A young woman goes to work as a nanny for a widower whose two kids have already run off six other nannies. Slowly, the man’s young son warms to the new nanny, and the dad himself starts to fall for her as well, but his teenage daughter, still hurting over the death of her mother, has no interest in having this new woman in her or her dad’s life.

Before I begin reviewing this film, let me give you a brief history about how I happened upon the great acting talent of Brennan Elliott.  If you follow my movie reviews on here, you know that I typically review movies starring Sebastian Spence. What you probably don’t know, dear reader, is that before I made that connection, I made another connection related to Cedar Cove.  So here is the story (as briefly as I can tell it).

I first encountered Brennan Elliott during Season one of Cedar Cove. I had no idea who he was, but I admit I absolutely loathed the character of Warren Saget. In fact, it would be safe to say that as much as I loved Cowboy Cliff that season, I despised Warren with a vengeance.  In fact, this past summer in preparation for Season two, I followed all the actors and actresses connected with the show. I had no desire to see Warren’s character again, and when one of my friends posted about him, I spoke quite sharply of my dislike for that character. I was secretly hoping that Hallmark would take him off the show.

I find it interesting that one tweet can change a perception. On the day that Brennan Elliot’s response to my rather pointed tweet cam across my timeline, I was intrigued. As I investigated the actor who played this villainous role, I discovered that he had quite an accomplished career. And maybe, just maybe, I should give Warren another chance. Or at least look up the actor who portrayed him with such passion. And I am so glad I did.

In short, I can’t say enough about Brennan. For me, the Cedar Cove cast is just one of the genuinely nicest casts in television. Brennan is one who regularly responds to his fans (of which I am definitely one), and this movie I am reviewing is one that he continued to recommend to me until I finally bought it (I believe he recommended it at least three times before I did, but it certainly lived up to and surpassed my expectations).

So how did I move past hating Warren? I can credit Brennan with that as well. Oh, I was the one who always took the opposing viewpoint (oh I am notorious for that). I regularly gave his character of Warren a hard time, and he always responded back in kind.  I can certainly recall live tweeting with him during the show–I could barely keep up with him at times!  He is certainly an unbelievably versatile actor and another of the very nice guys around.

My review: From the beginning, I knew this would not be a typical Hallmark film in every sense of the word.  Oh sure, it has the typical Hallmark elements–single dad, unruly children, single female, and much scheming along the way. And in case you wonder, a happy ending is never in question. The road to happily ever after, however, is fairly rocky at times but quite enjoyable. This ranks as one of my favorite Hallmark movies of all time. Everything works so well together, and there are even some Christian elements in the storyline. Additionally, the casting and chemistry are unbelievably well done as well.

Vanessa Marcil as Kate Hewitt

As the woman who bravely steps in as the nanny of these two unruly children, Vanessa Marcil is exceptional. I have seen her in at least one other Hallmark movie, and she is just an incredibly talented lady.  She just has that instantly likable and relatable quality about her that not every actress innately possesses. In addition to this, her character is a teacher. Now how can I not connect with that?

You will see some other fantastic actors/actresses in the film. The children are adorable, and you cannot beat Dean Stockwell as Kate’s father.  There are some definite twists and turns along the way, and this all goes together to make this a truly delightful film for the entire family.

But I will be honest–it is Brennan’s portrayal of David Chandler, the single dad with children that go through nannies like there is no tomorrow, that makes this film what it is. The chemistry between his character and Vanessa’s character is truly mesmerizing and sweet. But with such a handsome leading man, who wouldn’t melt? Oh, maybe I forgot to say that I find Brennan along with the other “hunks” of Cedar Cove strikingly good-looking. Sure, I still have my favorite (if you look through the movie reviews on here or my twitter feed, you will have no doubt who my favorite is), but it doesn’t mean that I don’t recognize quality specimens of masculinity when they show themselves–so yes Brennan is one.

This is one of my favorite scenes in the movie. After all, it was quite a change of pace to see Brennan out of his “Warren” element. It is safe to say that before this film, it was difficult for me to imagine him portraying a nice guy or even a romantic one. Actually, I doubt there is no part Brennan couldn’t tackle. After all, I have seen in other films (yes all recommended to me by the man himself), and his ability always impresses me. He is yet another actor whom has not permitted success to change who he is. Every time I have seen him interviewed, he shows himself to be a down-to-earth, grounded guy who genuinely cares about his family and his fans.

For more information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282142/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

For information about purchasing this movie: http://www.amazon.com/Nanny-Express-Vanessa-Marcil/dp/B0035JHYNO/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1423348334&sr=1-1&keywords=nanny+express

The really good news is that Brennan will be in a new Hallmark movie on Valentine’s Day! I am so looking forward to seeing All of My Heart. Read more about it here.

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