This movie is not a worthy follow up to the originals and it took me two tries to finish. Those three movies were some of Hallmark's best ever but something went wrong with #4. No offense, but 10 stars implies that this movie is just as good as the first trilogy (which IMO are 8/10) or The Godfather, but I do not agree that this one ranks that high. Tracy and Nick are the best couple for me. They were way more realistic and relatable even with the magic of the veil. Alison and Victor also had the best romantic chemistry and great dialogue. Emma and Paulo were my 2nd faves and the Italian setting was the best. As much as I really like Autumn (love her movies with Jesse M), they seem like the filler or bridge couple. Avery (Peter) is one extreme, Emma (Paulo) is neutral, and Tracy (Nick) is the other extreme.
For context, outside of the no longer with us mysteries, my favorite HM trilogy couple is Frankie and Nate from the Vineyard series. With each movie, you could see the progression of their relationship. Another good series couple is Olivia and Mick from The Wedding March. Lacey and Brennan's characters in the All of My Heart trilogy were a beautiful couple. Avery and Peter do not seem like that great of a couple. None of the charm from their movie is here. Peter is crabby and prickly for some reason. He's finally teaching art like he wants, married to the love of his life, but he has this poor attitude? It was really strange. Honestly and especially with Hallmark, because they have what amounts to a rotating cast of actors, it becomes easy to see who has chemistry and who doesn't. I thought Kevin and Lacey were super sweet in the first movie and maybe it was the nature of it being a meet cute storyline, but it fell way flat this time. The reno of the house was boring and unnecessary given everything else going on. It could have been played for laughs like Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, yet everything about it annoyed Peter and Avery had her head in the clouds about it all. Look, I actually love Leave it to Beaver, but even June occasionally wore flats with her dresses at home. Seeing Avery always in heels and very boutique dresses even at home (during a reno remember) was too much. Who doesn't kick their shoes off the moment they cross the threshold. I think the only time she was casual was in pajamas. It's your home, be comfortable. If Carrie Bradshaw could do it, you can too. I think it must be a Lacey thing bc I feel most of her movies have her in stilettos. Maybe it's bc she's short, but Emma and Tracy who we see dressed to the 9s and casual (exercising) seem way low maintenance in comparison. Also, did I miss it, but what happened to the family foundation?
I can't be the only one who expected to see A/P go through more experiences as expecting parents? Avery and Peter are the most saccharine of the couples, so I expected more and this movie could have gotten away with it compared to Emma or Tracy. There was soooo much about this movie that had NOTHING to do with the pregnancy. It even took her the first hour (maybe longer) to tell him. One of my favorite book series is the Shopaholic books and I was hoping to see at least something endearing and humorous like when Becky and Luke were expecting. It is Hallmark after all...this movie was just not it. They could have kept the reno storyline and swapped it for more moments of them as soon to be parents and the adjustment...although did anything even adjust? All of the drama that Avery and Peter have in both movies is of their own making.
Another "flaw" with this movie is even accepting the premise and their friendships, the fact that all three are married yet still drop everything to, like someone else mentioned, fly to wherever for a half a day's therapy session is a bit much. It made much more sense when they were all single, but ladies, you're married and have families of your own to nurture. Especially Emma coming from Chicago, I think? Tracy made slightly more sense being in NYC, but even then...it's giving dependency. Maybe tacking on the new baby as basically a footnote is why but what new mom would leave their 2-3 month old baby to go antiquing in New Orleans? Edit: I started Emma's movie and new mom Avery traveled to Chicago to the gallery opening and I'm just like...ok. So has she left her baby twice in a short span of time? The scene where Avery "needed" back up when dealing with her new boss. Come on. She's an adult. This Hallmark trope of characters actually being irrational and wrong but "winning" over the big bad boss is so tired. Avery and Peter and the others should buy the painting since it means so much. Everyone isn't going to feel the same way about it, so is this going to be the how she deals with conflict over it? Didn't Peter have a best friend in the first movie? Where was his support system?
Peter's treatment of his mom and his mom's new man...is he for real? Doesn't quite jive with his behavior from the first movie. He actually seemed very petulant. Again had it been played for laughs a bit, that would have helped, but even then, he's a grown man, soon to be dad. He was very bratty and spoiled and it wasn't a good look especially for a man that teaches children.
I just really expected (ugh sorry) more of the pregnancy and how it would change their lives and I swear they didn't even give Avery a bump! Then all of a sudden we see the baby who's at least a few months old. Total underwhelming let down. Not to mention that tacking on the MIL/Grandma experiencing the magic of the veil low key cheapened how creatively it was used in the first three films. The movie should have at least made that a true b storyline involving the veil. Or even done more with Avery's assistant at the museum since she's a frequent HM actress who is probably due for her own movie.
IDK, I wish I'd watched this in January so I could have deleted it sooner. I was glad when I saw the continuation, but now I don't need to know more about Avery and Peter. I hope their story is finished. I'm going to watch Emma then Tracy, but this movie almost makes me not want to. But I will. Here's hoping Tracy's finishes the series strong. Hallmark has been incredibly hit or miss and for me, the last really quality bunch of movies was Christmas 2020/Winter and Spring 2021. Other than this one, I haven't watched any of the 2023 movies as of today. I am someone who is not ashamed to watch these movies and accept them for what they are, but when there are good ones (like the first three), it's hard to ignore the very mediocre ones (this one).
Lastly, and it's not necessarily a criticism, just an observation, but I would like to see Lacey change it up sometimes. My favorite HM of hers is Elevator Girl, but as old as that movie is, there is not much difference btwn how she portrayed Liberty and now Avery. Bethany J. Lenz always changes up her characters' hair, style, personalities for her movies. She's done so many HM movies but all of her characters look and act too similar. Candace, Nikki, and Jen L are other actresses that change up their looks from character to character. Even Tyler Hines changes it up. It would be refreshing to see Lacey do the same.
