The Wedding March movies can’t seem to keep up their momentum. The series about a Vermont wedding inn started off well but lost its way in the second outing before coming back strong in the third. The fourth film continues that pattern and proves a weak follow-up to Here Comes the Bride. Disappointingly, it doesn’t live up to its sweet ending, a problem due in part to distracting subplots and a second act that is all over the map. The characters also never settle in, making it difficult to pin down the motivations for their sometimes bizarre behavior.
Things get off to a fair start. The relationship between inn owners Olivia Pershing (Josie Bissett) and Mick Turner (Jack Wagner) looks back on track. With their business holding steady, the couple get a chance to sneak away for the weekend, which is an invitation for trouble. While Mick has his heart set on a romantic holiday at an exclusive resort, Olivia has her mind on the upcoming wedding between Abby Russo (Merritt Patterson) and Rob Attwell (Andrew Walker) and reluctantly leaves chef Duke (Aaron Pearl) in charge. This puts added strain on their friend, who must juggle his regular kitchen duties as well as attend to the front desk and a team of young interns. The lovebirds barely have time to relax before they return to the inn because of a surprise visit from Olivia’s newly engaged daughter, Grace (Emily Tennant).
The story starts to unravel at this point thanks to some nonsensical character choices. Olivia, who had been so preoccupied with Abby and Rob’s big day, shrugs off her responsibilities and dives headfirst into planning Grace’s wedding still more than a year away. Mick picks up the slack and, thinking he is doing his partner a favor, neglects to update her on some significant changes to the impending nuptials. There’s no reason for the two to act like fools, but Hallmark likes its drama, so here we are. Olivia, in particular, should know better; a businesswoman at heart and probably the one who keeps the inn running, she isn’t someone who you’d think would ignore her obligations – yet she does and her eagerness to devote all her energy to Grace doesn’t quite fit the character. Likewise, Mick just doesn’t learn, and we all have to suffer because of his talent for self-sabotage. His inability to deal with business matters honestly always leads to problems, yet I naively thought that his and Olivia’s relationship had matured to a point where they didn’t have to keep secrets.
Interestingly, the guest couple – at least one half of it – get the meatier plot. That’s usually not the case and I’m glad Abby and Rob share the spotlight with the series regulars, but their storyline frustrates me all the same. Walker is a nonentity as the loving but clueless fiancé. He has a hard time making his character relevant, a fault more of the script than of the actor to be fair. Rob is one of the main problems with this lopsided story. His very rich family prompts a pre-wedding crisis of confidence in Abby, and instead of working, and maybe arguing, through their issues, he meekly whispers words of encouragement now and again. Meanwhile, Abby rushes to make last minute changes to the wedding, rethinking everything from the flowers to her dress and even to the venue. It’s all done to please her in-laws, which is understandable, but I have no idea where this desperation comes from. If Rob, or better yet Abby’s no-nonsense best friend (Sandy Sidhu), was more developed, then the movie might have better explored her underlying insecurities.
Released: 2018
Dir: Peter DeLuise
Writer: Robin Bernheim Burger, Richard Manning, David Golden, Tracy Andreen
Cast: Jack Wagner, Josie Bissett, Aaron Pearl, Merritt Patterson, Andrew Walker, Emily Tennant, Blair Penner, Christin Chatelain, Sandy Sidhu, Chilton Crane, Bruce Dawson, Larissa Dias
Time: 84 min
Lang: English
Country: United States
Network: Hallmark Channel
Reviewed: 2021
Fits of Fury 