‘LOVE ON ICE’: WINTRY ROMANCE ABOUT SECOND CHANCES

by 

The first of 2017’s Winterfest premieres takes Hallmark movie enthusiasts onto the icy beauty of figure skating.

Love on Ice (2017) Hallmark Review

Eight years ago, Emily James (Julie Berman) was the one to watch in her sport. She had what it takes to be a champion in every sense of the word; even her fellow competitors were impressed. Then she disappeared. She now lives in her small Michigan hometown where she works at the local café and teaches beginner classes. Her former student, Nikki Lee (Ana Golja) is about to head off to regional’s, but first she welcomes a new coach, Spencer Patterson (Andrew Walker).

TV MOVIE REVIEW | A Royal Winter (2017) – A Cinderella Fairy Tale (Plus a European Castle)
‘LOVE ON ICE’: WINTRY ROMANCE ABOUT SECOND CHANCES. A Review of the 2017 #Winterfest original with Andrew Walker. #Hallmarkies #CleanRomance Click To Tweet

Once upon a time, Spencer was one of Emily’s biggest fans, which is why, discovering her in the same skating rink as his new pupil feels surreal. As he gets to know Emily, and watch her skate, he convinces her she’s still got what it takes to compete. But with the reason she left the sport still lingering in her mind, as well as opposition elsewhere, Emily’s return won’t be paved with simplicity.

The litany of adjectives I use with frequency when reviewing Hallmark productions all apply to this film with equal merit. The romance of this story is sweet, and fortunately doesn’t portray its characters as being “in love” (nor are the three little words used), but rather at the beginning of their happy ending. This is something I appreciate and respect about the script because the timeline is always so compact.

TV MOVIE REVIEW | The Birthday Wish (2017) – Make a Wish! (To See The Future) 

One of my favorites, Walker is sure to look familiar as he’s played many a leading man in Hallmark films (not that I’m complaining, mind you). Julie Berman is convincing playing an athlete and Gail O’Grady co-stars as Nikki’s overbearing mother. Common to most TV films, there are other stories and threads playing parallel to that of Emily’s quest and each one is memorable.

The conclusion I reach for this film is exactly the same as every other film from this network. It’s an easy-going, enjoyable romantic film to watch. I watched it on a dreary, rainy day and it was the perfect antidote to turn the otherwise unpleasant day into a happy one. If you’re looking for something that makes you smile without asking us to overthink anything, this will do the trick.

Because of this, Love on Ice is the ideal way to spend a winter afternoon while all cozied up. It’s sweet, classy and best of all, full of lessons we too often underestimate.

Love on Ice (2017) – Wintry Romance about Second Chances. A Review of the 2017 Winterfest original with Andrew Walker. Text © Rissi JC

Photos: Hallmark

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

2 comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

Optimized by Optimole