Though this has a “bigger picture” familiar plot, this film also takes some unusual detours.
Retreat to You (2023) Hallmark TV Film Review
Letting her best friend drag her to “adult” summer camp brings up memories for Abby (Emilie Ullerup). One of them is a memory of her days in high school. Now, even after all these years, sometimes she thinks of him even though they haven’t spoken in years. But with some burnout in her career as a public defender, and the adult challenges anyone faces, friend Rachel (Meghan Heffern) knows they both need some recharging.
What Abby doesn’t expect during this experience is to run into the one person she isn’t prepared to see again… Sean (Peter Mooney), the boy she once considered her best friend.
TV FILM REVIEW | ‘AUTUMN IN THE CITY’ WALKS US THROUGH NEW YORK
🐴⛰️🔥‘RETREAT TO YOU’: A MOVIE ABOUT CHANGE AND MOVING FORWARD🔥⛰️🐴 Review of the 2023 Emilie Ullerup romance. #EmilieUllerup #PeterMooney #Chessies #ChesapeakeShores #Movies #Romance #TVRomance #FallintoLove #Hallmark Click To TweetMuch to my great surprise, I did enjoy this Hallmark film. It’s not unfamiliar to other titles Emilie has featured in including Nature of Love. Despite the roles we know Emilie from, many of which, not unlike this one, feature her opening up and learning, this one is still a good story. Her character Abby isn’t unlikable even with her stubborn attitude. The script teaches her something and that’s something I always love to see in a film.
Like each film I review with him, I’ll say again, I like seeing Peter Mooney as one of the newer TV romance film stars. He’s been good in the roles I’ve seen him in starting with Kristin Kruek’s love in the Canadian drama Burden of Truth. This film is interesting because it digs a little deeper by stranding its characters when they, quite literally, become lost. I wasn’t sure of the motivation of this, but it goes back to the main character’s past and how they need to confront that. Same goes for the ending, which is cute, just like most anything you see here.
There’s likeable secondary characters and another cute “crush” relationship easy to root on. If you like nature, a good portion of the film takes place outdoors and so we get the cute rom-com genre alongside the great outdoors. All in all, while a familiar plot, Retreat to You is one of the better ones.
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Content: there’s the usual kisses (more than just one this time) and there’s talk about a former relationship, but nothing that abuses the TV-G rating.
Photos: Hallmark Media / Crown Media