The Beach House (2018) Reviews

• An Emotional Family Story

  omijer2018-04-30

  The Beach House is a rare, welcome departure from typical Hallmark movies in that it depicts a troubled family, characters that are multi-dimensional (for the most part), and emotions that are not all positive and cheery. It also provides the viewer with two eye-catching visual experiences. One is the lovely, mature Andie MacDowell..and the other is Tybee Island, a beach and community South of Savannah, GA. Having spent many summers at Tybee Island, this viewer can confirm that it is still one of the most unspoiled, peaceful and beautiful communities. The filmographer who takes us there in this movie certainly confirms that description of the island. The beauty of the scenery, the ocean waves, the foliage, the stately, yet simple homes..are all photographed with respect and reverence for this undiscovered island. The other treat for ones eyes is Andie MacDowell, who portrays a woman beset by both family and personal problems that need to be resolved. This fine , serious actress is a pleasure to watch as she goes through seemingly insurmountable roadblocks to resolving her many issues. her performance is nuanced and not diminished by any needs to appear glamorous. The other lead roles in the story are handled in more typical Hallmark fashion. The prodigal daughter, who has left her troubled family to succeed in the big city, comes home after a disappointing work experience. Her island boyfriend, again in typical Hallmark fashion, has not moved on with his life after losing her. Minka Kelly, as the daughter, brings almost no drama to her role. She is beautiful and she smiles lot. Chad Michael Murray, as the boyfriend, is an undefined character, who simply seems to be someone to lean on and fall back on in difficult moments. Both actors belong in a more typical Hallmark movie, rather than in this one, which explores so many deeper issues in a complex life. There is also one other cast member, a young pregnant woman, who seems to have no definition in the story except, perhaps, to serve as a Greek chorus in reflecting the family's unresolved and secret issues. The subplot of the film revolves around the protection of sea turtles, and reflects a symbolic reference to birth, life, death and renewal. However, all that notwithstanding, this film belongs to Donny Boaz, who plays the family son. This young actor, relatively unknown (at least to this viewer) portrays the rich Southern son with such authenticity and swagger, it is impossible to take ones eyes off him..He embodies the Southern attributes of confidence that comes with wealth. He is arrogant, he knows his place in the bright light of Tybee. The actor looks the part..with his body gestures, his perfect not-quite-too-long hair, perfectly coiffed, and his snarling mouth. This viewer has known many of these young men who are born into privilege and who never become more than this cliche persona. Boaz depicts this son with pitch perfect accuracy. The Beach House is a serious family drama, not a typical Hallmark film, and very well worth watching..but bring your Kleenex!

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• Sub-par acting, decent story

  beckymcevans2018-05-13

  I have always forgiven Andie MacDowell because she's lovely and has some charm, but she really is not a good actor. Minka Kelly is on about the same level. Not crazy about Chad Murray, either. However, the story is somewhat interesting--particularly the evil Southern father and son elements--along with the wonderful turtles, of course. I liked Flo and Toy a lot. But honestly, had I not started this, I wouldn't have missed anything by skipping it.

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• The Beach House

  beachy-384312018-05-12

  I'm glad to see Hallmark finally getting back on track with a good Hallmark Hall of Fame movie rather than their usual Hallmark romantic junk.

• 1a Touching Family Drama

  omijer2018-04-29

  The Beach House is a very much-publicized Hallmark drama, perhaps because it stars Andie MacDowell. The other star of this film is the beautifully-filmed setting of Tybee Island ..the beach community South of Savannah , Ga. Having spent many summers at Tybee Island, this viewer can attest to its stunning, almost untouched beauty. the photographs showed this beach and community in a truly authentic manner, and it is almost the larger star of this film. Beyond that, there is very little new or original or worthy of positive praise in this film. The story is, indeed, a bit more dramatic and emotionally gripping than most Hallmark movies. It does not aim for the typical path towards a predictable happy ending, even though all Hallmark endings are, in some form or other, resolved as happy. This film explores a family very much torn apart by strong emotions and conflicting needs. Without revevealing the plot details, there is much here that will touch more viewers than the average Hallmark cliche film. There is the prodigal daughter, the ailing lonely mother, a lost love, and a defiant, selfish son. All these relationships conflict and ultimately do resolve..but the road to that resolution is paved with many stormy confrontations and conflicts..(There is also a very graphic hurricane to deal with, so the family drama is enhanced and symbolically play out in a weather event), The characters in the film are sadly, one-dimensional..The beautiful daughter, who left to seek her success in the big city, the boyfriend she left behind who never moved on from this rejection, the ailing mother, and one character that does not seem to have any place in the film..except to add a sympathetic voice to the story..That is the young pregnant woman living with the ailing mother..a sort of Greek chorus to the action swirling in this family. There is also the additional plot theme of sea turtles ..birth, death,and rebirth..a metaphor for the film's theme. Minka Kelly does her best as the daughter..She is beautiful and has a perpetual smile. Andie MacDowell is always lovely to watch. Chad Michael Murray as the abandoned boyfriend lacks any definable attraction strength that would explain the daughter's love for him..but this is Hallmark, after all. Acting kudos belong to Donny Boaz, who plays the son. The film almost 'belongs'' to him, he is that captivating. ..He is unfamiliar to this viewer but he is a truly a fine actor. He absolutely embodied the role of the arrogant, entitled, wealthy son, with his mannerisms, his stance, his perfect hair and clothes. Many a Southern son looks like this. His acting was pitch-perfect, and kept this viewer interested in his character's development more than in any of the other cast members. This is a Hallmark movie of some deeper quality than most..but it misses the mark because of some perfunctory, shallow acting on the part of the two young sweethearts..There is absolutely no chemistry between them..and there could have been, had the script attended to developing that . Still, this is a very warm, touching family movie ..with more depth and drama than most Hallmark films.

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• breezy lite Hallmark fare

  SnoopyStyle2018-07-09

  Caretta "Cara" Rudland (Minka Kelly) returns home to South Carolina to visit her mother Lovie (Andie MacDowell) as her life in Chicago falls apart. Lovie had taken in young pregnant stranger Mama Toy (Makenzie Vega) and trying to hide her illness. She spends her time caring for sea turtles and her finances are being controlled by her son Palmer. Cara reconnects with her ex Brett Beauchamps (Chad Michael Murray) whom she left behind to go to Chicago. This is a breezy romance from the Hallmark Channel. It's all nice but without any real tension. It's like a summer on the beach reading a romance novel. One drinks ice tea while the kids build sand castles. It's easy, lovely, and hopefully no drama. This has no weight but that what one expects.

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