Just My Type

6.8/10 · 2,181 ratings20201h 24mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

Vanessa, a magazine writer, tries to land the interview of a lifetime with renowned mystery author Martin Clayborne.

How unusual is it?

Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

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 protagonist gets a debilitating rash from 'blanket flowers' which serves as a romantic catalyst.
  • A world-famous mystery writer is secretly writing books about 'Audrey the Owl'.
  • The mention of 'Goat Yoga' where goats climb on people like trees.

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 30 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)
Vanessa Sills is a driven journalist at a lifestyle magazine, competing for a senior editor position. After a run-in with her ex-boyfriend and a stressful week, her best friend Amber convinces her to spend a weekend at her parents' bed and breakfast in the small town of Thompson Lake, Washington. On the way, Vanessa recognizes a man pumping gas as Martin Clayborne, a legendary mystery writer who vanished from the public eye five years prior. Though he initially denies his identity, Vanessa learns from Amber's parents that 'Marty' is a local fixture. Facing pressure from her boss, Peter, who is leaning toward another candidate, Vanessa lies and claims she has secured an exclusive interview with the reclusive author. Vanessa attempts to corner Martin by pretending to be a local fisherwoman, a ruse that fails immediately due to her lack of skills. However, her persistence and her honest, blunt critique of his less-successful novels pique Martin's interest. He agrees to the interview on the condition that she helps him with his duties for the town's upcoming Founder's Day celebration. As Vanessa shadows him, she finds herself hanging gates for local ranchers and picking up banners from Dottie, a local artist. During their time together, Martin reveals the trauma of his early fame—how a predatory journalist and the pressures of a manufactured 'celebrity persona' cost him his engagement and his peace of mind. Vanessa, in turn, confesses her abandoned dream of becoming a novelist. A misunderstanding arises when Vanessa sees Martin spending time with a woman named Lauren, leading her to suspect a secret romance. This tension is resolved when Martin takes Vanessa to his private writing cabin and reveals his true secret: he is retiring from mystery writing to author children's books about an owl named Audrey, which Lauren is illustrating. He encourages Vanessa to finish her own book, telling her that 'one yes' is all a writer needs. Despite their growing romantic connection, Vanessa returns to the city to claim her promotion. Though she achieves her professional goal, the sight of a package of photos from Martin and the hollow feeling of her new office make her realize she is chasing the wrong dream. She returns to Thompson Lake during the Founder's Day festival, where she finds Martin in the rain. She recites her life motto—to go boldly in the direction of her dreams—and declares that her imagined life now includes him. They reconcile as the town celebrates around them.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Vanessa is passed over for a promotion and decides to take a 'girl's trip' to Thompson Lake to recharge.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Vanessa recognizes reclusive author Martin Clayborne at a gas station; he denies who he is, but she decides to pursue the story.

  3. Midpoint

    After failing to trick him while fishing, Vanessa uses professional honesty to convince Martin to grant her an 'all-access' interview.

  4. Rising Action

    Vanessa and Martin bond while performing community chores; Vanessa accidentally handles 'blanket flowers' and Martin has to nurse her through the resulting itchy rash.

  5. Climax

    Martin reveals he is quitting mystery writing for children's books; Vanessa returns to the city and gets her promotion but realizes she is unhappy.

  6. Resolution

    Vanessa quits her new job and returns to Thompson Lake during Founder's Day to confess her love to Martin.

30 tropes in one movie

We counted 30 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 6.8 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.8567

Higher-rated than 81% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Just My Type 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.

  • “Go boldly in the direction of your dreams and live the life you imagined.”
    — Vanessa SillsHer personal motto, quoted from Thoreau, which she uses to justify her career and later her move to the small town.
  • “The best writers are the ones living life, not watching from the sidelines.”
    — Martin ClayborneExplaining to Vanessa why he values his quiet, manual-labor-filled life over the literary social scene.
  • “I'm afraid that if I stopped writing, no one would care.”
    — Martin ClayborneA moment of vulnerability where he admits his fear of irrelevance.

Meet the characters

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

  • Vanessa Sills

    Lead

    Lifestyle Journalist

    AmbitiousPersistentClumsyAspiring Novelist
  • Martin Clayborne

    Love interest

    Mystery Author

    Subject of her interview and romantic interest.

    ReclusivePrincipledOutdoorsySecretive
  • Amber

    Supporting

    Best friend

    SupportiveEncouragingMatchmaker
  • Peter

    Supporting

    Magazine Editor

    Boss

    DemandingResults-oriented
  • Dottie Chambers

    Supporting

    Artist/Photographer

    Local friend and photographer for Vanessa's article.

    KindTalented

Questions people ask about Just My Type

Where can I watch Just My Type?

Just My Type is available via fuboTV, Philo, and YouTube TV. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Just My Type?

Just My Type runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2020.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB