Pour The Wine, It's Rom-Com Time

Hallmark's Hats Off to Love

• Garry & Amy

Share episode

In this episode, Pour the Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time takes off at full gallop with our review of Hallmark's Hats Off to Love! This charmingly original romance blends the excitement of Derby season with the elegance of millinery. Whether you're drawn to the world of horse racing, captivated by high fashion, or simply love heartfelt stories about chasing dreams, this Derby-themed film offers a delightful escape that you don't want to miss!


Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Amy:

Welcome to Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time where we'll sip some wine and review all things. Rom-com on the Homework channel. I'm Amy.

Garry:

And I'm Gary.

Amy:

And it's time to Pour the. Wine, and today we picked out one that is very specific to the movie that we're going to be reviewing tonight. It is a Cab Sav, of course.

Garry:

And what is it called 14 Hands?

Amy:

It's called 14 Hands and it has a picture of a horse on it.

Garry:

We thought it was appropriate to drink tonight while we're doing our review. Yeah, and it's a 2021 vintage, ooh, 2021.

Amy:

From Columbia Valley. There you go. Columbia Valley, where California.

Garry:

I'm assuming.

Amy:

Virginia Nevada. I don't know where that is, somewhere it probably says on the back of the bottle yeah, so let me just pour you a glass here before we get started. Well, last weekend, speaking of horses, the Kentucky Derby was this past Saturday on. May 3rd 2025. And it's no coincidence that the movie we're going to be reviewing Hats Off to Love aired on the very same day.

Garry:

Yes, what a coincidence. Wow, what great timing Hallmark has. Oh my gosh.

Amy:

You know what's interesting is like I'm really not into hats so much the big hats. I wear baseball caps a lot. Yes, you do, but I'm not into the fascinators and all that jazz. Yeah, and we're really not. Have you ever been horseback riding?

Garry:

No, yes, once, which is it? Yeah, I, I've been once.

Amy:

No yes, no.

Garry:

Yes, once.

Amy:

I took lessons when I was gosh, a wee lad. I was young. You were a wee lass, I was a wee lass, A wee lass, yeah, I guess. A wee lass, yeah. When I was really young I took some horseback riding lessons. I really loved it, but I just never continued on with it. And I actually went to college in Kentucky. Oh wow, yes, and I actually went to college in Kentucky.

Garry:

Oh, wow.

Amy:

Yes, so the Kentucky Derby was pretty popular amongst my college buddies.

Garry:

Oh, I bet it was but.

Amy:

I never went. I actually have a few friends who went recently, also Not this year, but last year. So yeah, pretty cool stuff.

Garry:

Well, I myself I like horses, but I'm a big Clydesdale guy. Oh yes, and I know you are.

Amy:

Yes, obviously.

Garry:

The.

Amy:

Clydesdales, the Super Bowl commercials.

Garry:

Yes.

Amy:

They're kind of like Hallmark commercials.

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

Because they tug at your heartstrings a little bit.

Garry:

They do Some tissues right.

Amy:

We love the Clydesdales, that is true.

Garry:

Well, I did a little bit of diving before we get started to this review now yeah, about, about, the actual kentucky derby, the kentucky derby or louisville derby which is another name louisville, louisville it's not tomatoes, tomatoes. Anyways, um you know, it's the prestigious annual horse race that was held in Louisville, kentucky, and this past race, this past Saturday, was the 151st running. Wow.

Amy:

Jeez Louise, can you imagine that?

Garry:

No, and you had pointed something out and I had to look it up. What's that? Every horse that ran in that race was a descendant of Secretariat. Yeah, yeah.

Amy:

That's pretty crazy. So for the kids at home who don't know about Secretariat yes, he is a legendary racehorse named. Big Red. He is Named Big Red.

Garry:

Big Red.

Amy:

Oh, that's, right, yes.

Garry:

And he won the Triple Crown in 1973, setting record times that still stand today. Isn't that crazy? That's awesomeness.

Amy:

There's always one legend, and did you know he sired more than 665 fouls Foles.

Garry:

I don't know how do you pronounce that? I don't know.

Amy:

Somebody will correct us.

Garry:

Yeah, and he was buried in Claiborne Farm near Paris, kentucky.

Amy:

Oh, I thought he was buried on Back in 1889. Oh, okay, yeah, I thought he was buried at the University of Kentucky. That's interesting, okay, yeah.

Garry:

Cool, and do you know where the Kentucky Derby takes place? What racetrack?

Amy:

Churchill Downs.

Garry:

Yes, that one I know that one, I know, the ever popular churchill down. Yeah, and the first one took place may 17, 1875 that's crazy and it's the the first race on a monday on a monday yes get out and guess what day. The rest of them are on now.

