Sadly Over-hyped

Purely Joyful Movie!

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This Hallmark movie adds the wonder of the African wilderness. A fun film with a backdrop that inspires and amazes; I loved it!

Movie was typical Hallmark, however, I found the actors had upped their game due to the stunning location. Can't say enough about this being filmed in Africa, keep it up.

I would have given the movie one star but felt it deserved two as it was shot in South Africa and the wildlife and the scenery are breathtaking. But anything redeeming about this movie stops right there. Lacey Chabert seems to be playing the same character over and over again on these Hallmark movies and she can do so much better (one of her standout HM is The Color of Rain--check it out), but lately she seems to be phoning it in and I guess I can't blame her as there are no acting challenges in her movies of late. The storyline is insipid--an old forgotten uncle leaves his only surviving relative--a niece he barely knows, his life's work of a wildlife refuge. The Hallmark formula ensues--girl meets boy, girl has a boyfriend but falls in love with boy, confusion of feelings, girl leaves boyfriend and falls into the arms of boy. I think all Hallmark fans get the picture.The dialog was awful. Lacey's character said "wow" at least a dozen times in the first hour and toward the end I felt like I was watching an old Rooney/Garland "let's put on a show" movies where the farm is saved (in this case a wildlife refuge) and all ends with a kiss.I did like the lead actor John Cor. Never heard or saw him before but he does have HM potential. The second female banana played by Brittany Bristow was annoying. She had a silly smile plastered across her face most of the movie and then out of the blue tells the lead male actor he's in love with the Lacey Chabert character. All this after about three days in the wild.As I have said in my other HM reviews, I really do love HM channel movies, but they are starting to get very long in the tooth and they truly need to mix it up somehow. This was pretty much the same story we've seen in their famous Countdown to Christmas, Valentine's, Spring and June weddings, just a with a few lions, giraffes, and rhinos thrown in.

Definitely one of Hallmark's best! I hope they find a way to go back to Africa again someday. And, as always, Lacey is a gem. A keeper!!