Love by Chance (2016 TV Movie) User Reviews

Matching love

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 8 December 2022]

Was not really impressed by the previous 2016 Spring Fling films, 'All Yours' and 'Hearts of Spring' and found both of them mediocre and heavily flawed. Was hoping that 'Love by Chance' would be better, though the premise is one of those that could go either way of charming and fun or unbearably cheesy and irritating. Have liked Benjamin Ayres and Brenda Strong in other things, particularly the best known of the cast Strong, though Beau Garrett has never stood out in what has been seen of her work.

The good news is that despite having the least appealing premise 'Love by Chance' actually turned out to be the best of the three 2016 Spring Fling films mentioned in the review. It does have some good things that makes it watchable as a one time curiosity. The not so good news with 'Love by Chance' is that it is still not particularly good, with it not doing very much to make the premise more appealing. Some films actually do succeed in this aspect, and surprisingly so, but not here.

'Love by Chance's' good things will be mentioned first. Ayres is subtly charismatic and charmingly easy going, it is an understated portrayal as easily the most likeable character in the film but never a going through the motions one. Strong injects a lot of personality and spirit and gives the best performance, had issues with her character but not with Strong. If it looked as if she was overacted, it was to me really because most of everything else was underdone.

It looks nice, especially the scenery, and the music is pleasant enough and doesn't feel too much in tone or placement. There are a few amusing moments.

Garrett however is incredibly bland and charisma deprived as a character that has little personality and got on my nerves, did not like how selfish and ungrateful she was and how the film went overboard on that. Also did find the way Strong's character was written increasingly annoying, finding her too domineering and pushy and there is too much of her. There is no chemistry or spark between Garrett and Ayres and the relationship is underdeveloped and plays second fiddle to the meddling mother part of the plot.

Which is not a well written one at all, it is just too over the top ridiculous and too reliant on forced contrivances and convenient coincidences. Not to mention excessively predictable and too neatly and easily resolved. The dialogue never sounded natural, instead coming over as awkward, and the cheese really got too much. Could connect to very few of the characters, with the exception of Ayres.

Concluding, average but watchable. 5/10.

Meddling mother is a turn-off

[SunnyDaise · 7/10 · 27 May 2021]

This movie has a remake vibe - I feel like it's an updated 1950s' zany farce. Some quirkiliy filmed scenes (eg the art show) add a sense of uniqueness. Yet sadly, whilst I like having a more ensemble cast feel for a change, the mom is too annoying throughout. Because of her, it took me two attempts, and not sure I could sit through it all again. However, as they actually had very few scenes together, I would watch a spin off with the central couple returning alongside the other chef and the gallery visitor who were nicer characters than most in this movie.

Pediatrician secretly fixed up with a baker...by her mother.

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 7 March 2022]

Claire is a Seattle baker who with her partner is trying to make their business a success. Unfortunately her mom considers herself to be quite the successful matchmaker...but so far she has failed with her daughter Claire. Claire who goes in to cook at 4am, is tired and has been burned by love before.

The partners think that if they could just get a positive review from this famous internet food critic their business would pick up and they could actually buy a new oven...etc.

Claire's mom tries to secretly find Claire a boyfriend and it goes horribly awry, but in the process she does meet a handsome pediatrician...who she talks in to meeting her Claire.

(I wish this was actually filmed in Seattle but as usual besides the stock footage "city skyline" shots, this was definitely filmed somewhere else.)

Confusion abounds is this romance...between our main couple and her parents. I love the faith the husband has in his wife's fidelity and I appreciate them showing such a healthy relationship.

Absolutely wonderful cast...and that is the real reason to watch this Hallmark romance.

"Another 34 years with the love of my life."

Not bad, very sweet

[wwschuster07 · 6/10 · 16 May 2020]

I didn't mind the usual stiff acting that Hallmark tends to bring. I'll give any show a shot about culinary or food topics. I do see a similarity to Because I Said So, but that's not even the biggest issue I had. I would love to see more diversity that isn't forced, like making an Asian character an assumed Dr. I feel Hallmark only uses ethnic characters as forced diversity characters. Then they make those characters overly cheesey. With that said, it's not a bad movie. Quite enjoyable and sweet, as most Hallmark films seem to be.

Above Average Hallmark Movie

[johne-55952 · 6/10 · 2 September 2020]

As context we're not dealing with the next Golden Globe nominee--it's a Hallmark movie. This is one of the few that I have seen that has bouts of decent writing as in witty dialog in the first half of the film (it seems to wain). The actors are just fine. The female lead does a decent job of the rommy com stuff. Overall the cast is above average. Plot is Hallmark factory issue so nothing surprising but then I think that is one of the points of these things -- predictably cheery with a happy ending. Watchable enough that I finished the whole thing (which I don't always do).

