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6 Degrees Entertainment

'Love & Temptation: 3-Film Collection'
(Alyssa Milano, Zane Holtz, Erika Christensen, Antonio Cupo, Andy Favreau, Justina Machado, Elisabeth Rohm, et al / DVD / NR / 2020 / LGF)

Overview: Based on the novels by best-selling author Jane Green, the Lifetime® Original movies in this exclusive 3-film collection — Tempting Fate, To Have and to Hold, and Family Pictures — tell tales of forbidden lust, shocking secrets, and desperate love.

DVD Verdict: Opening with 'Tempting Fate' (2019), Gabby's marriage to Elliott is jeopardized when she meets Matt. What begins as a business opportunity develops into an emotional affair, leading Gabby to succumb to his unrelenting attention; not foreseeing the life changing consequences.

While Alyssa Milano is as watchable as ever - she gives a committed performance - there are some other good performances here, but the story is just too unbelievable for me, sorry.

That said, and moving above that obvious flaw, I loved that the plot focused on family and love making this a GREAT humanitarian story. If the acting was bad, I didn't notice, for I was too busy being drawn into the story; and watching how love, human decency and caring solves problems and brings people back together.

In 'Family Pictures' (2019), Sylvie and Maggie are strangers living on opposite coasts, leading very similar lives with husbands that travel for work too much and daughters about to leave the nest.

But when their daughters befriend each other on a college tour, they soon discover a shocking secret that threatens to tear both families apart.

In truth, this theme of a man juggling two families has been done oh-so many times before, but here the actresses are likeable - Elizabeth Rohm especially - and watchable and the directing and tone are sharp enough to make it more than watchable.

In mean, this Lifetime melodrama fits their usual program pattern with adequate acting and - at times - a captivating script. The plot centers around how two families, one on the east coast and one on the west coast, suddenly fine their lives in a most unexpected tangle facing the same situation.

So, simply put, when his LA step daughter goes to NYC for a college tour and meets a new friend, guess what … she's his East Coast daughter! I mean, it's only 10 years so it's possible, I guess!

In closing, the dialog is funny and quite touching and the story unfolds quickly with characters not making ridiculous and wholly unrealistic choices (which is always refreshing to see!)

The last movie is 'To Have and to Hold' (2010) in which Alice still can't believe that her high-school crush - dashing, wealthy, successful Joe - would choose to marry her; so she willingly allows him to mold her into his deal socialite wife.

Young Alice dreams of becoming a master chef and caterer. She begins by working for Madeleine's catering service in Seattle. She has two loyal friends in her bestie Em and Harry, who clearly has an attraction to Alice.

But, in a whirlwind romance, Alice meets her old middle school classmate Joe Chambers. But, it turns out that this is not any ordinary Joe.

The filmmakers strive for a fairy tale with Alice working through her trials and tribulations to finally fulfill her dreams. Joe gets transferred to New York after he is caught on camera sharing the same chair with a co-worker.

Alice dutifully tags along, hoping for children and a dream house in the country in Connecticut!

In closing, Christenson does an attractive and believable turn in these sort of things and the other actors were pretty solid also, especially given that this is the Hallmark-style of character portrayals, of course.

The movie kept me engaged through both her personal and professional development, and I rather liked the final outcome with the fresh start with both. Nicely done. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.

'The Love & Temptation: 3-Film Collection' DVD includes the films Tempting Fate, Family Pictures, and To Have and to Hold, and will be available March 24th, 2020 (via LGF) for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Target 'Love & Temptation: 3-Film Collection' DVD Purchase Link





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