Amy:

Saturday.

Garry:

Correct.

Amy:

Do you know where the term Downs comes from?

Garry:

No.

Amy:

Because I was wondering.

Garry:

Yeah, where does it come from? Because?

Amy:

we'll talk about this a little bit. Where the location of the shoot of Hats Off to Love.

Garry:

Okay.

Amy:

But is also at a Downs, but Churchill Downs. I had to look that up. It comes from Great Britain and Ireland, where horse races were held on grassy plains before the racetracks were built and those grassy areas were known as Downs.

Garry:

Oh.

Amy:

So when they started building the racetracks, they would name the track and kept Downs as part of the name.

Garry:

That's pretty cool, isn't that pretty cool? That is pretty cool.

Amy:

Yeah, look at me giving you some trivia this time for once. I know you sure did. I was thinking why are they called Downs?

Garry:

I never really thought about it. So there you go. Well, and I got a couple more things.

Amy:

Oh, a couple more tidbits. All right and go.

Garry:

The race is often referred to as the most exciting two minutes in sports. Yeah, I guess so, and it's considered one of the most famous horse races in the world.

Amy:

Do you know who won this year? We didn't look that up. We have no idea that's how much Busty. We should have looked that up. That's so funny If you know who won let us know. We could Google it.

Garry:

But one other fun fact is there's only been three female horses that have won the race.

Amy:

Out of 151? Out of 151 years.

Garry:

Yep, wow, and their names were Regret in 1915. Regret, yeah, of course they named a female horse Regret in 1915.

Amy:

Regret yeah, of course they named a female horse Regret. That is so funny Okay.

Garry:

Genuine Risk in 1980. Those are some female names, right? I'm so sorry, I had no idea.

Amy:

Regret and Genuine Risk.

Garry:

And the last one was Winning Colors in 1988. Now that one's finally the last one was winning colors in 1988. Now that one's finally a good one.

Amy:

Winning colors. Oh my gosh Regret.

Garry:

I would love to hear the story behind that name, right?

Amy:

Oh, okay, and of course those are the female names.

Garry:

That just kills me.

Amy:

What a man's world we live in, oh gosh.

Garry:

Oh, that was funny. Okay, 1915. There you go, there you have it, folks.

Amy:

All right, a little bit of.

Garry:

Derby history.

Amy:

Derby history. We learn something, they learn something, we're all learning right.

Garry:

Learning.

Amy:

Well, we would really love it if you would click that follow button on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss an episode.

Garry:

Yeah, don't miss an episode.

Amy:

Yeah, if you listen on apple or spotify. You can also leave us a review, and we hope it's a positive review yes, you can also find us on all the socials facebook, instagram, blue sky, x threads is there any go on over there anymore?

Garry:

find us, like us yes, love us comment, yes, love us Comment, yes. Yes, let's have a discussion.

Amy:

Let's have a discussion.

Garry:

Yes, let's open it.

Amy:

All right, should we get on with this review?

Garry:

Yes, so today we're reviewing Hats Off to Love. That aired on Saturday, May 3rd 2025. If you missed it, guess what you can now catch.

Amy:

catch it on Hallmark Plus, you sure can. So tell us who's in this one. Hats Off to Love is stars Gina Claire Mason, who plays Stella. Her recent Hallmark projects include A Carol for Two in 2024, heidelberg Holiday in 2023, and A Holiday Spectacular in 2022. She is actually best known for her portrayal as Glinda in Wicked, both on Broadway and during the national tour. Well, that explains the good singing to the horse, the singing that she did, yep, yep, yep. It was pretty good yeah.

Garry:

It was really good.

Amy:

She will actually. Here's a little tidbit. Oh, some more trivia, Uh-huh. Well, it's not really trivia, but a little nugget of information.

Garry:

It has to do with Christmas, which is coming up. Oh, stop it.

Amy:

She's going to be starring in A Newport Christmas as part of Hallmark's 2025 Countdown to Christmas.

Garry:

Oh, I'm getting chills.

Amy:

They were caught filming at Bowen's Wharf in Newport, rhode Island, at the beginning of April. I almost said this month, but we're in May, so at the beginning of April last month. Gina plays a woman in Newport, rhode Island, in 1905 that gets mysteriously transported to the present day. She meets a historian investigating her disappearance and the historian is played by Wes Brown, which is really cool, and this is the first time a Hallmark movie has been set in Rhode Island since A Season for Miracles in 1999. Oh wow.

Garry:

Yeah, it's been a minute. Yeah, yeah.

