Plot Summary
When Emma Miller is given the choice to leave her small Amish community in order to help her recently widowed aunt in Charm, Ohio, she jumps at the chance to try something new in her life. She longs to see the world beyond the confines of her Amish life, and even though her aunt is also Amish, she sees the small Ohio town as an opportunity to experience the world she has never lived in. But as soon as she steps foot in Charm, she meets a quiet Amish man named Noah, who is also helping her aunt in her time of need. Emma is both intrigued by Noah but also intent on exploring the English world. Little does she know that she will soon be faced with a choice that will determine her very future.
Production Quality (2.5 points)
This movie saga based on Love Inspired novels has demonstrated an ability to create quality productions. Love Finds You in Charm follows closely in the footsteps of Love Finds You in Sugar Creek in many ways, including production quality. The camera work is very professional, including angles and the filming of outside scenes. The sets and locations are considerably diverse for a small town plot. There is an overall authentic feel to the surroundings. However, the soundtrack is pretty typical for this sort of movie. The biggest production error is choppy editing; this film was obviously forced to be made for television when the plot scope is actually larger than ninety minutes. But this aside, Charm’s production is something to be proud of.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1.5 points)
In the same vein of Sugar Creek, Charm has a down-to-earth, average romance plot that is neither Hallmark-horrible nor Rik Swartzwelder-good. Once again, Amish characters are portrayed in a realistic light without even a hint of shunnings. Yet unlike Sugar Creek, Charm has a deep well of potential that was not drawn out. Charm is loosely based on the plot structure of the classic romance Pride and Prejudice, yet it lacks the depth of this tale. Emma is a pretty good character, yet she needed fleshing out. Unfortunately, most of the supporting characters are a bit stereotypical and\or too black and white. The dialogue is believable, yet once again not taken to its fullest potential. The biggest arching issue is that, as mentioned previously, there is too much content crammed into a ninety minute runtime. The plot and the characters had the potential to sustain at least a two hour feature film. The end is too abrupt and does not fully appreciate the characters crafted. In the end, Charm has a fine plot, but it is such a shame to see this sort of potential go to waste.
Acting Quality (2 points)
For a cast of relatively little-known and small time actors and actresses, the Charm cast pulls of the job quite well. Line delivery is professional and there are no truly glaring errors. The biggest issue here is that emotions are not felt as much as they should be felt. Overall, the acting is above average, but it is not dynamic. But in the end, it is a step above most romances.
Conclusion
It is highly likely that Charm was limited by both budget and the pressure to create a TV movie. Were the creators given more space, it is highly likely that this would have been a Hall of Fame movie. Regardless, despite our low expectations from the beginning of this Love Inspired saga, the series appears to be improving as it goes along. This is a great accomplishment and we are intrigued to see what will happen next.
Final Rating: 6 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 