This Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is about an ornithologist (Minka Kelly), a farmer and his three children, who clash over swan's eggs and then bond over the swans. Ms. Kelly starts out as a variant of the Hallmark romcom heroine; she brittlely concentrates on bird to the the exclusion of dealing with human beings, is a vegetarian who initially refuses a bonding moment over sloppy joes. When, however, she starts to scream at Jason Lee because he is having work done on his farm, work that might disturbs her swans, she is won over because he is having power lines buried so the swans won't kill themselves on high wires. She even relaxes to the extent of eating a corn dog at a county fair.
However, when the swans migrate, so does she and it is up to Mr. Lee's swan-crazy daughter, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, to bring them back together.
So far it sounds like a typical Hallmark romcom. Looking at it, however, one is struck by the greater production values, the better camera-work and the superior acting of Jason Lee. These serve to make this a very watchable variation on the genre.
There's still the intrusive score, insisting on how you should feel about each shot.
However, when the swans migrate, so does she and it is up to Mr. Lee's swan-crazy daughter, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, to bring them back together.
So far it sounds like a typical Hallmark romcom. Looking at it, however, one is struck by the greater production values, the better camera-work and the superior acting of Jason Lee. These serve to make this a very watchable variation on the genre.
There's still the intrusive score, insisting on how you should feel about each shot.