This one is well worth watching. Very good story and good acting. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/13/2021

'Home by Spring' didn't leave me all that excited, with a premise that didn't really grab me and from hearing from word of mouth that it wasn't good. Still saw it anyway as a Hallmark completest, as someone who was very pleasantly surprised by the previous 2018 Spring Fever Hallmark films and because there have been films of all decades and genres that do not sound appealing on paper but turned out to be so much better than expected (was really hoping it would be the same here),so there was some hope.

Any amount of potential 'Home by Spring' had is completely squandered in a film that is mediocre at best and at times even incredibly weak. It has its moments and good things, but there are far too many debits and the worst of them are actually pretty terrible in execution. Of all the 2018 Spring Fever Hallmark films, 'Home by Spring' is a strong contender for the weakest and a major drop in quality from the previous two Spring Fever films that year.

The good things will be started off first. Poppy Drayton is very appealing as Loretta and is by far the best thing about the film, it may take a little time to feel much for her character but her character at least rings true and Drayton brings a good deal of charm to her. The supporting cast do competently with what they have, which is weak.

It looks good, Hallmark nearly always delivered when it came to the scenery and it delivers in this aspect here too. The photography complements it nicely. The music is pleasant enough.

Steven R. McQueen however for me was awful, his character is an arrogant hypocritical jerk, and pretty much stays that way (or at least feels it),and McQueen comes over as very stiff and smug, sometimes even unintentionally creepy. Other than Loretta, the only character the film tries to develop, the characters are not worth rooting or interesting and one of the film's most unrealistic elements was what Lorretta saw in Wayne (the attraction is completely lost on me). They have no chemistry together and don't seem connected.

McQueen, the uninvestable characters and the bad chemistry are not the only bad things. The dialogue is really stilted and has a lot of pongy cheese and sickly sweet schmaltz, also found it pretty bland. The story is similarly bland and has no charm or heart, it takes itself too seriously (especially with the character writing for Wayne) and is very pedestrian in pace. Not to mention that it is very predictable from doing nothing new with a formula that was tried and tested well before 'Home by Spring' was made. The direction lacks any kind of distinction.

Overall, mediocre with a few quite good elements (Drayton),a lot of bad and a couple of terrible. 4/10.

Loretta Johnson (Poppy Drayton) is a junior event planner in L.A. When her boss Amy gets sick, she takes over a kiddie party. Paul and Michelle are very impressed with her but they assume her to be her boss 00Amy. Paul needs to impress Michelle's billionaire outdoorsman Arthur before he could ask for her hand. The only problem is that Paul is a clueless outdoors. They need her to teach him and plan an outdoors retreat in the woods. Now Loretta has to pretend to be her boss without telling her and set up the retreat back in her rural hometown. She hires her estranged ex Wayne (Steven R. McQueen) to help.

I don't really understand why she couldn't tell Amy or quite frankly tell the couple. It doesn't make sense because eventually, everyone has to be told. The premise is a manufactured sitcom misunderstanding and it rings hollow. Most of that can be overlooked. Poppy Drayton is a pretty girl and she seems sweet if a little bit on edge. On the other hand, Wayne is a jerk and he is harder to root for. I think he tries to live up to his Steve McQueen name way too hard. The original had the swagger but his great personality allows everyone to love him. This kid is missing that and his character doesn't help. On top of that, this is not much of a backwoods retreat. The movie's saving grace is Poppy and she has the charisma to lead this. That is often enough for a Hallmark romance.