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Hallmark's Matching Hearts Review

Starring:  Taylor Cole and Ryan Paevey

Released:  2019

Summary:  As Valentine's Day gets closer, a matchmaker receives a task from her mentor to match an entrepreneur who believes that staying single is the key to success.


Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Would You Use A Matchmaker?


Wouldn't it be interesting for you and your spouse to fill out a questionnaire, feed your responses into a computer, and then discover what percentage an algorithm spits out on your compatibility?

Maybe it's best not to know.  

If you are single, would you consider using a matchmaker, or would that feel too forced and unnatural?  

Tons of websites exist to help you meet someone without leaving it up to chance or waiting for prayers to be answered.  Research shows, however, that people who meet online are more likely to break up within their first year, plus they are more likely to get divorced, compared to those who meet face-to-face.

Your demographic and the size of your social circle might make it challenging to find a match, but don't give up if you're single!  My grandma always insisted, "There's a Jack for every Jill."  



Favorite Movie Quote


Every Hallmark movie has at least one wise zinger, and I eagerly wait for one (or more) to drop.  Some are better than others, but they all provide food for reflection.

This movie doesn't deliver an Earth-shaking maxim, but here is the sensible line Julia tells her friends, and it boomerangs back to her via her BFF, Madison:
Don't put off being happy. 
Are you guilty of doing that?

Sometimes, we set goals for ourselves that prevent us from making choices we really want until some undetermined future time.
  • I need to get established in my career.
  • I need to raise my kids.
  • I need to become more financially secure.
Other times, our obligations create limitations.
  • I have to take care of my elderly parents.
  • Our jobs are here, so we can't move until retirement.
  • My kids need my help with the grand kids.
Many times, fear of the unknown provides us with excuses for inaction.
  • I'm afraid to change jobs because I could fail.
  • I'm afraid to love because my heart could get broken.
  • I'm afraid if I reach out to new friends, I'll be rejected.
Life is full of seasons.  They aren't always happy!  "Don't put off being happy" means to stop holding back and take some risks because you'll never know "what might have been" any other way.

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Julia Wasn't Fired?


Elizabeth, owner of Ideally Suited, takes a short vacation in Paris, where her husband just accepted a new position.

Before Elizabeth leaves, she gives Julia strict instructions to plan the Valentine's party exactly like previous years--same venue, same food, same long-stemmed roses.

Even though Julia pitches new party ideas to her boss, Elizabeth won't budge and insists on not fixing what isn't broken.


The second Elizabeth leaves, Julia overhauls the entire party.  She doesn't make a few changes--she turns the whole thing upside down!  We can appreciate her enthusiasm and creativity, but it's a pretty big knife to stick into her mentor's back.

She uses the excuse that RSVP's are down because everyone is tired of the same old thing.  Regardless, she is out of line to ignore a direct order.  Most people would be fired for such a mutinous stunt, not commended, especially considering Julia also breaks protocol by falling for a client.

It's Hallmark though, so Julia gets the reins of the entire company as her boss prepares to move to France.

Just don't try that trick at YOUR job because it might have a different ending!

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Hallmark Has Compromised


Did you catch the two gay Asian men in the parting scene of Matching Hearts?

If you blinked, you might have missed it, but it was there.

Remember Timothy?  The new-hire at the matchmaking company?  He ends up working at the flower shop owned by Julia's parents.  After Julia's and Daniel's kiss at the Valentine party, the camera centers in on other couples who are happily dancing or talking together:  Julia's parents, Julia's boss and her husband, a couple that has been matched by the company, and Timothy smiling and giggling with another Asian man.  They both are wearing black dress jackets, but one wears a pink dress shirt and the other wears a blue one.

One of the reasons Hallmark has enjoyed such overwhelming success is because it attracts a massive viewership of people who crave clean, family-friendly entertainment.  Sexual content, especially the type that flies in the face of conservative values of Hallmark's primary audience, is unwholesome and unacceptable.


Most networks have caved to increasing pressure to accommodate the demands of gay activist groups.  Few media outlets have maintained scruples in their attempt to appeal to larger audiences and boost their bottom lines.  Looks like Hallmark is also forgetting why masses initially flocked to their network.

Maybe you find the inclusion of a gay couple in a Hallmark movie a victory.  If so, you are entitled to your opinion.

If you find it appalling, speak up now.  It always starts as a toe hold and then blows up into a network takeover.

You can e-mail, snail mail, or tweet Hallmark directly, or you can sign the petition on the website of One Million Moms to encourage Hallmark to reverse their programming decisions on this topic.

#MatchingHearts #RyanPaevey

Comments

  1. Yes, I do find your 'review' comment offensive if not just a sign of your lack of knowledge of the real World. For one, homosexuality has been in Nature since the beginning of time. Also, there were many famous male and female couples in History, and even in the Bible. Finally, we spend a lot of money, on many products. Hallmark is SMART in marketing to the Real World.I buy lots of cards for my Husband, who I have been with for 35 years, and monogamous. None of us, push what we do privately 'on you' meaning, couples on Hallmark, Daytime Soaps and many other shows, are much more explicit. Finally, I am a very active member in my local Church, so your theory on our not 'being good moral people' is also very dated, and wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  2. David Bach-Andrews,

    First, my review never states anything about not "being good moral people," so I'm not sure where you pulled that comment.

    Homosexuality has not been around since the beginning of time. If you are active in your local church, you would know that in the beginning, God created man and woman and everything He created was good, not perverted. He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. That was His design. Homosexuality was not part of God's plan. Sin is what ultimately lead to homosexuality. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, which is why we all need Jesus.

    The Bible is clear, in both the Old and New Testaments, that homosexuality is a sin. Here is a link to an article you might find informative that lists the scripture verses that explain why homosexuality is wrong and why those who stand on the Word against it aren't the homophobes they are accused of being. You can find the article here: https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Why-Are-Christians-Against-Homosexuality

    As a member of your church, you know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His blueprint for living never changes--it is never "dated and wrong" as you suggest. The Bible clearly explains that homosexuality is a sin, so it doesn't matter what age we are living in, God hasn't changed His mind.

    Unfortunately, too many churches are afraid to tackle the issue of homosexuality because of the violent cancel culture we are dealing with that hates God. Some churches don't want to "offend" anyone, but to make a homosexuals feel like they are not sinning against God and not in need of repentance does them a disservice. They aren't hearing the truth, and it will lead to them being separated from God for all eternity.

    I would encourage you to look up the scriptures listed in the article referenced above so you can be confident in knowing what the Word has to say about this subject.

    ReplyDelete

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