Amy:

So it's pretty cool. So she's going to be coming back, which I'm so excited about because I loved her in this. Yeah, she was good so she is really good, so yeah, so look forward to that for Countdown to Christmas. Holly Robinson-Pete plays Rosalyn. Who doesn't love Holly Robinson-Pete?

Garry:

I'm so glad she was in this too she's done many, many, many.

Amy:

Hallmark projects. They date back to 2015 and include Holiday Heritage and the Journey Ahead in 2022, our Christmas Journey in 2021. She was in several Morning Show Mysteries, movies and the Christmas in Evergreen Collection and she's largely known for her work as Officer Judy Hoffs in 21.

Garry:

Jump.

Amy:

Street. She was in 102 episodes from 1987 to 1991. And she was also in another long running comedies well, a comedy series. She played Vanessa Russell, and 101 episodes of Hanging with Mr Cooper from 1992 to 1997. And what's really cool about her and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete they are huge advocates for autism awareness and Parkinson's research. Their son has autism, so she and her husband started the Hollyrod Foundation in 1999, which, according to their website, is dedicated to raising awareness and providing resources to families that have a loved one who has received an autism or Parkinson's disease diagnosis. Wow, that's very, very cool. That's cool. I mean, I remember a lot of the stories you know around the time they started that and you know them concentrating on their research. Now, the one thing I don't know is the Parkinson's disease relationship to them.

Amy:

I know the autism, but not sure about the parkinson's disease. But I I think that's really really cool and, you know, really commendable to use your celebrity and money to start something like that to start a non-profit and right, right and give back. So and they're very active in it. Yeah, john clarence stewart plays christian. This is his first homework project. A few of the series he has been in include three episodes of 9-1-1 Lone Star between 2023 and 2025. And he's mostly known for his 24 episodes of Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist between 2020 and 2021.

Garry:

Yeah, cool Sweet.

Amy:

Yeah, cool Sweet.

Garry:

Awesome.

Amy:

He was also in seven episodes of the Netflix series. What If, with Renee Zellweger, we watched that? That was in 2019.

Garry:

Hmm.

Amy:

And he actually is also a singer and songwriter.

Garry:

Oh, wow.

Amy:

That's pretty cool, awesome. Darla Delgado plays Odette. She was in one other homework production that I found A Taste of Love, in 2023. Her movie credits include things like the latest Guardians of the Galaxy movie in 2023, redstone in 2021, and the Unlikelies in 2016. She's also done a lot of episodic work. She was in one episode of Walker in 2023, one episode of Cobra Kai and Sweet Magnolias in 2022, two episodes of the Resident, which we loved, in 2018 and 2022, and one episode of the updated version of Dynasty in 2019. We love that too. Very campy, but very good and fun. Yes, oh too. Very campy, but very good and fun. Yes, oh, yes. Rena Strober plays Hannah. Okay, and I believe this is her first Hallmark production. She was on Broadway in Les Mis and a handful of off-Broadway productions. Another singer.

Garry:

I know this one has some Broadway people.

Amy:

She was also in the national tours of Fiddler on the Roof and Les Mis oh my goodness Fiddler on the Roof. Oh my gosh, have you ever seen that?

Garry:

Yes.

Amy:

You have.

Garry:

Not Fiddler on the Roof. Fiddler on the Roof yeah, I haven't seen that one.

Amy:

Yeah, we have to go. Oh, she's done a ton of voice work in animated series and she was also in one episode of Hacks in 2022, which is the very funny series on HBO. One episode of Veep in 2017, which we loved. Yes, we did Very politically incorrect but so funny. Yes, and five episodes of the Disney series Live and Maddie between 2014 and 2017. Holly Ward plays Annie For Hallmark. She was in.

Garry:

Are you okay?

Amy:

I see what you did there. That was funny.

Garry:

I had to do it. Oh my gosh.

Amy:

For Hallmark. She was in Love in the Great Smoky Mountains a National Park Romance in 2023. She was in Disney's Agatha All Along one episode in 2024,. Blackbird one episode in 2022,. And Queen Sugar two episodes, one in 2016 and one in 2017. And she was also in the movie Logan in 2017. Oh, Wolverine Is that Marvel, yeah, oh okay. Yeah, you know more about that than I do. Remember our kids went to see it and they cried at the end and stuff.

Garry:

Yes, yeah, that's not a that than I do Remember. Our kids went to see it and they cried at the end and stuff.

Amy:

Yes, yeah, that's not a spoiler. It was out in 2017. Yeah, so if you haven't seen it, sorry but he dies Way to just put it out there, but then he was back in, wasn't he back in?

Garry:

Yes, deadpool, deadpool, the Deadpool one, I don't know the most recent, I don't know what it was called, but it was actually kind of funny yeah, yeah so pretty.

