Connecting People
Annie (Kellie Martin - So You Said Yes) and her husband were so in love and with their two children were the perfect family. But then one day when her husband goes out on the boat on his own he never returns, having died out at sea. Two years later and Annie and her kids are still holding on to the past but that is when she first meets the James (Kavan Smith - The Irresistible Blueberry Farm), who almost runs her over. And then Annie finds herself catering a party hosted by James' mum. Whilst feeling conflicted Annie starts to see James more often whilst his well to do mother tries to set him up with more a socially acceptable woman to settle down with. But Annie finds herself also dealing with what seem like her late husband trying to communicate with her through her cell phone.
"Hello, It's Me" is what I call an 80/20 movie, as in 80% is standard Hallmark but with 20% which is different. That 80% sees Kellie Martin playing a widow, again, who is unsure whether to move on when she meets another guy. I say again as just a couple of years before this Kellie Martin starred in "The Christmas Ornament" which saw her playing a widow struggling to move on. And to be honest this side of "Hello, It's Me" is fine with it delivering the familiar aspects of Kellie's Annie having doubts and confiding in her best friend whilst nice guy James hits it off with her son whilst dealing with his own mum who wants him to date and settle down with someone on their own social level.
But alongside this familiar side to "Hello, It's Me" there is that 20% which is unfamiliar as we have Annie seeming to get a message via her cell phone urging her to move on with her life. Now I am not going to say how this plays out but I am going to say that whilst an interesting idea it seems like it wasn't a fully developed idea and almost seemed like a tentative attempt to do something different by producers who were hesitant and unsure whether the usual Hallmark audience would take to it. And sadly that lack of confidence in this idea shows in that this different aspect feels a little like an after thought.
What this all boils down to is that "Hello, It's Me" is a pleasant Hallmark romantic drama which whilst 80% familiar works. In truth it is the 20% unfamiliar side which doesn't quite work and for me needed a lot more development to fit more naturally in to things.
