6.5 stars.
This is not what Amish people are like, just so you know. They are generally very nice and open-minded folk, very welcoming, kind, and easy going. "From the Heart" casts a very negative slant on this quaint group of Amish people that Katrina has left behind in her desire to experience adventures and see the world. She left her Amish upbringing, as is the option of all Amish citizens. In her case, she never came back. Now she's visiting home due to the loss of her father. She must tie up loose ends regarding her inheritance, which is shared with her Amish sister and family.
The twists and turns of plot and the abrupt changes of heart that so many characters experience so quickly is not believable. The story is not convincing, and not true to life. We have several people whose ideological views take an about-face: to be Amish, or not, to be worldly, or not, to be critical, to be in love, to be understanding. The writers make a bold attempt to stretch the imagination with "From the Heart", unfortunately to the point that it leaves a sour aftertaste.
My main focus of this review is to express that Amish folks are generally not so bitter and harsh as this, and I find it very unnerving that Hallmark would portray them as such. Otherwise, this film is simply a variation of the usual Hallmark formula. Why the sudden shift from fervor to complete indifference? It's quite bewildering. Total fabrication and lack of plausibility aside, this was a very moving film for about 15 minutes.
This is not what Amish people are like, just so you know. They are generally very nice and open-minded folk, very welcoming, kind, and easy going. "From the Heart" casts a very negative slant on this quaint group of Amish people that Katrina has left behind in her desire to experience adventures and see the world. She left her Amish upbringing, as is the option of all Amish citizens. In her case, she never came back. Now she's visiting home due to the loss of her father. She must tie up loose ends regarding her inheritance, which is shared with her Amish sister and family.
The twists and turns of plot and the abrupt changes of heart that so many characters experience so quickly is not believable. The story is not convincing, and not true to life. We have several people whose ideological views take an about-face: to be Amish, or not, to be worldly, or not, to be critical, to be in love, to be understanding. The writers make a bold attempt to stretch the imagination with "From the Heart", unfortunately to the point that it leaves a sour aftertaste.
My main focus of this review is to express that Amish folks are generally not so bitter and harsh as this, and I find it very unnerving that Hallmark would portray them as such. Otherwise, this film is simply a variation of the usual Hallmark formula. Why the sudden shift from fervor to complete indifference? It's quite bewildering. Total fabrication and lack of plausibility aside, this was a very moving film for about 15 minutes.