Romance to the Rescue

Name: Romance to the Rescue
Genre: Small Town, Mistaken Identity, Pet, Complete Strangers
Released: 2022-01-01
Duration: 1 h 27 min
Rating: 6
Cast: Andrea Brooks, Lucie Guest, Kamantha Naidoo, Izzie Okane, Melanie Rees

6.0/10 · 694 ratings20221h 27mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

To impress a potential love interest, Kyra enters her dog in an agility show. The problem is, she has no dog so she needs to find (and train) one, and quick.

Themes:Control vs. Spontaneity Overcoming fear of abandonment Authenticity in relationships The healing power of pets

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take mistaken identity.

Who’s in it

Our Girl

Andrea Brooks

as Kyra

Our Guy

Marcus Rosner

as Kevin

You’ve seen this pairing before: Andrea Brooks and Marcus Rosner have made 2 Hallmark movies together.

Alongside them

Show all 10 cast

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Heather Hawthorn Doyle

Written by

Barbara Kymlicka

Wait, what?

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

The protagonist adopts a living animal specifically as a prop to maintain a lie for a crush
The climax involves a grown man crawling through a dog agility tunnel in front of a crowd
Gluten-free dietary restrictions are treated as a major romantic compatibility factor
The dog nearly dies from swallowing a single chopstick

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 25 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)

Kyra Fowler is a 'keener' at Merils Supermarket who uses a detailed checklist to control every aspect of her life, a habit born from the trauma of her father abandoning her family. When a new manager named Trevor—who is loyal, dependable, and a dog lover—takes over the store, Kyra decides he is her 'perfect partner' based on her criteria. To compete with her rival Lara, Kyra impulsively lies and claims she owns an agility-trained dog named Sparky. Trevor is impressed and enters her into the 'Superpups' agility show, a corporate-sponsored event. Desperate to make the lie true, Kyra visits a local shelter run by Kevin Walker. Kevin is initially hesitant to let the high-strung Kyra adopt, but he eventually lets her take home Sam, a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix with separation anxiety. Kyra struggles with Sam's behavior and begs Kevin to help her train him. Kevin agrees, and through their sessions, they develop a deep bond, even creating a line of gluten-free dog treats called 'KK9.' Kyra begins to realize that Trevor, who only eats gluten-free on Thursdays and is actually interested in Lara, isn't her match. The relationship with Kevin hits a snag when Sam is rushed to the vet after swallowing a chopstick; though Sam survives, Lara later reveals to Kevin that Kyra only adopted Sam to 'snare' Trevor. Feeling used, Kevin distances himself. At the Superpups show, Sam refuses to perform until Kevin appears in the stands. Kevin joins Kyra in the ring, and the two of them—along with Sam—complete the course together, with Kevin even crawling through a dog tunnel to encourage Sam. Afterward, Kyra confesses that she has abandoned her checklist in favor of real feelings, and the two reconcile with a kiss.

Beat by beat

Opening
Kyra lies to her new manager Trevor, claiming she has an agility-trained dog to match his interests.
Inciting Incident
Kyra adopts Sam from Kevin's shelter and realizes she has no idea how to handle a high-energy dog.
Midpoint
Kevin agrees to help Kyra train Sam, and they begin to bond over shared interests and dog treat baking.
Turning Point
Sam swallows a chopstick and is rushed to the vet, forcing Kyra and Kevin to confront their emotional connection.
Climax
At the Superpups show, Kevin joins Kyra in the arena to help Sam finish the course, proving his support for her.
Resolution
Kyra admits she loves Kevin and realizes that life cannot be lived by a checklist.

25 tropes in one movie

We counted 25 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 15% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Romance to the Rescue belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

BINGOA walk-and-talk through townA heartfelt love confessionAn agility training session goes wrongA relative plays matchmakerA nervous voicemail goes unsentPrep talk for the Superpups competitionA cosy interior full of warm lightingA shared errand turns into bondingHomemade gluten-free dog treats appearA calendar reminder raises the stakesA first impression that turns out completely wrongA high-energy rescue dog misbehaves★A misunderstanding nearly ruins everythingAn old keepsake or photograph turns upThe story ends with a weddingA happy endingA quiet moment under string lightsA handwritten note or letterThe leads kissA lie about owning a trained dogA big event everyone is preparing forA snowball fight, sledding or skatingThe two leads are forced to work togetherSomeone’s guard finally comes down

Hallmark Bingo

Your Romance to the Rescue 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.

“Well, other than that, it sounds like you're looking for a dog more than a man.”
— MarkCommenting on Kyra's checklist for the perfect partner.
“I think you got yourself into a corner this time, keener.”
— LaraMocking Kyra after she lies about having an agility-trained dog.
“It's the love of a new owner. That's why it's so important to find the right person to adopt them. Like you.”
— KevinExplaining to Kyra how shelter dogs heal from abandonment.

Meet the characters

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

Kyra Fowler
Lead
Product Buyer at Merils Supermarket
OrganizedAnxiousDeterminedGoal-oriented
Kevin Walker
Love interest
Dog Shelter Owner
Trainer and eventual romantic partner
SkepticalCompassionateLoyalDog-expert
Lara
Antagonist
Supermarket Employee
Work rival
CompetitiveManipulative
Trevor
Supporting
Store Manager
Initial romantic target and boss
FriendlyAthleticDog-lover
Mark
Supporting
Supermarket Employee
Best friend and co-worker
SarcasticObservantSupportive

Questions people ask about Romance to the Rescue

Where can I watch Romance to the Rescue?

Romance to the Rescue is available via Hallmark+ Amazon Channel, Hallmark+ Apple TV channel, and Hallmark TV Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Romance to the Rescue?

Romance to the Rescue runs about 1 hour and 27 minutes, and was released in 2022.

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