Date with Love (2016 TV Movie)
5/10
made for Hallmark
15 July 2018
High school senior David Rogers (Quinn Lord) has asked every girl in school to be his prom date except his best friend since the first grade, Heidi Watts (Bailee Madison). Of course, the only girl left to ask is Hollywood starlet Alex Allen (Shenae Grimes-Beech). Alex has recently been dumped by her boyfriend on the red carpet. Her publicist best friend Paige Sumner suggests doing some PR repair by accepting the kid's invitation. The media circus descends on the suburban neighborhood. Alex goes on the run and she falls for driver's ed teacher Mr. Walsh (Andrew W. Walker) after almost getting run over. He doesn't know who she is.

This Hallmark Channel romance is the lightest of rom-com. This is strictly a made-for-TV affair. The adult romance is weak. She's a Hollywood brat and he's bland. Neither are compelling and they probably deserve each other. I don't know why she shows up in class other than to engage in banter with Mr. Walsh and the story needs stirring. It's all rather sloppily and formulaically written. It's very manufactured. The pairing doesn't actually have any hurdles. It's not like it's a real date with David. Her best PR move is to bring David and Heidi together while having a fun time with the teacher. That's where the hijinx can happen. David is clueless and the mean girl can get in the middle. The kiddie romance has one good move which is telegraphed from the very beginning. It provides the only good acting pairing between Shenae and Bailee. The kids should be the stars of the movie but it insists on staying with the adults with their manufactured problems. I don't know why she's putting up decorations. The premise has potential but it goes down the wrong path.
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