6/10 at best.
P. S. Wasn't the veil returned to Nick's grandmother and then his sister? Why did Avery have it to let her MIL hold? Maybe one day I'll watch again and see if I missed something.
For context, outside of the no longer with us mysteries, my favorite HM trilogy couple is Frankie and Nate from the Vineyard series. With each movie, you could see the progression of their relationship. Another good series couple is Olivia and Mick from The Wedding March. Lacey and Brennan's characters in the All of My Heart trilogy were a beautiful couple. Avery and Peter do not seem like that great of a couple. None of the charm from their movie is here. Peter is crabby and prickly for some reason. He's finally teaching art like he wants, married to the love of his life, but he has this poor attitude? It was really strange. Honestly and especially with Hallmark, because they have what amounts to a rotating cast of actors, it becomes easy to see who has chemistry and who doesn't. I thought Kevin and Lacey were super sweet in the first movie and maybe it was the nature of it being a meet cute storyline, but it fell way flat this time. The reno of the house was boring and unnecessary given everything else going on. It could have been played for laughs like Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, yet everything about it annoyed Peter and Avery had her head in the clouds about it all. Look, I actually love Leave it to Beaver, but even June occasionally wore flats with her dresses at home. Seeing Avery always in heels and very boutique dresses even at home (during a reno remember) was too much. Who doesn't kick their shoes off the moment they cross the threshold. I think the only time she was casual was in pajamas. It's your home, be comfortable. If Carrie Bradshaw could do it, you can too. I think it must be a Lacey thing bc I feel most of her movies have her in stilettos. Maybe it's bc she's short, but Emma and Tracy who we see dressed to the 9s and casual (exercising) seem way low maintenance in comparison. Also, did I miss it, but what happened to the family foundation?
I can't be the only one who expected to see A/P go through more experiences as expecting parents? Avery and Peter are the most saccharine of the couples, so I expected more and this movie could have gotten away with it compared to Emma or Tracy. There was soooo much about this movie that had NOTHING to do with the pregnancy. It even took her the first hour (maybe longer) to tell him. One of my favorite book series is the Shopaholic books and I was hoping to see at least something endearing and humorous like when Becky and Luke were expecting. It is Hallmark after all...this movie was just not it. They could have kept the reno storyline and swapped it for more moments of them as soon to be parents and the adjustment...although did anything even adjust? All of the drama that Avery and Peter have in both movies is of their own making.
Another "flaw" with this movie is even accepting the premise and their friendships, the fact that all three are married yet still drop everything to, like someone else mentioned, fly to wherever for a half a day's therapy session is a bit much. It made much more sense when they were all single, but ladies, you're married and have families of your own to nurture. Especially Emma coming from Chicago, I think? Tracy made slightly more sense being in NYC, but even then...it's giving dependency. Maybe tacking on the new baby as basically a footnote is why but what new mom would leave their 2-3 month old baby to go antiquing in New Orleans? Edit: I started Emma's movie and new mom Avery traveled to Chicago to the gallery opening and I'm just like...ok. So has she left her baby twice in a short span of time? The scene where Avery "needed" back up when dealing with her new boss. Come on. She's an adult. This Hallmark trope of characters actually being irrational and wrong but "winning" over the big bad boss is so tired. Avery and Peter and the others should buy the painting since it means so much. Everyone isn't going to feel the same way about it, so is this going to be the how she deals with conflict over it? Didn't Peter have a best friend in the first movie? Where was his support system?
Peter's treatment of his mom and his mom's new man...is he for real? Doesn't quite jive with his behavior from the first movie. He actually seemed very petulant. Again had it been played for laughs a bit, that would have helped, but even then, he's a grown man, soon to be dad. He was very bratty and spoiled and it wasn't a good look especially for a man that teaches children.
I just really expected (ugh sorry) more of the pregnancy and how it would change their lives and I swear they didn't even give Avery a bump! Then all of a sudden we see the baby who's at least a few months old. Total underwhelming let down. Not to mention that tacking on the MIL/Grandma experiencing the magic of the veil low key cheapened how creatively it was used in the first three films. The movie should have at least made that a true b storyline involving the veil. Or even done more with Avery's assistant at the museum since she's a frequent HM actress who is probably due for her own movie.
IDK, I wish I'd watched this in January so I could have deleted it sooner. I was glad when I saw the continuation, but now I don't need to know more about Avery and Peter. I hope their story is finished. I'm going to watch Emma then Tracy, but this movie almost makes me not want to. But I will. Here's hoping Tracy's finishes the series strong. Hallmark has been incredibly hit or miss and for me, the last really quality bunch of movies was Christmas 2020/Winter and Spring 2021. Other than this one, I haven't watched any of the 2023 movies as of today. I am someone who is not ashamed to watch these movies and accept them for what they are, but when there are good ones (like the first three), it's hard to ignore the very mediocre ones (this one).
Lastly, and it's not necessarily a criticism, just an observation, but I would like to see Lacey change it up sometimes. My favorite HM of hers is Elevator Girl, but as old as that movie is, there is not much difference btwn how she portrayed Liberty and now Avery. Bethany J. Lenz always changes up her characters' hair, style, personalities for her movies. She's done so many HM movies but all of her characters look and act too similar. Candace, Nikki, and Jen L are other actresses that change up their looks from character to character. Even Tyler Hines changes it up. It would be refreshing to see Lacey do the same.
6/10 at best.
P. S. Wasn't the veil returned to Nick's grandmother and then his sister? Why did Avery have it to let her MIL hold? Maybe one day I'll watch again and see if I missed something.