Moonlight in Vermont

Name: Moonlight in Vermont
Genre: Small Town, Fake Relationship, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies/Rivals
Released: 2017-01-01
Duration: 1 h 25 min
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Lacey Chabert, Carlo Marks, Jesse Moss, Fiona Vroom, Jason Cermak

6.4/10 · 2,560 ratings20171h 25mWeirdness 4/10Bingo card

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The premise

After Fiona gets dumped, she escapes to her family's Vermont inn for a few days to evaluate her life. When her ex Nate shows up with a new girlfriend, Fiona devises a plan to win him back: pretend head chef Derek is her new boyfriend.

Themes:Slowing down to appreciate life Reconciling with parental decisions Tradition vs. Modernity Authenticity in relationships

How unusual is it?

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

Who’s in it

Our Girl

Lacey Chabert

as Fiona

Our Guy

Carlo Marks

as Derek

You’ve seen this pairing before: Lacey Chabert and Carlo Marks have made 2 Hallmark movies together.

Alongside them

Show all 10 cast

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Mel Damski

Written by

Wait, what?

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

A high-stakes maple syrup tasting competition treated with the gravity of a professional wine sommelier exam.
The protagonist being disqualified from a pancake-eating contest for eating too slowly/savory.
The 'Fender-bender of love' backstory used to explain the fake relationship.
A rooster named Swatch who 'thinks he's a clock'.

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 29 to find more movies that do the same thing.

Why we’d put this one on

Lacey Chabert plays a New York real estate agent who retreats to her father's Vermont inn after a breakup, then recruits the temperamental head chef, Carlo Marks, to pose as her new boyfriend when her ex shows up with a new girlfriend. Fake-relationship fans, this one is for you. The local color makes it sing: a maple syrup tasting treated like a sommelier exam, a pancake-eating contest she is disqualified from for eating too slowly, and a rooster named Swatch who thinks he is a clock. At a 6.5 it is a warm spring romance with reliable Chabert charm. Whether the pretend romance turns real, you already know.

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)

Fiona is a successful real estate agent in Manhattan whose life is scheduled to the minute. Her boyfriend, Nate, dumps her because he feels like just another 'ball in her juggling act.' Seeking a reset, Fiona and her best friend Angela travel to Vermont to visit Fiona's father, Harris, who runs the Inn at Swan Lake. Upon arrival, Fiona has a prickly encounter with Derek, the inn's talented but protective head chef, over some rare oyster mushrooms. The situation complicates when Nate arrives at the same inn with his new, younger girlfriend, Haley. To save face, Fiona impulsively claims she is dating Derek. Derek agrees to the charade in a 'quid pro quo' deal: Fiona must use her real estate expertise to help him acquire a neighboring field from a grumpy farmer named Chauncey, which Derek needs for his farm-to-table vision. As the 'fake' couple participates in the town's Maplefaire, they engage in a competitive pancake-eating contest—where they are disqualified for Fiona's lack of speed—and a maple syrup tasting where Derek teaches Fiona to appreciate the nuances of sap like fine wine. Fiona also struggles with her father, Harris, harboring resentment because he sold her childhood home in NYC after her mother's death without consulting her. Harris eventually reveals that moving to Vermont was actually her mother's dream, which he fulfilled in her honor. Meanwhile, Fiona's brother Brandon and Angela begin a flirtation of their own. The tension peaks during a high-stakes dinner for influential food bloggers; a road closure prevents Derek's staff and ingredients from arriving, forcing the family to work together to create a traditional Vermont menu from scratch. The dinner is a massive success, leading Chauncey to finally sell the field to Derek. Although Nate tries to win Fiona back, she realizes she no longer fits into her old life. She turns down a massive job offer in New York and chooses to stay in Vermont to pursue a real relationship with Derek, while her brother Brandon takes over her life in the city.

Beat by beat

Opening
Fiona is dumped by Nate for being a workaholic and retreats to her father's Vermont inn.
Inciting Incident
Nate arrives at the inn with a new girlfriend, Haley, prompting Fiona to lie and say she is dating the chef, Derek.
Midpoint
Fiona and Derek win a maple syrup tasting contest, deepening their fake bond and making Nate jealous.
Rising Action
Fiona attempts to help Derek buy a field from the neighbor Chauncey by 'mending fences' literally, which initially backfires.
Climax
A road closure threatens a major food blogger dinner, forcing the family to improvise a 'Yankee credo' meal.
Resolution
Fiona rejects Nate and her New York job offer to stay in Vermont with Derek.

Did you know?

A few things that make this one stand out once you stack it up against every other Hallmark movie.

It's 1 of only 14 Hallmark movies to combine a fake relationship that turns into enemies-to-lovers.

29 tropes in one movie

We counted 29 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 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Moonlight in Vermont belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

BINGOA pep talk that changes everythingA temperamental chef guards his ingredientsCity pace collides with countryside calmThe leads start out at oddsThe lead returns to their hometownThe love interest is a chefA rooster behaves like a clockSanta Claus appearsA meaningful look held a beat too longA family reconcilesA second chance worth takingA charming local cafe or diner★Set in springA heart-to-heart on a porch or benchA grumpy farmer refuses to sell his fieldA local business is savedSomeone proposes marriageThe leads kissA cosy interior full of warm lightingA pancake-eating contest at the fairSomeone apologises and means itA character gives up the city for the small townA cup of cocoa, coffee or ciderPlans get derailed by the weather

Hallmark Bingo

Your Moonlight in Vermont card is dealt.

Twenty-four squares pulled from this movie’s own quirks — the cosy classics, a few only-in-this-one curveballs, and a couple of decoys. Mark them as you watch.

Open your card

Lines worth quoting

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

“We are a great couple when we see each other, but I'm not dating your schedule.”
— NateNate breaking up with Fiona at the start of the film.
“You're 'left brain', as in you left your brain at cooking school, and I'm 'right brain' 'cause you know I'm right!”
— FionaArguing with Derek after the pancake contest.
“If the duck boot fits...”
— DerekAsking Fiona to dance at the Maplefaire.

Meet the characters

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

Fiona
Lead
Real Estate Agent
WorkaholicCompetitiveOrganizedSentimental
Derek
Love interest
Executive Chef
Fake boyfriend turned real love interest
PerfectionistTraditionalOutdoorsyPatient
Nate
Antagonist
Ex-boyfriend
ImpulsiveRegretfulCity-oriented
Harris
Supporting
Innkeeper
Father
StoicHardworkingEmotionally reserved
Angela
Supporting
Psychologist
Best friend
ObservantSupportiveFun-loving

Questions people ask about Moonlight in Vermont

Where can I watch Moonlight in Vermont?

Moonlight in Vermont is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Moonlight in Vermont?

Moonlight in Vermont runs about 1 hour and 25 minutes, and was released in 2017.

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