Withering Heights
Samantha Hart (Erin Krakow - Engaging Father Christmas) wants so desperately to be in love and meet her Mr. Right, unfortunately she doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the men she dates. After another failed date Samantha finds herself going to an exhibition by photographer Heath Madsen (Ryan McPartlin - The Flight Before Christmas), briefly catching his eye. On the spur of a moment she decides to send Heath an email to say how much she loves his work and too her surprise finds herself striking up an online friendship with him and being invited to attend another exhibition near his home. What Samantha doesn't know is that it isn't Heath who she has been emailing her but his 12 year old son Donny (Ian Andrew) who doesn't want his dad to end up marrying his pushy manager, Celeste (Kaitlin Doubleday - The March Sisters at Christmas). When Samantha shows up at Heath's everything comes out in the open as they discover that Donny and May (Patricia Richardson - Snow Bride), the housekeeper, have been playing matchmaker.
Usually I say that Hallmark Channel movies are made for mainly fans of Hallmark Channel movies but there are those which to be honest are so obvious that even as a fan of these movies you find yourself easily distracted from watching. Sadly "Chance at Romance", which was originally called "Friend Request", is one of those movies as not only is it too obvious but relies heavily on the likeability of all its cast be it Erin Krakow and Ryan McPartlin or Patricia Richardson as May, Heath's housekeeper who is in on trying to set Heath and Samantha up.
But whilst there is little about "Chance at Romance" which will surprise it does deliver much of the easy going fun and romance which you know you will get from a Hallmark movie. As such we have some confusion, some antagonism and some issues but of course as some time passes and Samantha and Heath spend some time together not only is there some chemistry but Heath, who had been struggling for inspiration, finds himself feeling inspired again. As I said it is all pretty typical and unfortunately in this case pretty forgettable as well.
What this all boils down to is that whilst there is nothing wrong with "Chance at Romance" it doesn't have anything to make it stand out from any other Hallmark romantic comedy.
