'Winterfest' movie review: 'Hearts of Winter'
Accented with the fun of home decor and unexpected love, the winter romance "Hearts of Winter" (premiering Jan. 25 as part of the Hallmark Channel's Winterfest) has a lovely core of new beginnings for an up-and-coming design genius and a single father living in the home he started with his late wife.
In short: Interior designer Bethany (Jill Wagner) brings new life to the house of widower Grant (Victor Webster) and his daughter Zoe (Lauren McNamara).
Everyone knows a basic element of any Hallmark movie is two people falling in love - but the strongest Hallmark movies have the characters find love along the way. The relationship should be the byproduct of the plot, and the best stories start with a built-in conflict. On the surface, the strain between Bethany and Grant seems to be just that of the assertive designer intent on re-imaging how a single father has arranged his home. But the gently unspoken undercurrent is rooted in why Grant is reluctant to alter his home - and why Bethany's suggestions could spark a new beginning for Grant and Zoe.
Bethany is an undeniable force. Wagner fleshes out Bethany as a passionate decorator and a visionary author. "Hearts" makes the great decision not to just tell the audience that she's a creative whiz, but takes the time to put her talents on full display. This makes it so easy to totally buy into Bethany's vision for Grant's home - and gives her credibility when she has to think her way out of a dilemma. And because Bethany is the one shaking up Grant's home, it's particularly important for the audience to believe in her and root for her.
Victor Webster deserves credit for giving Grant a real character arch. It's obviously he's smitten with Bethany from their first meeting - but it's also immediately clear that he's not at all convinced that Bethany should be tinkering with the home she shares with his daughter. He's so reluctant that it just seems like Bethany has her work cut out for her just to get Grant on board with letting her make any changes to his home at all, much less have any possibility of a romance at all. "Hearts" uses a gentle touch in letting the audience know that Grant's late wife is still very much a part of his and Zoe's life - but his heart may be ready to fall in love again.
The only real fault of "Hearts of Winter" is that it's not necessarily a winter story. This story could have been set in practically any season of the year with just some surface-level tweaks. Aside from some breathtaking establishing shots, "Hearts" doesn't scream "this is a winter-themed story!" It's a small quibble to be sure, however, Hallmark does make a point of making some movies more evergreen than others.
Final verdict: Co-leads Wagner and Webster make this romance a personal and character-driven story, with a professional trying to establish herself in her industry and a father coming to terms with a surprising second chance at love.
Score: 4 snowflakes (out of 5)
"Hearts of Winter" is rated TV-G and has a running time of 83 minutes. The movie premieres on The Hallmark Channel on Jan. 25.
