There are four main characteristics important in every Valentine’s movie: the plot, a festive setting, the romance, and the theme.
In Hallmark’s “An Unexpected Valentine,” Lacey Chabert plays Hannah, a hopeless romantic and chocolate flavor profile designer, who just happens to be allergic to chocolate. Robert Buckley plays Finn, a part-time driver and part-time photographer who just so happens to be Chabert’s ride home.
Hannah is picked up by Finn, who is also giving a ride to another woman and a couple. When Hannah gets car sick, she switches places with the woman in the passenger seat. After the other passengers have been dropped off, Hannah realizes her phone is lost; however, they quickly find it in the back of Finn’s car. Her phone isn’t the only thing they find however. They also find an engagement ring. The movie follows Hannah and Finn as they drive through the city to return the ring to its rightful owner before the holiday ends and the couple’s proposal is ruined.
The plot is predictable in some parts, for example, in finding out who the owner of the ring is. However, the suspense of whether they will return the ring in time to get to each of their parties, Finn to a gallery showing of his photos and Hannah to a launch party for her chocolate, helps to keep the movie engaging. The movie earns a three out of five for the plot.
I rated the setting a four out of five. The movie is set in New York on Valentine’s Day, and the atmospheric nature of the city is emphasized as they drive through it, exploring pizza kitchens, nightclubs and painting classes. I took away one point because they spent a lot of the movie sitting in the car and would only spend a few minutes at each of the stops they made.
One part of the movie that fell flat for me was the romance. I am rating the romance a two out of five. Hannah and Finn had plenty of banter throughout the movie, but their relationship felt more like friendship than anything romantic. Hannah also initially rejects Finn when he hints at being interested in her, so their kiss at the end of the movie feels forced and unconvincing.
The movie’s main lesson centers around Finn’s dislike for Valentine’s Day. He believes that the holiday is performative, and couples give each other extravagant gifts like huge teddy bears and bouquets of flowers to show off. However, as they devote more time from their day to return the ring, Finn begins to understand the sincerity of the holiday and finds enjoyment in spending time with loved ones. The movie earns a four out of five for its theme.
Overall “An Unexpected Valentine” earns 13 out of 20 points. If you are looking for a movie with great writing and a swoon-worthy romance, this is definitely not for you. However, if you are just looking for something to watch to get into the holiday spirit, then this is the perfect movie.