Amy:

Uh, you know fast-paced yeah there you go killing reminded me of kill bill all right, all right, let's get off the killing, and then all right, I digress yes anyways, is it time to drop the sun oh my gosh is it gonna be a different jingle every time? You know?

Garry:

I. I was auditioning for broadway and oh, you're I just couldn't do it. It didn't come out right.

Amy:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's not going to be your career. Yeah, you're fired.

Garry:

You're not even hired and you're fired.

Amy:

I'm fired, fired as your agent. All right All right, here we go. Stella designs hats and fascinators for socialite Rosalind and meets her son, Christian, who's training a horse to compete in the Louisville Derby. Louisville Derby and this was filmed actually in Tampa Florida. They wanted to film in Kentucky, but they filmed in this past February.

Garry:

Okay.

Amy:

When Kentucky is cold and gray Cold and gray it was mostly shot at Tampa Bay Downs and Quantum Leap Farm and the original title was Derby Romance.

Garry:

Oh, oh, was it Lexington Derby.

Amy:

Well, the description says Louisville, Derby, but we'll talk a little bit later about the. I remember to bring up the tickets because, they reference it. We're not really sure.

Garry:

Yeah, it's kind of crazy yeah.

Amy:

Is it the Lexington Derby? Is it the Louisville Derby? I don't know.

Garry:

No.

Amy:

I don't know.

Garry:

Okay, well, we'll figure it out as we go along, there you go.

Amy:

So what did you think?

Garry:

Well, oh boy, oh man, I thought it was heartwarming. A romantic story.

Amy:

It was. Yes, there was a little romance in there.

Garry:

That was a small part of the story yeah, there was some, you know, beautiful scenery.

Amy:

Yeah, there was Some farms, some stables some horses which I love. No, clydesdales, but that's okay. No, clydesdales, no, that's all right.

Garry:

And a lot of crazy colorful hats.

Amy:

Yes, there were a lot of hats and you know, I don't know what's a good hat and what's not. I know I mean some of them I was looking at and I'm like eh. But I don't wear them, so I don't have that.

Garry:

Not judging.

Amy:

Not judging, not judging. I just don't know.

Garry:

I don't know. They were all size, shapes, colors. I mean some of them shouldn't have been wearing them, but some of them look really cool.

Amy:

And the big hat tradition, which we learn in this movie and in some of the research I did, was they used to say the bigger the hat, the bigger the luck.

Garry:

Yes.

Amy:

So the hats got bigger over time thinking it would bring them luck. How do you sit beside each other? I don't know, I don't know, Any other first thoughts.

Garry:

You know, I just you know there was. I just love the characters, the way Stella came across as quirky. Yeah, but yet she had this ambition, you know to sneak into Rosalind's hotel just so that she could show her her hat that she created.

Amy:

Yeah.

Garry:

And I just felt like being so humble but yet ambitious was kind of a neat intertwine.

Amy:

Yeah, because she wasn't like that's a great point, her personality wasn't like out there and loud and bubbly and she was sort of quiet and a little bit quirky and she found a way to get in there. Like she, she made moves yeah to try to help herself, but she wasn't. Yeah, that's a really good.

Garry:

That's a really good point yeah, so what did you think about it?

Amy:

I thought it was such a breath of fresh air yeah. Literally I thought it was an excellent start to me for moms.

Garry:

Mm-hmm.

Amy:

So we're off.

Garry:

Took a step. We're off to the races, right? Oh, I see what you did there, uh-huh, see what I did there.

Amy:

I thought the casting was fantastic and I just really loved the story. You know, I don't know if there's ever been another Hallmark movie about derby or the hats I'm not 100 certain about that right but I just love the story. I thought it was light-hearted and fun, with just very little drama. I mean there was a smidge in there yeah but it wasn't awful, and even when there was drama it wasn't even that bad no, it was like you know all of us have stuff, life right like we go through stuff and sometimes life is really heavy, so it was nice to just escape into something that's not so super heavy.

Amy:

No major drama, no real bad guy that we hated, right, and it just flowed superbly.

Garry:

Yes, it did. I agree with you so that's kind of.

Amy:

that's what I thought yeah.

Garry:

Yeah, I didn't know that the hat making women's hat making was called a millinery.

Amy:

Oh, a millinery. Oh, is it millinery or milliner, milliner?

Garry:

I'm not sure, milliner, milliner, it's M-I-L-L-I-N-E, millinery business Right, but a milliner? Yeah, I didn't know that.

Amy:

I didn't know that either. That's crazy, we're learning all kinds of things. Maybe, next, next year, we ought to go to the derby.

Garry:

A derby? I don't know. Are we going to make our own hats?

