Flip That Romance

'Flip that Romance' is the first 2019 Spring Fever film from Hallmark. The biggest draw here for me was Tyler Hynes, he is always worth watching, even when the film is not good, and he is among the best and most consistent Hallmark regulars. Have not seen enough from Julie Gonzalo, knowing her best from 'Jingle Bell Bride' (which she was better in) and 'A Cinderella Story'. Shannon Chan-Kent is always good value.

2019 was a hit and miss year for Hallmark, not a surprise though considering that all the previous and succeeding years varied widely too. 'Flip that Romance' is not one of the worst 2019 Hallmark films. It is also not one of the best and is a not so promising start for the Spring Fever block. It is also a case of one lead being great and the other trying and struggling with a badly written character. 'Flip that Romance' is not a bad film, just not a particularly good one either.

Beginning with the good, the scenery and decor are absolutely beautiful. The photography complements them very well indeed. The music at least fits and doesn't feel constant or too in your face. There are some very cute and light-hearted moments, some of the banter is fun.

The supporting cast are more than solid all round. The best thing about 'Flip that Romance' is Hynes, who is so easy going, subtly charismatic and charming as a character that is easy to like.

Gonzalo is the opposite. She does try hard, but most of the time it feels like she is trying too hard and she makes her character's already exaggerated and over-written character flaws even more overblown. The over-sensitivity, selfishness and rudeness are just overkill and the character was impossible to connect with. She and Hynes don't have any chemistry together, or certainly not a romantic or cute one due to rooting for him to find someone else.

While some of the banter is fun, it is agreed that the writers go well overboard on the bickering, which is very repetitive and is rather mean-spirited. The characters could have had more depth, while Jules' character writing really unbalances the film. The story maps out pretty much exactly what one expects, but lacks energy and the tensions are contrived beyond belief. The charm and warmth aren't there on the whole, and the ending did not come over as realistic and feels unwarranted.

In summary, another watchable but not particularly good film. 5/10.

Jules Briggs (Julie Gonzalo) is shocked to find that former lover and rival house flipper Lance Waddell (Tyler Hynes) has returned to town to help his father. The combative duo fight over the same property in a public auction. She ends up overpaying. It turns out that he's working on the other side of the same duplex. They challenge each other to a bet and it becomes a media story.

She's good at being flustered. He's fine at provoking her although he could be better. Their chemistry is good. It's fine as a Hallmark romance. I expect that Gonzalo will continue to be a Hallmark regular. Hynes has a simple unthreatening persona which Hallmark seems to like. Quite frankly, I'd like to see Gonzalo be teamed up with a more energetic partner and set up a more combative chemistry.

You're never gonna get too much deviation from a typical Hallmark storyline - past relationship, running away, death of a loved one, misunderstanding etc. This one had a novel twist of Julie Gonzalo & Tyler Haynes as past lovers, doing up one side each of a duplex, which first becomes fiercely competitive between the two and then becomes National as a magazine gets people to vote which property is now the best. Both leads were good in this role although Julie's character is a bit oversensitive. Pretty good.

Say what you will about Hallmark movies, but their pattern to love is consistent: one person is usually snarky, they may have known each other "in the past," they are on competing sides, they may have broken up with a recent beau, etc. The fun take in this version is the "Love it or Leave it" (HDTV) feel between the two characters. The banter is not much unlike the "Property Brothers" as well. The two protagonists as house renovators was a welcomed new theme. It was also nice to see Cardi Wong play a BFF to one of the main characters for a change.

Yeah, maybe it was the mood I was in, but I got very tired very quickly of the constant bickering and over-competitiveness of the two principles. It was particularly egregious on the part of the woman, who let her emotions run away with her and bid more than she could afford and over the maximum she agreed on with her partner. Just to get one over her ex-boyfriend. She was too hostile for me. I was really frosted by the imaturity and foolishness. Julie Gonzalo was okay as the female lead, but I loved Tyler Hynes as her love interest. He's resposnsible for most of the stars I gave this one.