A Valentine's Date

5.7/10 · 974 ratings20111h 36mValentine's DayWeirdness 4/10Bingo card

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The premise

A working mother (Elisa Donovan of CLUELESS) is forced to return to a life she left behind in Texas when her daughter's father (Brad Rowe of TV's GENERAL HOSPITAL) files for joint custody.

How unusual is it?

Middle of the road, with a twist — an enemies-to-lovers arc and a second-chance romance keep it from being totally by-the-book.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist has been separated for six years without ever signing divorce papers or establishing a custody agreement.
  • The lawyer suggests the protagonist could be charged with kidnapping her own daughter.
  • A romantic bonding moment occurs when the protagonist is physically tackled by a pig.
  • The judge is the protagonist's childhood victim of property damage (a broken attic window).

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 38 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
Laura Connors is a workaholic VP of retail banking in NYC, currently obsessed with closing an $18.4 billion merger. Her life is upended when she receives a subpoena from her estranged husband, Dylan Hackett, demanding a custody hearing for their daughter, Kelsey, in Centerville, Texas. Laura's lawyer reveals that because the divorce was never finalized, Dylan could technically accuse her of kidnapping for moving Kelsey to New York years ago. Upon arriving in Texas, Laura is confronted by Judge Harriet Cramer, a no-nonsense woman who remembers Laura as the neighborhood kid who threw a softball through her attic window. The judge is appalled by the couple's bickering and adjourns the hearing until Valentine's Day, ordering them to spend the weekend resolving their personal issues or risk losing custody. Laura stays with her father and attempts to manage her merger paperwork remotely while Dylan introduces Kelsey to ranch life. Tensions rise when Laura meets Anne Marie, a local veterinarian who seems to be Dylan's new love interest. Despite the friction, Laura and Dylan begin to reconnect over shared memories, including a pet pig named Hoggle. During a Valentine's carnival, the family spends a perfect day together, culminating in a kiss between Laura and Dylan. However, the peace is shattered when Laura's lawyer discovers that Dylan's business is failing and he is secretly selling the family ranch to stay afloat. Laura confronts Dylan with this information, leading him to believe she only investigated him to use his poverty against him in court. Kelsey, heartbroken by the fighting, accuses Laura of driving her father away again. On Valentine's Day, the parties return to court. Laura, moved by her time in Centerville and a sermon by Pastor Frank about marriage not being 'spiritual spackle,' makes a surprising statement: she admits she was wrong to leave and neglect her family. Dylan follows with his own confession, admitting his bankruptcy but declaring that he doesn't want custody—he wants to stay married to Laura. The judge dismisses the case as the couple reconciles. Laura negotiates a new deal with her boss, Paul, accepting a promotion on the condition that she works from home and prioritizes her family. The film ends with Dylan agreeing to move to New York with Laura and Kelsey, while keeping the Texas ranch as a family getaway, as they all go for a celebratory horse ride.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Laura, a busy NYC executive, receives a subpoena for a custody hearing in Texas because she never finalized her divorce from Dylan.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Judge Cramer mandates a three-day cooling-off period, forcing Laura and Dylan to spend time together before a final ruling on Valentine's Day.

  3. Midpoint

    Laura and Dylan reconnect at a town carnival and share a kiss, but Laura is still secretly focused on her $18 billion bank merger.

  4. Conflict Escalation

    Laura discovers Dylan is bankrupt and selling his ranch; Dylan feels betrayed when he realizes Laura investigated his finances.

  5. Climax

    In the Valentine's Day court hearing, Laura and Dylan both drop their legal guards and confess their love, choosing reconciliation over divorce.

  6. Resolution

    Laura keeps her job with new family-friendly boundaries, and Dylan moves to NYC with her while maintaining the ranch.

38 tropes in one movie

We counted 38 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 5.7 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 5.7567

Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog A Valentine's Date belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “Apparently you are unable to properly prioritize your life on your own, so maybe I can help you.”
    — Judge Harriet CramerThe judge ordering Laura to stay in Texas for the weekend.
  • “Marriage is not some kind of spiritual spackle. See, only God can fill that void.”
    — Pastor FrankDuring his Sunday sermon attended by the estranged couple.
  • “I saw you take that hit. You took that hit like a country girl.”
    — Dylan HackettAfter Laura is knocked over by a pig while trying to catch it.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Laura Connors Hackett

    Lead

    VP of Retail Banking

    AmbitiousOrganizedDefensiveWorkaholic
  • Dylan Hackett

    Love interest

    Rancher and Furniture Maker

    Estranged husband

    HumbleStubbornDevoted FatherFinancially Struggling
  • Paul

    Antagonist

    Bank Executive

    Boss

    DemandingCorporateInsensitive
  • Kelsey Hackett

    Supporting

    Student

    Daughter

    ObservantHopefulAnimal-lover
  • Judge Harriet Cramer

    Supporting

    Family Court Judge

    Former neighbor and legal arbiter

    StrictTraditionalNo-nonsense

Questions people ask about A Valentine's Date

Where can I watch A Valentine's Date?

A Valentine's Date is available via Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and Plex Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is A Valentine's Date?

A Valentine's Date runs about 1 hour and 36 minutes, and was released in 2011.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB