Amour toujours

'For Better or for Worse' (2014)

Opening thoughts: This is not coming from somebody who immediately hates on anything made by Hallmark. Have actually many Hallmark films in all their seasonal blockings, and quite a lot of them to me were above average. There are also ones that many fellow Hallmark regular viewers disliked that to me were not that bad while still being very flawed. Was hoping deep down that 'For Better or For Worse' would be one of those, as there were some good Hallmark made in 2014.

A prime example being 'The Color of Rain'. Actually quite liked the premise for 'For Better or For Worse', which did sound very cute despite also sounding predictable. As said Hallmark did have some good films in 2014, but 'For Better or For Worse' is down there sadly with the worst of them. Don't think it is quite as bad as has been said, with there being a few redeeming qualities, but there is a lot wrong with it and it is another case of the worst aspects being very awfully executed indeed.

Good things: Beginning with the good things. The production values are quite lovely, particularly the scenery. The music was not wow worthy, but was pleasant to listen to and fitted.

Despite being too young for his role, both as a love interest (he looked too much like her son agreed) and as a father (where he was too much of an older brother), Antonio Cupo does a good job in his role, with a nice easy going charm and subtle charisma, and did find his character mostly quite likeable.

Bad things: However, Lisa Whelchel tries far too hard throughout with more exaggerated mannerisms and gestures than one can count. Also really disliked her character, too smug and self-righteous, and her cold treatment of Shanks' character. A character who is much more likeable and easier to get behind, but he comes over as too nice and desperate in the latter stages when he didn't need or deserve to, which was frustrating. The two have no chemistry or spark together, the relationship is underdeveloped, too underplayed and progresses suddenly too late in a contrived way.

Furthermore, the script and story are very weak. The dialogue is very artificial and never has a natural flow, also found it very cheesy to cringe worthy effect and at times juvenile. The story is very thin and predictable, with a lot of draggy paces and very heavy on overplayed contrivances. The conflict lacks tension and feels really forced and like it was shoehorned into the film, while the ending is too neat in a way that doesn't make any sense.

Concluding thoughts: Overall, didn't do it for me at all.

3/10.

6.9 stars.

I would watch this again some day if I had nothing much to do, and that's not really a total put down on the film. In other words, this is an average experience for me. The plot is not bad, but some of the writing, acting and timing is really way off. But there are moments of pure genius, so this is a hit and miss movie.

It's about a woman who has a wedding planning business and a divorce lawyer leases the office adjacent. She is livid of course. Come to find out they are all intertwined and there is to be some drama that unfolds as their children are getting hitched, but they are NOT happy about the whole affair.

The funny parts all happened at once for me, somewhere about an hour into the story there is a cluster of humor that was quite refreshing, but afterward the movie just goes on a downward slope of drama and disappointment and who knows what. But overall this was not bad.

Okay, pairing a 51yr old woman with a 37yr old man who looks 30 was not a good idea when they could have easily properly cast this male lead. It was just ridiculous, not to mention that both of their kids were supposed to be 22 which means he would have been 15 when he had his daughter. By this reasoning she could practically have been his mother in the movie instead of his romantic interest.

I have enjoyed other movies with a younger guy and older woman but it did not work at all in this movie.

Aside from that it was a typical Hallmark romance, cheesy but enjoyable in parts. I'm not that picky when it comes to these types of romances but these leads just annoyed me through the whole movie, they way overdid the animosity in the beginning, there was no chemistry between them at all and that, combined with the age difference, really reduced the believability factor for me.

Well. What to say about this flick? Aired on Hallmark as part of their WEDDING movies extravaganza!!

The biggest draw was the reunion on screen of Lisa Whelchel and Kim Fields. Beyond that it's your typical fluffy wedding movie. Neither parent is thrilled about the wedding of their children and do everything they can to bust up the impending nuptials.

Enjoyable but mostly snooze-worthy!

I am obsessed with this movie, watching it multiple times, the actors are phenomenal, realistic and such a true to life plot. A bonus is the star, Lisa who is every bit as enchanting as she was in "Facts of Life"! A real joy!