Amy:

No, I can't sew a button on us. I can't make anything. Are you kidding me?

Garry:

Oh man.

Amy:

I'd have to have it made. I'm going to hire Stella.

Garry:

That's so funny To make my hat. So did you have any favorite scenes?

Amy:

I had a few. I had a few. I mentioned it a little bit ago. The very beginning when Stella gets into the hotel room because she wants Rosalind to see her hat and she doesn't know that Rosalind's son is in there. Yeah, and so she goes in there and she's so satisfied she gets in there, right, she's like ah.

Amy:

It's like a mission impossible, right Right, I just thought it was really cute. And then when Rosalind comes in the room and she dives behind the couch, I thought that was kind of funny, you know I mean I was like I. I actually thought she would get caught in the room. I didn't think she'd get out, so I just I enjoyed that but christian helped her out but christian helped her. Hey, what's out that window?

Garry:

yeah, he kind of distracted man on the tree rosalyn and odette and hannah right, yeah, yeah, yeah, that was funny, so, and you know, and rosalyn and Hannah, yeah, yeah, is that a roach?

Amy:

on the table. Yeah, that was funny. And Rosalind, his mom, was looking at him like are you okay?

Garry:

It's the stress of the horse race.

Amy:

I loved that scene yeah it was a good scene. I really liked all the scenes with Rosalind when she looks at the hats that Stella made yes, and I really appreciated that they gave Rosalind and I'll talk about this a little bit later too is that she was kind of like that hat's not for me, like she wasn't some raging biatch you know what I mean about it and she wasn't some uber-.

Garry:

High society.

Amy:

Right right, they made her just down to earth even though she's uber wealthy, and she was just kind of like no, and they let Stella keep working at it. Yes, and I just I liked that. I liked that a lot. I have a few more, but do you want to? Do you have a couple or?

Garry:

Well, I also liked the opening scene.

Amy:

Yeah, it was fun, you know it was like a little Mission Impossible between her and her roommate Annie.

Garry:

They had air pieces in and they were talking back and forth and Hannah was like why am I doing this? And then when she gets Not Hannah, or not Hannah, stella or Stella was when Stella gets in the room and she finally says something and she's like why am I doing this? And then that's when Christian comes out and Christian's like oh, did mom order some food, some breakfast? And she's like was it some eggs? Oh, was it fruit?

Amy:

And she's like and then he realizes, and then he realizes there's nothing, but yeah, that was a good scene.

Garry:

Yeah, another one was the horses playing.

Amy:

when they let the horses play together, yes, I have that as a favorite scene too. The horse play date yes, that's what we do with our dogs sometimes.

Garry:

I know it's like the dog part. She needs a play date. Yeah, the dog part.

Amy:

Yeah, I thought that was so cute.

Garry:

Can you imagine walking down the street with your horse to go to the horse park? Well, that was I have that down too as a favorite scene yeah, what else?

Amy:

yeah, any. The rosalind christian scenes outdoor, or rosalind christian scene outdoors by the horse yeah you know, when they're just talking as mother and son. I just really loved that. I loved the environment. I love, loved the outdoors part. I loved their relationship. So that was another favorite scene.

Garry:

Yeah, I loved that scene too, because when she was sitting there talking to Christian, she said that she used to sit in that same barn.

Amy:

Right.

Garry:

And she sat in there one night all night long to watch Willa's grandmother.

Amy:

Oh, that's right yeah.

Garry:

Get birthed. Birthed, yeah, yeah I mean, and I thought that was a really, you know, emotional scene there.

Amy:

Right, it was a good moment between the two of them.

Garry:

Yeah, it was really cool Because you know, rosalyn growing up wanted to ride horses and stuff like that.

Amy:

So yeah, and she went into the fashion. She wasn't right, she just loved horses. She just loved horses, yeah, and she wanted to wear the outfits and stuff. Yeah.

Garry:

So that was one of my favorite scenes.

Amy:

Yeah, same-ers, same-ers. Do you have any more?

Garry:

No, that was kind of it for me.

Amy:

I have one more.

Garry:

One more.

Amy:

The bless your heart discussion between Stella and Annie. I forgot that one, as most everyone should know that when a Southerner says bless your heart, it's not a compliment. But Stella thinks it's a compliment. She's like they said bless my heart. She's so excited she thinks that's really good, I just love that. Annie's like yeah no, that's actually the kiss of death, not really. She says Annie says something like think of it like someone feeding you chocolate that's laced with arsenic.

Garry:

I know.

Amy:

And smiling while doing it.

Garry:

Like where do you get that comparison from right?

Amy:

No, it's so good though, they're giving you something you want and they're smiling, but it is going to kill you, you know, so I just I loved that.

