Love's Unfolding Dream (2007) starring Erin Cottrell, Scout Taylor-Compton, Dale Midkiff, Robert Pine, Victor Browne, Samantha Smith, Patrick Levis directed by Harvey Frost Movie Review

Love's Unfolding Dream (2007)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Scout Taylor-Compton as Belinda Tyler in Love's Unfolding Dream

Even Lawyers Need Love

If you've not watched any of the other movies adapted from Janette Oke's series called "Love Comes Softly" you could be in for a shock, one which you are either going to enjoy or hate. You see these "Love Comes Softly" movies are basically old fashioned, wholesome movies where the subject of God and love interweave; you could almost say we have movies which feel not that different to the likes of "Little House on the Prairie" and "The Waltons", they have that level of wholesomeness going on. And "Love's Unfolding Dream" is definitely no different as it tells a simple romantic story with wholesomeness that you are either going to enjoy or hate.

Having come to Anderson Corner as 14 year old orphan, Belinda (Scout Taylor-Compton - Halloween) has made it her home thanks to Sheriff Zach Tyler and his wife who adopted her. It is also thanks to them and their encouragement that Belinda is looking for a career as a doctor despite it not seen to be the right thing for a woman to do. And one of those who certainly doesn’t thinks a woman should be anything but a wife and mother is young New York lawyer Drew Simpson (Patrick Levis) who shows up in town to tidy up his Uncle's ranch before selling it. It becomes a sticking point between Drew and Belinda as they fall for each other and one of them is going to have to change their opinion if their relationship stands any chance of succeeding.

Patrick Levis as Drew Simpson in Love's Unfolding Dream

Now it doesn't take long for you to guess the outcome of "Love's Unfolding Dream", when Drew Simpson arrives in the small town of Anderson Corner to sell his Uncle's home you know that he will end up falling for local girl Belinda and she will for him. But to make this more interesting we have a sort of battle of stereotypes as Drew being a young lawyer from New York has old fashioned values when it comes to women and as Belinda not only wants to be a doctor but vocal when it comes to her passion and belief that women should not just be wives and mothers tempers flare. Actually saying tempers flare is a bit of a lie as tempers never really flare but basically Belinda wanting to become a doctor provides a sticking point not just for Drew but for the town's doctor who initially doesn't want her assisting him.

The subject of women being more than housewives crops up in a sub plot where we have Belinda's mum who is a teacher assisting a woman to learn to read, something that her husband is not happy about. But there is very little depth to what could have been a drama about the battle of the sexes instead used to provide issues when it comes to relationships.

And that basically means that "Love's Unfolding Dream" is very innocent, there is no anger, no fighting or anything which gets close to being unpleasant making it all very nice and very wholesome. And intertwined with all this wholesomeness is a message about God and his will, which comes to the fore as Belinda helps a bitter old woman recover from her stroke. Don't worry as whilst the religious element is unsubtle it isn't actually that preachy, just providing an extra level of wholesomeness.

And continuing that theme of wholesomeness every character and performance also exudes that word. Scout Taylor-Compton is both beautiful and determined as Belinda and whilst she is passionate about women's rights, especially hers, she is an all round good soul, nice to one and all. At the same can be said of Patrick Levis as Drew Simpson as whilst he may not be keen on the small town life he isn't that nasty about it, and as you would guess warms to the place and the people. I could go on because basically everyone is nice, even Nancy Linehan Charles as Virginia Stafford-Smith the woman who has the stroke because whilst she is bitter there is something good about her.

Now the thing is "Love's Unfolding Dream" is so wholesome that unless you are ready for an onslaught of pleasantry you are going to find it all a little corny and false, and to be honest it is. But if it wins you over with its simple charm then you will love the innocence and enjoy even some of the corniest moments.

What this all boils down to is that "Love's Unfolding Dream" is wholesome entertainment, it is a simple romantic drama full of pleasantry which if you enjoyed the likes of "Little House on the Prairie" and "The Waltons" you will probably enjoy. But if you're not ready for a lot of nicety you are going to end up laughing at the falsity of it all.


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