MOVIE TITLE: Branching Out
This cute Hallmark is all about discovering your family’s ancestry, now playing on the Hallmark/Peacock channel.
RATING: TV-G
LENGTH: 1 hour 30 minutes
MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B+
SPONSOR of Today’s movie review: https://amzn.to/3xYSnUk
My twin sister and I wrote a book about how to find your roots and climb your family tree.
IN A NUTSHELL:
This sweet film is based on a true story. A young girl has a project at school to build her family tree but she doesn’t know who her biological father is her mom did IVF to get pregnant as a single mom. It becomes a journey of trust, love, and discovering the meaning of family.
The film was directed by Maclain Nelson.
THINGS I LIKED:
- I hadn’t seen Sarah Drew, the protagonist, in anything before but I liked her a lot.
- Cora Bella is completely adorable and does a great job as the young starlet.
- Juan Pablo Di Pace does a good job straddling the “bad boy rock star” persona and a genuinely nice guy.
- The title refers to family trees, but I like that it also alludes to the idea of being open minded and willing to try new things in your life.
- The movie poster is pretty cute.
- The movie takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah, where I was born!
- We get to learn about Pando the famous tree in Utah. It’s a great illustration in the movie about how families are interconnected with extended family and even others.
- I thought it was cute when Ruby, the little girl, described churros as “heaven on a stick.” True.
- We get to see how to cook Birria tacos for a minute. Have you had those before? Yum!! In addition to that, we get to learn a little bit about the Latino culture, something I have a deep love for. I was an exchange student in Mexico when I was in high school, and lived in Spain while attending a university there for a time.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
- Like most Hallmark movies, it’s extremely predictable.
- It’s always fun to spend time with really rich, successful people, eh?
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
- A little girl asks for coffee.
- Talk of a sperm donor. Your kids may have questions what that’s all about!
THEMES:
- Genealogy (Discovering your roots)
- Honoring your heritage
- Family
- Being able to count on people
- Parenting
- Sperm donors
- The power of music
FUNNY LINES:
- “It’s my word of the day: efficient.” – Ruby (Cora Bella)
- “That’s not a tree; it’s more like a log.” – Ruby (Cora Bella)
- “I guess you’re going to be SUPER old when you’re 18.” – Amelia (Sarah Drew)
- “Are you doing okay?” – Amelia (Sarah Drew) “Are you kidding? I’m crushing it.” – Ruby (Cora Bella)
- “My romantic fantasy is someone to do the dishes with.” – Amelia’s business partner
INTERESTING LINES:
- “Remember to help somebody.” – Amelia (Sarah Drew)
- “We never feel like the people we want to be, especially as parents.” – TJ’s dad
- “Learn to do everything yourself in case you don’t have money or a man.” – Amelia (Sarah Drew)
- “You aren’t defined by your genes or your parents. Only you get to decide who you are.” – Amelia (Sarah Drew)
OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- Blue Beetle: https://moviereviewmom.com/blue-beetle-movie-review/
- In The Heights: https://moviereviewmom.com/in-the-heights-movie-review-2021/
- Coco: https://moviereviewmom.com/coco-celebrates-family-and-honors-heritage/
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