Garry:

I forgot about that scene. Cause did they all three, her, Odette and Hannah both say bless your heart.

Amy:

I believe, so I believe it probably was like a domino effect. I think, if I remember correctly the scene.

Garry:

Yeah, yeah so that yeah.

Amy:

Yeah, I mean, I thought, well, I thought well, what about some cheers? Did you have any cheers? Some of my biggest cheers. I loved that it was really about the love of horses and of course the hats, and less about the racing. It wasn't about the race. I mean, of course they wanted to win, but it was really just about the beauty of the horses, raising of the horses and, of course, the hats. Yeah, you know.

Garry:

Well, you can't forget the can't having the best hat at the competition so I mean, that was kind of cool.

Amy:

So I mean, I guess it was mostly about the heads, but it really was about the horses too, and I like that because you know there's controversy about the racing and all the jazz with horses, but we're staying away from that. But in sports, um yeah, yeah, so so that's that would be a big cheer for me. Another big cheer would be just the relationship in general between Rosalind and Christian. I really loved their relationship. I love that they got along. There was no you know no drama.

Amy:

I mean I guess usually sons and moms not too much, but they didn't. You know she didn't hate Stella because Stella was trying to well, stella didn't even make a move on Christian. But you know she didn't hate Stella because Stella was trying to well, stella didn't even make a move on Christian. But you know she wasn't like you can't date her because she's not high society. They didn't do any of that, they just had a really great strong mother-son relationship yeah.

Garry:

And I really appreciated that.

Amy:

Yeah, so I have a few more, but what about you Cheers.

Garry:

Yeah, going back to the horse scenes, I thought it was very interesting when she first meets willa and I think is it willow or it's willa, it's willa, okay, okay, I wasn't sure, oh, okay and um, christian is standing there with uh, I guess it's one of his trainers, uh, I don't remember the actress's name, but they couldn't get Willa to sit still, oh right, and then Stella comes walking up and she tells them a story about, when she was little, how her dad used to put tape on the horse's nose and that that would get the horse to concentrate on that and to be still. So I actually looked that up to see if it was true. You did, and it is.

Amy:

It's true, yes, so I actually looked that up to see if it was true. You did, and it is, it's true.

Garry:

Yes, and I'll tell you-.

Amy:

Are you serious?

Garry:

Yes, I did not know. You looked that up and it says it's something that owners did and they called it duct tape twitch and it helped encourage the horse to stand there quietly during tasks, like when a veterinarian comes in yes. And gives them shots.

Amy:

Yeah.

Garry:

They do that to calm the horse.

Amy:

It's kind of what you do with kids, right, when you take them to get their shots.

Garry:

Give them a lollipop.

Amy:

You kind of distraction. Yeah, distraction is the key, and who knew? Like a piece of tape on their nose.

Garry:

I had to look that up.

Amy:

They look like cross-eyed at. I don't know what it is, but apparently it works, or just they feel something and they can't get their mind off it. That's really interesting. Okay, cool.

Garry:

There you go. And another cheer that I had is the fact that Stella won. Stella won the Bradbury competition.

Amy:

Oh yeah, she won that competition. That was pretty cool, and she didn't even know it.

Garry:

No, she had no idea Because Hannah, being a bad girl, made her go sit out in the infield.

Amy:

She came around in the end.

Garry:

I know, yeah, she was bad. So what else did you have?

Amy:

Not making Rosalind we already kind of talked about this some mean demanding, cruel person and they do that not Hallmark, but just in general. They make the wealthy person like the a-hole, and they really did not do that with her, and so I thought that was a big cheer. I just adored Gina Claire Mason and John Clarence Stewart and hope we see a lot more of them in future Hallmark projects and hope we see a lot more of them in future homework projects and I liked that.

Amy:

My final cheer would be having Odette come around. You know she initially doesn't like Stella Yep, and she's not really going to give her a chance, but she kind of does and you can kind of see her warming up. And then there were a few times that Rosalind didn't like the hats that Stella made Right, but Odette stepped in and was like hey, why don't you bring that? Outfit that's going to you don't realize it was going to look perfect with you and having that voice behind Stella really helped.

Garry:

So I just like the evolution of that.

Amy:

And, um, you know, the thing about this is off the chairs. But the thing about, uh, hannah, you know she tried to set Stella up a couple of times for her to fail, you know, and they weren't bad. And then the one time when Stella overhears Hannah talking about her and saying I hope she gets fired or she's going to be fired soon. Yeah, like that would hurt my.

Amy:

I would have gone and cried I know, but Stella, I just loved the beauty of her personality. She was kind of like. You know she said that, but it is what it is and it's just going to make me try even harder. Right, and she didn't get angry, she didn't get better.

