How to Fall in Love (2012) Reviews

• Rated +1 for the instruction manual

  HallmarkMovieBuff2012-09-02

  Why is the teenage dork always named "Harold" (who grows up to be an accountant)? Talk about Hollywood stereotypes! "Ugly Betty's" Eric Mabius, playing a grown-up Harold White, finds that Annie Hayes, his homecoming dance date when they were freshmen in high school, has returned to town, and is unable to find employment in her chosen profession as party planner. Annie is played by Brooke D'Orsay, of "Royal Pains" and "Drop Dead Diva" fame. At the prodding of a buddy, Harold tries to hire a dating coach, but it doesn't work out. Instead, he hires Annie to become his coach (it helps to supplement her waitress income), and she does such a good job that at one point, the student winds up teaching the teacher. The ending of this movie is preordained from the outset, but it gives the viewer a nice ride along the way. It also works as a decent how-to dating guide for nerds everywhere. A slimmed-down Kathy Najimy plays Brooke's co-worker; and prospective first date, Gina Holden, never looked better.

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• How to Fall in Love and With this Film ***1/2

  edwagreen2012-08-21

  He was a social retardant from his high school years. 20 years later, he's an accountant and photographer, but his social life is still going nowhere. Why? The guy lacks confidence. He meets a girl he went out with in his freshman high school year and she takes on the task of teaching him how to be himself. Of course, the plot itself is how these two people come to fall in love. Kathy Najimy is given little to do here as a waitress working in the same restaurant as our heroine. This is another Hallmark story of people finding out about themselves. It is basically a story of confidence and asserting oneself, handled very well.

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• Gooey Plot Redeemed by Cast and Crew

  boblipton2012-07-22

  When a sensitive but nerdish accountant hires the girl who broke his heart in high school as a dating coach, you know exactly how this movie is going to turn out. When each segment is given a neat chapter head offering the Lesson in What Women Want for a Good Relationship and Men Should Want Them Too, you just know that some women are going to force their boyfriends to watch this with them, punctuating the instruction with "Why don't you ever do that?" Later, when those boyfriends leave for other women, they will be extremely confused. Despite my distaste for the narrative stupidity of this movie, I enjoyed it. Mostly I attribute it to some excellent performances by the leads -- Eric Mabius really seems to know how to act for the camera -- and a wonderfully silly small turn by Kathy Najimy. There is also some beautiful photography, particularly a marshland sequence near the end. I think you'll enjoy this one, but please, ladies, if you force your boyfriends to watch this and insist on asking him why he doesn't do these things, don't poke him in the ribs to emphasize your point.

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• Good movie, good actors, many good things in script.

  conleytgwinn2013-04-26

  An enthusiastic 8! I AM that nerd, and I recognized each step of my own growth in the lessons of Brooke for Eric. When I finally met my eventual wife, the script covers why and how we fell in love. No lessons though on the four kids, the 45 years, and other significances that follow. Perhaps Hallmark has more to teach me? Brooke is not as beautiful as many Hallmark female leads, and the nerdish character of Eric is initially off-putting, so I dialed back my expectations after meeting the leads. However, the script drew me back as I saw my own awakening replayed and the growth of the characters to parallel my own self-awareness. I recommend this movie,and guys - even if no one elbows your ribs, you could do worse than to pay attention. Do not just tell everyone what you learned - SHOW them!

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• Eric Likes Brooke!

  JLRMovieReviews2017-01-10

  Eric Mabius liked Brooke D'Orsay in high school but she never knew how much. Present day: He has no girl and no style. Feeling insecure, he's now shy and has nobody to love. A friend of his tells him about a dating coach, but that experience was terrible. He meets Brooke, when she's waitressing, but who's really an event planner and without a job currently. Long story short, you know what happens. She helps him with his approach to women and insecurity, all the while she's.... This may be predictable fluff, but it's so sweet, special, and real, that it spoke to me and I really, really enjoyed it. Katky Najimy gives great support as another waitress and friend to Brooke. And, the rivalries and feelings between Brooke and sister were handled very well. This is the kind of film you watch sick in bed, a feelgood movie for all romantics, or just anyone who likes sweet films.

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