This little 2014 movie had a very different vibe from the usual Hallmark or other movies being produced today, so it was already a leg up with me. I think it was probably produced for a Christian production company because there were several references to God, or the Bible, or Christian faith. Other than those those gratuitous references, there was no other indication that faith or religion had much of an impact on their lives. So it was great for people who are affirmed by that sort of thing, but it was not intrusive.The film started with a voice over by the heroine by way of exposition of her dating trials and tribulations after a break up with her "perfect" boyfriend. The beautiful Laura Vandervoort plays Donovan, the beloved owner of a beloved coffee shop on the verge of foreclosure. After an scary and unpleasant meeting with her banker, played by Jon Lovitz, she sees him talking with a stranger, Ben, and thinks they are in cahoots. In reality, Ben is a once successful playwright who is struggling to write another successful play after two failures. He is visiting his good friend who happens to be Donovan's sister's boyfriend. Because of the mistaken identity, Donovan treats Ben very rudely much to his bewilderment. He is just meeting his friend for a cup of coffee and he is being treated like he is a hostile invader. It's a funny scene and well played.We know right away that Ben is the love interest. He is very cute and likable, they just had a "meet cute", and he really gets Donovan. She is trying to re-establish her lovelife but she is subverting her own personality in order to please her dates, rather than just being honest about her own likes. He sees this right away. After a rough beginning, and despite her sister who doesn't trust him for some reason, they start to fall in love.He soon has some competition in her ex-boyfriend who has slimeball written all over him. He has come back to town to ostensibly woo her back but really to help the banker sell her coffee shop to one of his big city clients. Betrayal!I enjoyed this. Although it was very simple and predictable love story, it had really nice warm cinematography and a cozy, intimate appeal. There were no silly scenes or gratuitous montages that only serve as a substitute for story-telling. The secondary characters had their own little stories and nicely sketched in personalities. There was suspense and anticipation as to what would transpire and how the inevitable happy ending would come about. At the end, we get Laura's voice over again which wraps up the story nicely. And even a breaking of the fourth wall with a little wink at the audience by Laura. It was an unusual touch and I though it was charming.
Coffee Break French Torrent
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