"...small things are the big things. The good things only happen from all the hundreds of tiny steps you take along the way."
- David (Tyler Hynes),"It was always you" (A Hallmark movie)
Can you keep a secret? I have a confession to make. Ah, uhm... I'm a Hallmark TV movies junkie! Shhh... don't tell. Haha...
Of course, I always appreciate beautifully produced full-length 'Oscar-worthy' cinematic films, especially those that are superbly directed and edited; and with excellent cinematography and musical scoring, too. Sometimes though, especially when I'm dealing with complex matters, mind-boggling films are simply not appealing. I just want to be entertained with some light, feel-good, wholesome, uncomplicated and family-oriented 'bite-size' movies that takes my mind away from complexities. And that's what Hallmark usually offers... and they have tons of movies to choose from, albeit formulaic and very predictable. In that pile of 'cookie cutter' movies, there are a good number that are worth watching and re-watching with deliberate plan to enjoy rather than just to mindlessly decompress.
While I 'seasonally' like sappy movies, I remain to be that 'tough little cookie' who wears that engineer's hat underneath the big Higher Education admin hat that's humbly decorated with a passionate teacher's tiny golden apples and a (wannabe) scientist's magnifying glass. There is always room for 'simple little things' that bring enormous joy in a world where people expect you to be constantly busy thinking deeply, critically and analytically. *eye roll* Haha... In fact, I make room for simple little things in my own life... no matter what! So, whenever time allows, and especially during holidays, my favorite thing to do is to curl up in the big chair in my bedroom with a bag of chips, a bowl of hot chunky salsa dip and a tumbler of soda... and go on a Hallmark movies marathon like there's no tomorrow! And when the situation chooses to be stingy with personal downtime, I wrestle it to make time!
I particularly love the heart-warming Christmas themed Hallmark TV movies that revolve around family and loved ones. I have soft spot for those that involved cute and smart kids, and/or pets, especially dogs. I love how Hallmark movies show that nuggets of beautiful lessons in life can be picked up from these movies without the disturbing images of violence, sex, and the lust for material things... or some 'so called documentary' of a royal family's lives from the perspective of one (supposedly) love-stricken 'royal' who refuses to grow up, tirelessly tries to invade everyone's universe while (supposedly) begging for privacy because wailing on media is so much easier and obviously more lucrative than doing actual work. *sigh* As to how one tries to heal from mental health issues by publicly humiliating and inflicting pain to one's own family members - incredibly mean and hypocritical, and I imagine, effectively burns all bridges - is terribly confusing for me. But I digress... back to wholesome Hallmark movies! Haha... I know, I'm too 'old-fashioned'... but I do enjoy the peace of mind that being 'old-fashioned' brings. So, old-fashioned is good for me.
I have many Hallmark TV movie favorites. Some are really old, and mostly the inspiring and tear-jerker kind... and I've watched them like five times each! And I cried each time! Hahaha... I do have one relatively newer fave that came out in 2021 - "It was always you". It stars the fabulous Hallmark 'heavy weight', Erin Krakow (Elizabeth, or Lizzy), and the always-fascinating, Tyler Hynes (the globe-trotting David). With two of the most reliable crowd-drawer stars of Hallmark collaborating, I knew it's going to be great. And, nope, they did not disappoint because, as usual, they both did a beautiful job!
Erin made Elizabeth to be this funnily conflicted highly organized predictable dentist who has a deeply guarded 'adventurous side' that wants to explore the world. Her predictable Elizabeth side fits well with George (David's eldest brother who is a dentist, too), a childhood friend with whom she was engaged. Her adventurous Lizzy side, which is the one she really prefers and what makes most of herself, fits with a 'zing' with David - another childhood friend with whom she had a 'cat-dog' relationship since they were kids. A bridge mishap that cut-off George from their island town left Elizabeth to be stuck with David to tick-off her wedding plans checklist. Their new-found closeness empowered Elizabeth to muster the courage to let her true self come to the surface, and to be true to the desires of her heart.
To make the not-so-long a story short, Elizabeth broke off her engagement with George, and set out to fulfill a childhood dream to travel the world with the hope of 'rediscovering herself' and finding out what she truly wanted, one tiny step at a time, before following a meticulously 'planned' life that strictly adheres to checklists and stern focus on her dentistry practice just like George. She came back home, resolved to follow her heart, and that led her, one tiny step at a time, to David.
It turned out that David has been pining for Elizabeth since the day he discovered her written travel wishes and lists in between the pages of a travel book in his family library when they were 13 years old. It was this that inspired his globe-trotting adventures later. He then wrote a note for Elizabeth, expressing his affection for her, and his hope to travel with her to the places that she wished to see. He put the note between the pages of another travel book. He hoped she'd find it but Elizabeth never did until he showed her much later when they met again upon her return from her one-year travels. Romance bloomed... you know the rest.
This made David's family happy as they saw from the very beginning the 'zing' between Elizabeth and David even in their teenage days when they can't seem to get along. On the other hand, George discovered 'zing' with a co-worker that he always had a soft spot for because of shared values and passion for their profession.
Tyler's David was hilarious, adorable... and extremely charming even when he tries to be annoying. He has that effortless good looks and easy acting talent - so relaxed and natural - to pull off the combination of adjectives that befit a perfect Hallmark romcom hero, too. I like Tyler a lot. I love the characters he played in every Hallmark movie that I saw him portray. Five of the more recent ones are his remarkable team up with Lacey Chabert in "Winter in Vail" and "Sweet Carolina", the very deliciously emotional "Time for him to come home for Christmas", and the hilarious "An Unexpected Christmas" and "Three wise men and a baby". He has such a commanding presence on screen. He either appears to have that man's man aura about him that positively fits every damsel-in-distress' vision of a knight-in-shinning-armor, a moody and distant fellow but with a heart of gold appeal, or simply, that guy that treats a woman as his equal and challenges her to discover her many strengths in a no-nonsense, humorous and supportive way without being patronizing.
Erin's own engaging acting talents and picture-perfect cuteness fit so well with Tyler's. She has grown so well to be that highly effective actress - from lots of practice in "When Calls the Heart" for sure. She can be funny, awful, funnily awful, moving, the sweetest thing... she's just captivating.
Tyler and Erin's acting timing together was always perfect in this movie, and with just the right amount of seriousness, humor and, of course, romance. It's so adorable how they banter relentlessly only to warm up to each other, one tiny step at a time, in the end - everytime. Their screen chemistry is fantastic, too. They didn't have to try hard to make falling in love with each other so believable. And the gorgeous location of the movie adds to the sweet atmosphere that's made for falling in love. In the end, I was fretting that the movie was too short!
So, if you are looking for uncomplicated entertainment that makes you laugh, teary-eyed... and can provide you with your fix of falling giggly in love, this movie is highly recommended. You'll find yourself 'grinning that silly grin' without knowing it - promise. Go for it!
"...you can't force 'zing', and you can't deny it when it's there..."
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Image credit: All photos featured in this post were screenshots from watching the featured Hallmark movie. Thanks, Hallmark.
Video credit: The video featured in this post belongs to Hallmark Channel. Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.
