The Engagement Back-Up

I really liked this movie. I liked the characters the storyline and the scenery. Yes it was a predictable ending but thoughtful and warm nonetheless. It deals with grief and loss as well as following your dreams.

So much potential here for a dynamic story but the writing fell a little short. Still an enjoyable watch overall and I like the chemistry between the two leads.

A museum with no visitors, a depressed girl buried in the past obsessed with her dead father's memory, also a failed writer, a garbage collecting rich guy, a friend with a camera who takes their photo and send it to everyone, a mom who can't get remarried cause her daughter is selfish, a guy's family that is super rich and justifiably upset with their selfish son, and then random journalists. So neither of their families ever saw these photos? Isn't it all over the gossip columns as they new journalists were calling them? The guy doesn't recognize her in their second meeting but then is fine with going along with this lie. There's small things that keep the moving going but soooo many things that you want to turn it off. The girl is sooo whiny - grow a backbone and speak up! The story is so convoluted for something that could have been very straightforward. Just tell your mom it's a lie. The irresponsible reputation of the male character just didn't make sense. Sure he is selfish but the charities he's helping seem non existent as he's the only one picking up ocean trash. The only character that was redeemable was the girl's mom's boyfriend. What an understanding man in spite of the crazy irrational people he's surrounded by. The girl is just as selfish as the guy , and calling him out for "using their fake relationship" was so petty- you did the same thing! Then there's the new trend of the main character having anxiety and rubbing their necklaces. It was very annoying and overdone. Also the banks were coming after her for not paying bills and her solution is to give the museum to her best friend? Giving her debt?! So she can finish a book? She wrote 5 pages and put it in the folder for the guy. This movie is not memorable and way too long.

Not really a fan of Preston V. But he was OK in this. The actress was fresh and attractive but her character was flaky and immature. What was with all the drama and embarrassing behavior at the engagement party? I was also really annoyed with her for turning down a publishing deal for her book even after being encouraged by her heroine. That was just bizarre. I only stuck with this because I do like a fake fiancée trope. The secondary characters, especially Preston's Dad and Sister were great as was her friend and her Mom's boyfriend. I also didn't understand Preston's pants. What was with his business attire? Pants cropped above the ankle with no socks? Whose decision was that? A little too urban "runway" for the setting (or the network.)

This movie is pretty is pretty typical of the fake engagement premise. However the first scene or two is pretty bad but gives us the failing family museum/business premise. It's no wonder that neither of the couple's projects is doing well. The museum is tiny. And so far Jackson's ocean reclaiming project is one cooler hanging from a dock nowhere near ocean currents. Acting is ok but less than stellar. Dialogue likewise. Elise Gatien and Preston Vanderslice are good together. Vanderslice is unusually energetic in the male role. But I would have liked to have seen them spend more exclusive screen time together. The Misunderstanding starts out with Luna angry over what she mostly already knew and then degenerates into nitpicking. And the last part of the movie is overly sentimentle. There is some nice seaside scenery.

I really liked this movie. I liked the characters the storyline and the scenery. Yes it was a predictable ending but thoughtful and warm nonetheless. It deals with grief and loss as well as following your dreams.