The Women Needed to Chill Out

[athompsonblue · 6/10 · 5 September 2021]

The mother, of course, goes to the ridiculous length of impersonating her daughter on a dating website. And badgering her daughter in almost every conversation.

However, setting the daughter up with the male lead was actually the least intrusive thing she did. And the daughter had this unnecessary obsession with them meeting by pure serendipity. She should have thanked her mom for finding this guy, and realized that her mom can't claim credit for how well they hit it off. At the end, I think the male lead should have had the self-respect to not go crawling back to the woman who threw him away because of her mommy issues.

The mom is horrible

[taveras-victoria · 5/10 · 23 March 2019]

I liked every actor on this movie but having the mother be so meddlesome was a huge turn off! The lady is nuts and over the top and didn't let me enjoy the movie 2😭

Not bad

[dianamarinelli · 9/10 · 8 March 2021]

Overall not a bad hallmark flick good for hallmark standards but predictable

Just plain stupid

[bronxgirlcl · 3 July 2016]

So concerned caring mom gets involved in daughters life by getting a great guy to meet her . Girl meets guy and likes guy and they date okay BUT the ridiculous daughter who has as much personality as a moldy scone wants fate not arrangement . When said daughter finds out mom had arranged for great guy to meet her she flips her lid and no more relationship because why have a great guy if your mom got involved? This woman is horrible and spoiled and utterly disturbing. The story is similar to the Diane Keaton movie because I said so because of the mom wanting her child to meet someone wonderful .. Keaton was good as the mom in that and Brenda strong was also good as mom but no comparison. I skipped through this one and got rid of it post haste.

Decent for a Hallmark movie

[kimkirstiuk · 6/10 · 11 October 2020]

This is one of the better Hallmark films. I like watching them when I am sick or multitasking because they are predicable and uncomplicated so if I fall asleep or leave the room it's no big deal. This one was cute enough to keep me engaged.

Actors and actresses are OK, but the story plot is stupid and terrible!

[benwkwu · 4/10 · 7 February 2018]

The actors and actresses are fine, especially the male leading actor Benjamin Ayres is doing well. He is actually quite handsome and cute. Have seen him playing minor role in other tv film before, it is good to see that he finally has got a leading role. However the story plot of this film is really stupid and terrible. The whole one and a half hour has not much real story at all. Just hope that the other tv film Falling for Vermont with also Benjamin Ayres as leading role will be a better one.

A Really Good Romcom

[rayanthony-1 · 8/10 · 25 October 2016]

I really enjoyed this movie. It definitely counts as one of Hallmark's better efforts. I haven't seen the movie referred to elsewhere - 'Because I Said So' - so this one was refreshingly original for me. The plot for the most part was very believable although I did find it hard to accept how easily Claire gave up on Eric when she found out that her mother had engineered the first meeting. The cast was well chosen and performed excellently. I particularly liked Brenda Strong's character Helen who, as far as I am concerned, was the best one in the movie and Brenda played her superbly. I hope to see more of Brenda's work. It is definitely worth watching again.

Ripped from another movie

[readingsbyjd · 6/10 · 21 February 2019]

Hallmark, I really want to love your movies, but you must stop stealing plotlines. This is so close to the movie: "Because I said so." Even her being a pastry chef. It became a distraction. The acting was Hallmark standard and watchable. Just do not expect original.

background worthy

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 24 September 2018]

In Seattle, Claire Michaels (Beau Garrett) is busy running her bakery and worried about an important phantom critic. Her mother (Brenda Strong) sees herself as a great matchmaker. After a bad setup, Claire demands her mother to stop setting her up. Instead, she tries to secretly set Claire up with an internet date. That doesn't go well either but Eric Carlton (Benjamin Ayres) overhears them and agrees to the scheme.

It's a perfectly fine Hallmark movie which isn't saying much. There is no real tension and there is no real heat. Their meet-cute is cute only for the kid. It's sweet but it lacks punch. It's nice. Everybody's nice. The movie's nice. There's no danger or tension. I do like everybody and every character. It's a good movie to put in the background while you're doing something else.

nice

[Kirpianuscus · 25 June 2017]

for a not fan of romance like me, each film of this genre represents a challenge. because I look for sympathize it. and the success is rare for this desire. but "Love by chance" is nice. first for beautiful work of Brenda Strong. in same measure, for the effort of Beau Garret to give a reasonable Claire. the only mistake, for me, is the option for Benjamin Ayres as Eric Carlton. I do know why but the clothes of character are too large for him. a good choice, maybe, Zahf Paroo. but this is only a very subjective detail. another good point is the performance of John Cassini as Marco, the loyal friend and the work of Marci T. House. the seductive spices- the humor and plans for the trip to Italy. so, nice.