Garry:

And that's what I loved about her character.

Amy:

Yes, I just yeah, I thought it was great. So that, what about you? Any more?

Garry:

cheers. I had that as a cheer to the scene where she was in the bathroom and and Hannah and a friend came walking by talking about Stella and how she was going to be fired. But the fact is Stella when she ate Hannah's pastry and was like oh, this is so delicious.

Garry:

You know you should put it in a box to catch the crumbs and you don't think about that throughout the rest of the movie. But when they were at the Derby near the end, uh, the butler brings in a tray full of boxed pastries and hannah sees it and she's like, oh, wow and she realizes, yeah, and rosalind's like what's are these your pastries?

Garry:

and she goes, oh, my goodness, look at this box. It catches the crumbs yeah right. And then she bites it and she's like, oh, this is so delicious. And then she tells Hannah, you should open up a business, a bakery, and Hannah's like, oh, I don't know. And Rosalyn goes just know, I'm going to fund this right.

Amy:

Yeah.

Garry:

Because throughout the movie she feels like she's not part of that family.

Amy:

Right and she's jealous when Odette says oh, stella's now part of the family, and you can see it in her face. So, yeah, that was my last year. Yeah, and doesn't one of them say something about Stella giving her the opportunity to live there? She thought it would help her.

Garry:

Yeah, doesn't it yes?

Amy:

Yeah, so that kind of goes along with.

Garry:

Yeah, with Hannah's. Yeah, yeah, you know perspective on it. Yeah, yeah, and. Stella and to what you said, stella did that for Hannah after Hannah had said Hannah had done all that stuff to her, had done a few things and set her up and all that jazz Put her in the infield instead of in the box. So what about Jeers? Did you have any Jeers, jeers?

Amy:

So it goes back to music. A lot of the music was great. The opening song was really. Yeah, the opening song was really good. There were some songs throughout it, but the quirky corny music yeah, oh my gosh you hate that I do.

Amy:

I don't know, they don't need it. They could put like regular music in there. And it was in that opening scene when when she's I don't know what part of she's dying behind the couch, or when rosalyn comes in and she's trying to get out. You just don't need it and you can have like regular music, and I just. And then they had it in when Christian tells Hannah to get Stella a ticket to their box at the race.

Garry:

Right.

Amy:

You know the corny music there was just unnecessary.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

You just don't. You know, we're not five Like it's good. Right, so I you know we're not five like it's good, right, so I, you know, that's just a thing with me, but that's just a minor thing what about you and that's what's speaking about the ticket when she pulls it out?

Garry:

you had said hey, it says lexington derby yes, that's where I was confused.

Amy:

Yeah, and the whole time we were thinking uh well, I just assumed churchill down like they were trying to be at the kentucky derby, that's kind of what I assumed right since it aired on the same night and everything but they were trying to be at the Kentucky Derby.

Garry:

That's kind of what I assumed, right, since it aired on the same night and everything but they were at a different racetrack, maybe they couldn't use the name, I don't know. That would have been pretty funny if that was. It was Louisville Derby and they take it to Lexington Derby.

Amy:

Well, there is a Lexington Derby Right, so I don't know.

Garry:

Yeah.

Amy:

Lexington know, lexington downs or whatever. I, yeah, I don't know. I think actually. I think there is a lexington, there is a race, horse race in lexington and it qualifies for the kentucky derby. So if, if your horse gets in like one of the first four places, you get points so it's kind of like marathoners you know, you get points when you run the smaller races and then you're allowed to enter, like the boston marathon or the new y the big, the big marathon. So which?

Garry:

I'll never do.

Amy:

Me neither. Me neither. On a horse maybe, but not running so Any other jeers.

Garry:

Well, I haven't given any jeers yet, but my first jeer.

Amy:

I thought, oh, I'm sorry, no, that was you, that was you, that was me, that was on me. I'm sorry.

Garry:

The whole first date scene where he took her to the amusement park where he bought it for a night. Yes, that scene was not even like 10 seconds and it was over. I didn't like how they did that scene. They like go to a Ferris wheel, there's some glass of some drinks and flowers, and then there's no one there. But somehow this Ferris wheel starts going and then it kind of fades away and it's done so that's all that we got of that.

Amy:

You felt like you could have done so much. I wonder if they film more and just didn't include it didn't come out right yeah, I mean, I don't know yeah, but I thought I kind of liked the idea of the ferris wheel. This is going off on a tangent but, but the Ferris wheel. The last Ferris wheel you and I were on was in the High Roller in Vegas. Vegas baby we were in one of the bar cars. They have non-bar cars and bar cars.

Garry:

Do the bar car if you're of age.

