PLAYING CUPID

US/Canada, 2021, 84 minutes, Colour.

Laura Vandervoort, Nicholas Gonzalez, Mia Quaranta de la Rosa, LaTonya Williams.

Directed by David Weaver.

Playing Cupid is a Hallmark film, better received than many of the others which are sometimes dismissed as stereotypical and/or sentimental.

This one is a variation on Jane Austen’s Emma, and the high school setting is Austen Middle School.

Kerri, Laura Vandevoort, is a sympathetic teacher, interested in the students, encouraging them to participate in a business project. She has her own personal problems including a breakup with her boyfriend. She encounters the manager of a very successful restaurant, David, and audiences can see where this will lead… And the problem student in her class turns out to be David’s daughter.

The focus is on the project for the students, Clara, the daughter, setting up a business of matchmaking – one of the Emma connections. She is quite successful, the story focusing on her learning, a questionnaire, selling it, the special function for use of her project, and her disappointment that the boy she is attracted to does not turn up for the dance as he had promised.

By and large everything in this film is nice. A possible difficult character is David’s ex-wife who does turn up, is wary of Kerri, but turns out pleasant at the end. As does Clara winning the competition, setting up her father with Kerri, the complete happy ending.

1. The title and expectations? Romantic comedy? A variation on Jane Austen’s Emma? And Austen Middle School?
2. The setting, the town, school, the restaurant, atmosphere of the town? Musical score? Song and dance karaoke with Kerri and David?
3. Kerri, teacher, with the students, not talking at them, with them, the business project? Her interest in Clara and her poor marks? Friendship with Marnie and their conversations, her support?
4. At the restaurant, waiting for Adam, his being late, self-absorbed, wanting her sacrifice, her breaking off? The sympathetic help from David?
5. Kerri and Marnie at the parents’ group, David presiding, fundraising, their chatting, his reaction?
6. Kerri discovering that David was Clara’s father, the tensions and clashes, his divorce, his daughter talking lengthily with her mother on the phone? His expectations of his daughter? His business, the custom, his skill in cooking?
7. The plan for the project, David agreeing to be a mentor, the presentations by the students, Trevor, the mowing, and Clara’s attraction to him? Clara, her presentation, the questions, Kerri urging her father’s encouragement?
8. Clara, the project, the decision about the questionnaire, discussions for the questions, the possibility of selling the format? Success? The students in the class, finding common interests? Her hoping for Trevor? His not turning up at the dance?
9. David agreeing for the function for St Valentine’s Day, his ex-wife turning up, tensions, Kerri’s presence? The function, the late arrivals, success?
10. The issue of the awards, Kerri visiting and encountering the ex-wife, discussions with David, her decision to go back to Oregon, the phone calls with her family, the disappointment, the urgings of Marnie?
11. The awards night, Clara winning, Kerri on stage, the acclamation, the gifts of the chair and desk? Later going to the restaurant, the decorations and lights?
12. The audience wanting and getting the happy ending?