Decent, somewhat original Hallmark rom-com

[herrcarter-92161 · 7/10 · 19 August 2023]

I actually liked this movie. It wasn't perfect, by any means, but it was decent. For Hallmark, it was actually kind of an original plotline. The romance between the two leads was adequate, but it's the meddling mom who really steals the show. You'd think she would be annoying and unlikable, and maybe she starts out that way. But you get to know her pretty well by the end of the show, and you start to see her motivations and even understand her and sympathize with her. You see that, while she is overbearing and manipulative, she truly does love her daughter and her heart is in the right place. You also saw that she had a few issues in her own life and marriage to sort out, and that her sole purpose for existence wasn't just to meddle in her daughter's love life.

The performances in this movie were solid. Brenda Strong as the mom Helen was spot on, providing a flawed, yet relatable meddling mom. Benjamin Ayres as Eric was good too. He was every inch the strong, handsome leading man, while still being likable and approachable. Beau Garrett as Claire was okay, though she wasn't my favorite Hallmark leading lady. She's certainly pretty enough for the role, but her performance was a little wooden. She lacked the spark of some of their better leading ladies like Lacey Chabert or Danica McKellar. The chemistry between Eric and Claire was pretty good, though.

I thought Claire's angry reaction to learning that her mom had secretly conspired to get her and Eric together was way over the top. So she hates her mom's meddling so much that she's going to jettison a relationship with a guy who she clearly likes, maybe even loves, and who she totally gets along with? Really? Of course, this is all part of the rom-com formula. There has to be a mid-relationship bump, which will magically be resolved at the end. Sadly, that bump often seems very forced and contrived, and this is no exception. It was really stupid that she was so hung up on their meeting happening by chance or fate, whatever you want to call it, without any outside influence from her mom. Couples get together through all kinds of means, and how they get together is less important than that they do get together. Heck, even her own mom's supposed chance get-together with her dad turned out not to be chance, as the mom had secretly lied to him to make it happen because she liked him. The mom Helen should have told Claire that story to make her see how silly she was being about rejecting Eric because of Helen's involvement in getting the two of them together. Instead, we get the cringe scene where Eric confesses his love in front of everyone in the entire restaurant.

So, in all, I liked this movie and I give it kudos for originality and, mostly, for good performances. As I said, it wasn't perfect, but it was definitely one of the better Hallmark offerings out there.

Terrible acting

[avanti_nn · 1/10 · 27 June 2016]

Beau Garret's performance is so bad that I could not even force myself to finish the film. Besides everyone else appears plain bored. Again, probably because of beau Garret's acting as one bad actor brings down the rest along with the whole film. She speaks a in monotonous drawl throughout the film and other than a shrug of shoulders of a tilt of head nothing shows a shift in her emotions. It looks like she is sleepwalking through the entire film. Either that or I accidentally watched it in slow motion. Probably not because the other actors were okay in comparison. There is zero chemistry between the lead actors and the film seems to be more about the lead's mother played by Brenda Strong as the meddling mother. I also did not understand why they made a romance on such similar lines as one previously made with a big star cast. They fell flat in whatever they attempted to achieve.

The characters appeared unconvincing and juvenile. They came across as bad actors playing roles of responsible adults.

And in future I am going to steer clear of any film that has beau garret as a part of cast.

What a great story

[richardsnyder-73784 · 10/10 · 31 May 2019]

Such a great story with superior acting with numerous twists. The acting is superb, had some great music along with the background music and just loved the the story. I sometimes think that the females give up too soon on events that unfold that they blame on others that may have been mostly out of their control all along. This was a truly great romance that happened mostly on its own. Brenda Strong is a great actress and we need to see her in her own love story sometime.

My ultimate fav hallmark

[fairies-83624 · 10/10 · 30 November 2019]

I have watched it alot. Well written. Love the characters

Deserves more credit

[MickyG333 · 8/10 · 11 April 2023]

7.8 stars.

A mother's meddling and the tangled web she weaves is the theme of 'Love by Chance'. She spends all of her energy matchmaking for her daughter, because she believes her daughter is a real catch. Unfortunately her daughter is more than disinterested in her mother's apparent nervousness over whether she will ever find the right guy. She loathes the constant interference and becomes bitter and distant, but she's so worn out from her mother's endless energy reserves, that she resigns herself to it - until the line is crossed. This is the story of the perfect man for her coming along and getting caught in the web. The rest of the movie is about cleaning up the mess and hoping that genuine love can be salvaged.

I was pleasantly surprised by this film and I think it deserves more credit than the current 6.1 stars. The mother's meddling is somewhat exhausting, but she's an endearing character, plus the leads are fantastic and the chemistry is real. I can't fathom this movie getting a poor review, because although it's frustrating at times, there is romance magic interwoven throughout.