MOVIE REVIEW
Dad's Home
A.K.A.
Man of the House or
Love Will Keep Us Together
Network: Hallmark Channel
Original Air Date: June 19, 2010
CAST:
David James Elliott ... Ben Landis
Sharon Case ... Hope Jensen
Madison Davenport ... Lindsay Landis
Will Shadley ... Dylan Landis
Jay Huguley ... Brian
Ron Melendez ... Craig Vertillo
Brian Elerding ... Zane
Noah Matthews ... Brandon
Emily Warfield ... Female Shopper
Mary-Margaret Humes ... Mrs. Dougherty
Beau Billingslea ... Ed Morse
Patti Yasutake ... Mrs. Hong
Tatiana Chekhova ... Nula
PLOT:
David James Elliott ("JAG") stars in "Dad's Home," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie about a workaholic ad agency executive who has lost his wife and is then fired from his job. He soon becomes a full-time Mr. Mom and begins to realize what he has been missing by not balancing his career and family life.
Ben Landis (Elliott) is shocked when his boss gives him the news that his job as an advertising executive is over because he makes too much money and can be easily replaced by three younger guys for the same amount. He shares the news with his two children, Lindsay (Madison Davenport), age 12, and Dylan (Will Shadley), age 8, who have many questions. Then he fires his live-in housekeeper who he can no longer afford to keep. Now in the role of Mr. Mom, he immediately begins making a mess of everything the kitchen, dropping the kids off at school, managing Dylan's asthma attack and making cupcakes for the school bake sale.
But Ben keeps at it and soon gets the hang of things and even finds a supporter in Miss Jensen (Sharon Case, "The Young and the Restless"), Dylan's teacher, with whom there's an instant attraction. However, when he's offered a wonderful job at an ad agency in another city, Ben must decide what matters most in life, and what will be the best thing for him and his family.
Movie Review:
Sweet Hallmark Family Movie. There's not alot of action in it, but a lot of heart. It's a story about a father, Ben Landis, and his two children, Lindsay and Dylan, making it through the day to day routine of life together after they have lost their wife and mother and the Father loses his job.
David James Elliott is in nearly every scene - so if you are a fan since his "JAG" days... then you'll love this! He's quite a handsome guy. And, Sharon Case, who plays Hope Jensen, Dylan's teacher, and the fathers eventual love interest, is very pretty. So, they make for a very cute couple.
It's an emotion packed movie with some sweet lighthearted moments thrown in. They do discuss losing the mother, so this issue might be tough for some young viewers. The son, Dylan, has a terrible asthma attack, however he is ultimately fine. I thought it was funny later on that the father gave him trick candles at his birthday party - that no matter how hard he blew - they wouldn't go out. There wasn't any trouble for him, though, with his asthma, and they eventually went out.
The daughter goes through a new period in her life, so her father takes her to the Doctor. The female Doctor tells the father, that Lindsay is "Coming of age, and she needs a bra." This is an akward, but sweet, moment as the father realizes his little girl is growing up. Hope assists them in their shopping and privately the daughter, Lindsay, tells her father, that Miss Jensen is in love with him.
It's a sweet family movie where the entire family seems to genuinely care for and love another. There's only one great conflict near the end... will they have to leave town when the father gets a job in another city?
See or Skip:
See, with your family!
--