Follow Your Heart

2020 was not a consistent year for Hallmark, but that was not unexpected at all. In fact, part of me was expecting it to not be a good year. While there were quite a number of average or less films that year, that year overall could have been a lot worse. Hallmark did make some surprisingly decent and more films that year and 'Follow Your Heart'/'From the Heart' had potential to be one of those films, with its attempt at something different with the inclusion of the Amish. 'Follow Your Heart' unfortunately turned out for me to be one of the wastes of potential, with its biggest interest point being also its biggest frustration and disappointment in execution. Is it one of the worst 2020 Hallmark films? Not quite. One of the worst Hallmark Movies and Mysteries films? Again not quite, but it sounded like one of the more refreshing ones and ended up being your typical Hallmark reconnecting film. The story did sound lovely, but sounded a lot more interesting than it turned out in the film. There are good things about 'Follow Your Heart'. The production values are good on the whole, especially the scenery. Regardless of authenticity, at least it looked picturesque and colourful. The photography was clearly in awe of it without being too in love with it. Also thought that the acting was pretty decent considering what was given to them. Galadriel Stineman and Kevin Joy do not work as a couple, but give committed and deeply felt performances individually. The rest of the cast likewise. Some pleasant moments musically too and the film started off with some promise. It is a real shame that that promise did not continue, with the story going downhill early on and never fully recovering. Pace-wise, it is all over the map. Mostly very slow going and too padded out, and then the final act is very rushed and over-stuffed, as if the writers realised that there was a lot left with little time to go and crammed the rest in in a panic. There is no chemistry between Stineman and Joy, with too much of a mismatch in the character's personalities and their acting styles. The relationship could have been better developed too, not going very far most of the time and then in an abrupt gear change rushed through later. Moreover, the film is very predictable. Hallmark has done the reconnection sort of story many times, 'Follow Your Heart' does nothing new with it other than the setting and as well as messily paced the structure has a disjointed and incomplete feel. Namely in the character motivations, which are at best vague and at worst abruptly introduced and unrealistic. Especially in the final act, which does not ring true, not to mention too pat, considering how the characters behave and when you take into account the way the Amish really live. Everything that happens in this section would not be allowed in real life. The dialogue is cheesy and awkward sounding, with a heavy dose of schmaltz. Absolutely agree about the representation of the Amish being insulting, with the writers clearly being in an alternate universe, not just fantasy land. The biggest interest point and the thing that would have set the film apart, and it is fouled up. Overall, frustratingly lacklustre. 4/10.

I enjoyed this movie and the great chemistry between Kathy and Isaac. I don't know enough about Amish ways to comment on what was correct and what was not. I did find Kathy's Sister and her husband to be very annoying. Kathy is giving her Sister her half of the inheritance and her Sister is totally ungrateful. Also the character of Kathy's boss/editor was so annoying with her constant phone calls and "kiss kiss loveya" when hanging up.

Kathy/Katrina is a travel writer on the verge of getting a joint travel tv show with her current boyfriend, Jack. Then her father passes away and leaves his large Amish farmer to her and her sister, so Kathy goes home to her Amish roots. There she reconnects with her old friend/love interest Isaak who is now a widower with an adorable young daughter. It is a sweet reconnection love story. (One thing of interest: I thought she was very in sync with her boyfriend at the beginning of the show and I was surprised that she would forget about him so quickly...that seemed off and uncharacteristic.) I enjoyed it and recommend it...of course I know nothing about the Amish lifestyle.

Sweet watchable story with a predictable outcome. I watch Hallmark to see good moral stories, not heavy drama. Sarah was really a good little actress and was totally believable. Hope to see more of her like Opal from "When Calls the Heart" who has been in several Hallmark productions.

Where to start lol. I love watching a bad hallmark movie as a firm if entertainment but I was left asking "what?" Never has some one had a life so good and still be miserable. The lead seemed to keep failing upwards.. from book deals, TV jobs and even getting half a farm. The major issue with this film is the confused direction it tried to take. The writer wanted to get cliches over sacrificing a coherent message. She spends whole film realising that the community was where her heart is but then left..taking a farmer wih her out of the community...completely uprooting him. So I can see how the place was so special to her as she has total disregard for it. So it becomes less about finding home as much as snagging a handsome farmer. Due to her successful career she had no reason to stay... so why did she... if all she did was leave? All while her supportive boyfriend ends up being cheated on. Who keeps mis-labeling her as a free spirit and adventurous when in actuality she is the opposite. As she seems to rather stay put in a community with armish values..well until she decides she doesn't. This makes her a very unlikeable and selfish lead in a film that seems to only dip into armish culture when plot needs it to. Otherwise its just another village for her to frolick around in... lamenting on how terrible her seemingly perfect life is. In conclusion a film that doesn't know what it wants to say and uses old cliques as a crutch. Disappointed.

What happens when a former Amish gal returns home after a decade of living life in the modern world? Even coming for a visit has its difficulties. Trying to fit in and restore relationships seems impossible. The conflicts in the story are compounded when you add in some romance and a heart not fully healed. This is a heart warming story that shows love can overcome obstacles. Love lived out can heal relationships. The story also points out that sometimes our dreams are only dreams, that reality can be even better when love is present. Love it. James Welch Henderson Arkansas 6/6/21.

The script was soooooo contrived and full of worldly cliches. I'm used to the predictable Hallmark movies. I don't mind that. I don't mind cheesy. But this was way over the top and the characters cared more about "love" than their love and devotion to God. It was annoying that they would so quickly convert (the woman) or turn their back on their beliefs (the man). I am a huge fan of movies that show the Amish lifestyle but this one seemed totally unrealistic and there was no reverence which is so key to Amish life. If an Amish character leaves their lifestyle in a story, it should be that they don't have the same convictions or desires as the rest of the community. Or if she were to convert it should have some connection with her realizing her love for her community and her faith. I really wish it was better because the actors seemed good but the story was a mess.