Amy:

Right, and then you get shots at the top At night.

Garry:

Yes, shots at the top, which we did so Right, and then you get shots at the top At night, shots at the top, which we did.

Amy:

So it kind of reminded me of that, because they had mint juleps and those are popular.

Garry:

That's what it was, mint juleps.

Amy:

Yeah, yeah, and those are popular derby drinks.

Garry:

And my last year was at the end where their horse won the race. They turned to each other, they're elatedated, they kiss and then the movie ends just just ends just abruptly and really we don't get anything.

Amy:

We didn't even get like a, like a pan out or anything, nothing. Yeah, that was a little, it was it, yeah so I was hoping they'd do like a. You know, five months later you see stella and adept and well, I don't know about that, but right, right, right. I thought a pan out would have been good. We didn't get either, so Well, I have one more Jer.

Garry:

Okay, what is it?

Amy:

What is it? Annie, interrupting their date to take out the trash? Oh, that was so funny. And she acts well. She acts shocked to see them and she's like, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, and gosh, I'm so sorry and I'm like you. Look at the door, it's all glass.

Garry:

It's all glass.

Amy:

And the windows around it are all glass 100%. So I'm like she didn't see them standing right in front of the door. That was the only part where she's like maybe she was dragging the trash.

Garry:

I didn't see you. Maybe she wasn't paying attention, but I'm like, literally, you can see inside the house with the lights on the porch so you can see two people standing there. Yeah, I just thought that that was kind of funny. That would be that was funny.

Amy:

I mean that's not a bad thing, but I just thought it was funny. So, there you go.

Garry:

Did you have anything else?

Amy:

Any last, oh, by the ways from you or me. No, I don't think so, I don't have anything is one thing, stella towards the end she is wearing a shirt that says Tampa oh and I thought that was really interesting because they were filming in Tampa they filmed at Tampa Downs, so I'm I have to believe it was a shout out to that yeah but you believe it because she's from Florida that's right and so you kind of think, oh, she's just wearing a Tampa shirt because she's in Florida.

Amy:

But I would like to believe that it's a shout out to the city or to the Downs that they were filming at. Yeah, so anyway, that's my last. Oh, I had one, you have one.

Garry:

Oh, by the way, the story where they mess up the hat right Right.

Amy:

And Stella spills coffee.

Garry:

And Odette says it's going to be okay. And then Stella goes well, I was going to wear this hat. But here you know, I was inspired by what Rosalind had said growing up. And then she goes into a story. When she was little she saw a magazine of a lady at the Derby with a hat and she fell in love with it. Well, a couple scenes later you find out it's odette right who?

Amy:

who made the hat that was in the magazine right, right and?

Garry:

she gave her a piece from the hat and said here yeah, that was a really cool I actually.

Amy:

You know, it should have occurred to me that it was going to be odette, but it didn't. No, it didn't to me either as many hallmark movies as we watch. We should catch on to these things, people, and then when she walked in with it I was like, oh my gosh duh, you know you got it. It's me in the face sometimes, but I was so into the movie so it's a good thing but yeah yep, yep, yep so, out of five quirks, what would you give this one?

Amy:

I would give this 100 five quirks without question. I'm gonna this one. I would give this 100% five corks without question.

Garry:

I'm going to give it four and a half.

Amy:

Four and a half.

Garry:

That whole scene with the Ferris wheel.

Amy:

Oh, that made you knock it down half a cork. Yes, half a cork.

Garry:

Half a cork. It's like when you're trying to get the cork out of the bottle and it breaks. That's the half you get.

Amy:

Oh my goodness, okay, okay, yeah, all right, but I loved it overall, I guess I thought the acting was great, the music, the scenery, I thought it was all.

Garry:

I don't want you to regret your get it, and it didn't have a cliesdale. I put my foot down on a cliesdale. Do you get it? Yeah, I can't get the regret yes, yeah, no, that's probably how they came up with the name but they regret talking to women the what no? Alright, alright, so is that a wrap?

Garry:

that is a wrap, okay well, thank you guys for listening. Be sure to follow the podcast wherever you listen so you don't miss one. Also, follow us on social media. We'd love to have you leave us a good review or a positive review.

Amy:

We like the positivity. Yes, we would very much appreciate a positive review that would help us out a lot.

Garry:

We hope you leave that review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Once again positive review.

Amy:

Positive review. Join us next Wednesday for our review of Love in the Clouds. It airs Saturday night, May 10th 2025, on the Hallmark Channel and will stream the next day on Hallmark Plus. You can also now join us on Tuesdays for our Hallmark Series reviews. Until then, fill up your glasses and push play. Thanks for listening.

Garry:

Cheers.