Love at First Dance

I love most Hallmark movies - especially the holiday-centric ones - and accept that the 2-dimensional male/female relationships often saturate the stories. This one breaks the mold - which makes it one of my favorites. The 'other woman' is not a witch from whom the male lead needs to escape. Instead, this story is about people I can relate to, realizing that they care for each other, but are not a perfect match for marriage. Add to this that I really don't like dance. It's okay - fun to do - but I would never buy tickets to see a dance show. Even so, the dance metaphor and sweet dance scenes are delightful. I love this movie, and the stars in it.

First time seeing Niall Matter in real romance. I think the chemistry was great, enhanced by the dance scenes which were excellent. Friendship believable and meaningful. Nothing new except, this one hit the formulas perfectly.

Have seen the two leads, Becca Tobin and Niall Matter (with more familiarity with Matter, with a generally positive opinion with exceptions), individually in other things and both are very likeable when their material is good. Of what has been of the June Weddings films, which has been a sizeable amount now, too many didn't do much for me though there are exceptions. Hallmark's output is wildly variable in all their seasonal blockings in every year, but they have been known to do some watchable things.

Watchable 'Love at First Dance' absolutely is. More than watchable in fact, actually though pretty good as long as not too much is expected. As far as Hallmark's June Weddings output goes, 'Love at First Dance' for me definitely is better than most. As far as their 2018 output from that January to June goes, it's one of the better faring ones too and is a good representation of both leads. Am not going to say that 'Love at First Glance' is a great film because it isn't, but it is a very charmingly sweet film with a very warm heart and without being too sickly sweet.

'Love at First Dance' isn't perfect. Really did not like the character of Adriana, a very one dimensional and annoying character overplayed by Cecilia Deacon.

Also found the final scene rather bland emotionally and too reserved, most Hallmark endings are too neat and sometimes unrealistically so but the final scene suffers from other things which is its blandness. Perhaps a little slow at times.

On the other hand, a lot is good. Personally though Tobin was fine, understated but not overly so and she is charming. Even better is subtly charismatic and easy going Matter as the more animated character. Their chemistry is low key, though a little too subdued towards the end, but natural and genuine. The rest of the supporting cast are fine, and while the characters are not complex and typical Hallmark apart from Adriana they are worth engaging with.

It is a very nice looking film too, one of Hallmark's best looking 2018 films in my view. The scenery really does entrance and the photography doesn't cheapen it at all. The music is lovely and it is one of not many scorings where of Hallmark's 2018 output it wasn't a problem. The music in the dance sequences doesn't disappoint. The dancing is beautifully choreographed and danced with a lot of elegance and understanding of what it is being in the dance world, wish there was more of it though. The dialogue is sharp enough and flows naturally, while also having the right amount of sentiment (not too much in quality and quantity). The story may be predictable and not perfect in pace, but it is incredibly charming, sweet without being too sugary and very heart-warming. There is a nice lightness to it too.

Concluding, not great but liked it a good deal. 7/10.

While Becca Tobin never jumps off the screen, there is still chemistry between her and Niall Matter. I haven't paid enough attention to Matter in the past, but I realized he is a solid half of the ... Father Christmas set of movies. And he does a great job in this one. You could see Eric grow in confidence as the story goes on, and underneath it he's falling in love.

Tobin is a steady presence throughout. I couldn't decide if she was a little too reserved, or just right, but you can understand easily how Eric could fall in love with Hope.

The third part of the triangle, Adriana, is no villain and compared to her Hope is downright giddy, but Adriana is supposed to be an unemotional rock.

Supporting characters are adequate if not great

I think the outline of the story could have been written by the viewer as soon as the background was established. These movies don't necessarily need surprises. But that means that one of the things this one had to do right was put the leads together as much as possible, and it did.

I usually don't like musical interludes that are often just there to avoid writing more plot, but in this case it was a nice dance interlude.

Niall Matter. He is the key for the feeling to see a little different Hallmark than you expect. Because he has the opportunity to confirm his beautiful skills, remarkable in others films of genre , obvious in this movie, to sustain, in strong and fair manner, romantic story not in sketches of acting but in real, serious sense. The second virtue - the dance and the music and the dance in Central Park and the dialogue between Adriana and Eric about the fall of idea of wedding. So, different Hallmark for the smart nuances of familiar story.