Hallmark's Planning Another Wedding
Libby Boland (Alexa PenaVega - Enchanted Christmas) and her friend make couple's dreams come true, or that is the bride to be's dreams come true, as they are wedding planners and are extremely popular. It is at a wedding that Libby meets Ben Reynolds (Shawn Roberts - Recipe for Love) who she ends up dancing with. Later on at a wedding convention Libby bumps in to Ben again who is there to promote his book on "Wedding Day Dos and Don'ts" and the two hit it off as they walk around the convention together. The trouble is that whilst Libby believes that you should spend to make your wedding day special Ben's book is all about doing it on the cheap rather than sacrificing your financial future together. It leads to sparks flying between them as they disagree about weddings. That is until Libby's business ends up under threat.
"Ms. Matched" is Hallmark taking us back to the movies of Doris Day & Rock Hudson as we have two rivals who end up falling for each other which causes comical conflict etc etc until they can find away to put their differences aside and come together. That is it and so if it isn't clear already "Ms. Matched" is another Hallmark movie which trades on the easy to watch nature and predictability of it all, right down to someone mistaking Libby and Ben as an engaged couple as they are perfect together. Some might find the lack of new ideas in "Ms. Matched" lazy film making but in truth it isn't as this is a movie made for those who like things simple rather than complex and requiring thinking about.
And what that also means is that "Ms. Matched" is heavily reliant on the appeal of the cast and that is where it works. Both Alexa PenaVega and Shawn Roberts have the looks and also the timing when it comes to the banter. In fairness the spark, that romantic chemistry, never really kicks off for me but because they knock the dialogue back and forth it makes up for things.
What this all boils down to is that "Ms. Matched" is for me just a routine Hallmark romantic comedy and another one which features wedding planners. In comparison to other Hallmark movies there is nothing really wrong with it but at the same time there is nothing overly special about it either.
