Feeling Butterflies
6.3/10 · 1,354 ratings20221h 24mWeirdness 5/10
Where to watch
Via 
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The premise
Emily's booming butterfly business is delivering monarchs to a birthday party where she meets single dad Garrett. With the help of Garrett and his daughter, Emily's business begins to take flight.
How unusual is it?
Middle of the road, with a twist — an enemies-to-lovers arc keeps it from being totally by-the-book.
Who’s in it
You’ve seen this pairing before: Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry have made 2 Hallmark movies together.
Alongside them
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Behind the camera
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Directed by
Written by
Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- The concept of a 'Butterfly Code' of ethics
- A high-stakes 'butterfly-off' between rival businesses
- The socialite's request for a 'butterfly wrangler' to train insects to fly in circles
- The specific number of 1,501 butterflies to beat a rival by exactly one
- A romantic lead whose last name is Mariposa (Spanish for butterfly) running a butterfly farm
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 33 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season2
Premise1
Characters8
Conflict7
Romance7
Tone & quirks2
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)
The film opens with Emily, a passionate butterfly farmer, rushing to a wedding release where her car breaks down, highlighting the chaotic nature of her niche business. At a subsequent birthday party for a young girl named Amanda, Emily meets Garrett, Amanda's handsome single father. A rivalry is established with Mandy Fischer, a competing butterfly vendor who undercuts Emily's prices and lacks her scientific ethics. Emily's business partner, Adam, and her meddling, baking-obsessed father, Larry, encourage her to pursue Garrett, though Emily is hesitant due to a past heartbreak where she was left at the altar.
The plot intensifies when socialite Rebecca O'Keefe announces she wants a massive butterfly release for her high-profile wedding. She pits Emily and Mandy against each other, eventually demanding at least 1,501 butterflies to beat a rival's record. Garrett, who comes from a wealthy New York hedge fund family but prefers working with his hands, begins helping Emily by repairing her equipment and building a new 'Flight House' sanctuary. Their romantic bond deepens as they spend time together, but conflict arises when Garrett's ex-girlfriend, Jill, arrives unexpectedly. Jill and Garrett's father pressure him to move back to New York to take over the family business and enroll Amanda in an elite academy.
Disaster strikes Emily's farm when a parasite known as OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) infects her caterpillars, wiping out half her stock. In a surprising turn, Emily approaches her rival Mandy, and the two agree to a partnership to meet Rebecca's massive demand. They organize a 'scavenger hunt' with Amanda's school class to find wild Monarch caterpillars to replenish their numbers. As the wedding approaches, Garrett prepares to leave for New York, believing it is best for Amanda's future. However, during the successful release of 1,501 butterflies at the O'Keefe wedding, Garrett realizes his heart belongs with Emily and his true passion for building things. He returns from the airport, revealing he has decided to stay, and the film concludes with the couple's first kiss and a commitment to their shared future and the butterfly sanctuary.
Beat by beat
Opening
Emily meets Garrett at his daughter Amanda's birthday party, where a 'butterfly-off' occurs between Emily and her rival Mandy.
Inciting Incident
Socialite Rebecca O'Keefe challenges Emily and Mandy to provide 1,500+ butterflies for her wedding, promising massive publicity.
Midpoint
Garrett's ex-girlfriend Jill returns, creating a romantic obstacle and pressuring Garrett to move to New York.
Crisis
A parasite (OE) infects Emily's caterpillars, threatening the entire O'Keefe contract and her business's reputation.
Climax
Emily and Mandy team up to source wild caterpillars with the help of local school children to meet the 1,501 butterfly goal.
Resolution
The wedding release is a success; Garrett abandons his move to New York to stay with Emily and help run the sanctuary.
33 tropes in one movie
We counted 33 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.
Higher-rated than 38% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Feeling Butterflies 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.
“I won't be out-butterflied.”
— EmilyReacting to Mandy releasing more butterflies at a party than she was paid for. “Do you think a caterpillar knows that one day, it will grow wings and fly? That would seem pretty impossible, wouldn't it?”
— EmilyExplaining the magic of transformation to Amanda. “Everything is a butterfly with you.”
— GarrettTeasing Emily about her obsession with her work while cloud watching. “I don't believe in impossible. God never said it was impossible to create the butterfly, and he did, so...”
— MandyBoasting to the socialite about her ability to provide any number of butterflies.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Emily Mariposa
LeadLepidopterologist/Butterfly Farmer
PassionateEthicalScientifically-mindedGuardenedGarrett
Love interestHandyman/Former Data Analyst
Love interest and client
Wealthy backgroundMechanicalDevoted fatherConflictedMandy Fischer
AntagonistButterfly Vendor
Business rival
CompetitiveUnethicalSmugUltimately cooperativeLarry
SupportingAmateur Baker
Father
MeddlingSupportiveOptimisticAmanda
SupportingStudent
Love interest's daughter
CuriousNature-lovingSweet
Questions people ask about Feeling Butterflies
Where can I watch Feeling Butterflies?
Feeling Butterflies is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Feeling Butterflies?
Feeling Butterflies runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2022.
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