sore eyes from all the eye rolling. The characters had no good lines, you aren't at all invested, the plot was muddy and confusing, the acting was under and over played by different characters. Hot mess. Skip it!

Loved the fast paced modern storyline. The connections become apparent as the movie proceeds to tell the character's stories. It didn't flow well at certain spots in the story when it just jumped ahead in time, but overall I thought the story was well written. Love and family relationships are always complicated and this movie addresses these aspects in a unique manner.

I appreciated the storyline and the reality of it all. It was refreshing. The daughter's tantrums were a bit much at times, but I loved her connection with Frankie. The strained relationship between mother and daughter was heartbreaking. I absolutely loved the Paul Campbell cameo.

I will say I was disappointed by the horrid backlash due to specific beliefs; good thing those viewers can head on over to a different network.

Author Emelia Bloom (Melora Hardin) is coming back to her home town during her book tour to try and reconnect with her children whom she hasn't seen in 5 years. We follow her, Taylor and Zach's point of view of their lives and their reunion. Zach is an artist and is currently working on a mural for a bookstore and Taylor has her own plant shop.

I didn't know what I was walking into and I absolutely love it. We have a cameo from Paul Campbell (I love him) and from Matthew Kevin Anderson who is a Hallmark frequent flyer as well.

I thought it was quite refreshing from what Hallmark usually offers, several storylines intertwined that wrapped up in one. And most importantly, that apparently the homophobics didn't understand, it is not the love story of two strangers or two lovers who reunited but one of the purest love there is: one between mother and child.

What I loved was that it is the story of real people: there is a LGTB+ couple, the dificulty of coming out to one's family (barely acknoledged but still there), the struggle of loss and health issues., the grudge against parents, competitive yet supportive siblings, you know, real life stories?

This ending leaves room for a sequel, which I would watch.