MOVIE REVIEW
Dear Viola
Network: UP
Original Air Date: March 16, 2014
An advice columnist who desperately needs advice - starring actress Kellie Martin, of "Life Goes On", "Christy", "ER", Hallmark's "Mystery Woman" series, "The Christmas Ornament", etc...!
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| Official DVD Cover |
CAST:
Kellie Martin ... Katie Miner
Jefferson Brown ... Russ
Neil Crone ... Earl Bellamy
Adamo Ruggiero ... Brian Southern
Sheila McCarthy ... Peggy
Robinne Fanfair ... Cindy Marchand
Brittany Gray ... Jamie Estovez
Arnold Pinnock ... Clay Jackson
Kira Gelineau ... Meredith
PLOT:
When the writer of a local, obsessively-read, beloved advice column, entitled "Dear Viola," decides to retire and leave the quaint seaside village of Bellport, seasoned editor Earl Bellamy (Neil Crone) is taken aback. While hoping to keep a lid on this news and his paper going, Earl unexpectedly finds a brand -new "Viola" column on his desk. Earl, his “The Bellport Herald” staffers Brian (Adamo Ruggiero) and Peggy (Sheila McCarthy), and soon the entire town find Viola’s new published tone to be refreshing, no -nonsense, funny and wise. An outpouring of mail for Viola floods in. Again, Earl leaves the mail on his desk and another column appears.
Using the security camera, Earl discovers the mystery columnist to be none other than Katie Miner (Kellie Martin), the shy accountant who has quietly done the books at the paper for years. Katie agrees to continue writing the column as long as her identity can remain secret. Sifting through a mountain of letters, Katie becomes struck by one from a widower, Russ (Jefferson Brown), who calls himself "Mr. Lost Love." Working as a deep sea fisherman with pal Clay Jackson (Arnold Pinnock), Russ can’t seem to move past the loss of his wife five years prior and struggles to find the strength to raise his young daughter, Meredith (Kira Gelineau). Firmly, Katie encourages him to reach out to others, begin dating and start living. As they correspond through the column and run into each other (hidden by their pen names), Katie starts to fall for Russ. But when Russ decides to take Viola’s advice and start dating the knockout new girl in town, Jamie (Brittany Gray), Katie has to decide if it’s really in her best interest to keep her identity and growing feelings secret.
Movie Review:
"Dear Viola" is an advice column in a newspaper, much like "Dear Abbey". So let me give you a little advice, Viola style...
Dear Viewers, No love is lost, but gained, when you open yourself up to life and new experiences, and this delightful movie!
If you missed the premiere of "Dear Viola", an UP Original Movie, than you missed something uniquely special. Actress Kellie Martin portrays shy and fashionably challenged Katie Miner. When the former advice column writer retires, Katie anonymously slips a new "Dear Viola" column on the boss' desk. He likes what she has written, and thanks to security cameras - he knows it is Katie who has placed it there. With his promise to keep it a secret, as long as she keeps writing great responses, and she can keep her bookkeeping job, too - they make a deal!
Katie reads through a pile of "Dear Viola" letters deciding who to respond to next. And, then she finds it, a letter from a Mr. Lost Love, a widower. Kate chooses that one and she doesn't sugarcoat a thing. By day, Katie is shy and reserved, but under the disguise of Viola, she can be expressive and witty, full of spunk. She encourages "Mr. Lost Love" to move on with his life and start dating again.
However, Katie has no idea, at the time, that she has just encouraged the guy she likes, Russ, in a series of "Viola" letters, to start dating a newcomer in town, Jamie, who is a blonde bombshell, and no match for herself. Russ doesn't even seem to notice Katie, except she's a great babysitter for his daughter Meredith and she bakes great cupcakes. Jamie, in turn, has no interest in Meredith, cooking, or anything domestic, for that matter. When Meredith ends up missing, Jamie offers to help Russ find her, but eventually leaves to go home and get her beauty sleep. Katie is there, helping Russ search from the start and is the one who actually figures out where Meredith has gone.
From there, it is easy to see that Russ has just seen a new side of Katie, his daughter Meredith, and himself, and Jamie, too.
Will Russ be able to find true love again? Will Katie reveal her "Dear Viola" identity and feelings to Russ?
I think you will enjoy this fun, light-hearted movie and it's very sweet ending!
See or Skip:
See!
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