Unthinkably Good Things

5.9/10 · 591 ratings20221h 24mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

Follows Allison at a crossroads in her career and love life, in need of the love and support of her two friends. After visiting her in Tuscany, each woman will reexamine the state of her own life and relationships.

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.

A rare specific

Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

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Wait, what?

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

  • The movie opens with the protagonists essentially stealing a dog from an ex-boyfriend.
  • Reesa's retirement hobby involves ordering 'fifty-eleven' things on Amazon, including a sewing machine for a doggy clothing line she doesn't know how to sew.
  • The 'truffle hunt' serves as a heavy-handed metaphor for finding love.

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 35 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)
The film begins with a flashback to the three friends—Allison, Reesa, and Melina—supporting Reesa as she leaves a cheating boyfriend, even helping her 'dog-nap' the pet they shared. Years later, Allison is a professor at North Carolina A&T who has spent the last year on a teaching fellowship in Tuscany. Reesa and Melina travel to Italy to visit her, but both are carrying heavy burdens. Melina, a cancer survivor, is secretly facing the financial collapse of her restaurant, Tapas, and is terrified of a looming visit from a major food critic. Reesa, recently retired, is struggling with infertility and a sense of disconnection from her husband, Andre, leading her to secretly scout apartments in Italy as an escape. Allison, meanwhile, has fallen for Nico, a local cheesemaker and vineyard owner, but she treats their relationship as temporary because she expects to return to her 'real' life. While in Italy, the women engage in various activities like truffle hunting and cooking classes. Melina meets Lucas, a charming chef from London, and begins to rediscover her passion for cooking, though she remains guarded due to her health history. Allison is offered a dream promotion as the Chair of the English Department back at A&T, which would secure her tenure but require her to leave Nico and the creative writing passion she rediscovered in Italy. The tension peaks during a heated argument where the women's secrets are exposed: Allison calls out Melina's failing business and Reesa's 'chaos' and marital avoidance. This confrontation forces them to be honest about their fears of taking risks. In the aftermath, the friends reconcile. Reesa and Melina surprise Allison with a published book of her own poetry and social media reflections titled 'Unthinkably Good Things,' proving she is already the author she dreamed of being. Melina decides to trust her staff to handle the food critic, allowing herself to stay in Italy and pursue a connection with Lucas. Reesa finally talks to Andre, who surprises her in Italy, and they commit to their marriage and exploring fertility options together. In the climax, Allison realizes that her professional status isn't worth sacrificing her happiness. She turns down the prestigious A&T position during a board meeting and chooses to stay in Italy indefinitely with Nico, finally embracing a 'fresh start' without fear.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    The friends help Reesa leave her cheating boyfriend and Allison departs for a one-year teaching fellowship in Tuscany.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Melina and Reesa arrive in Italy, hiding their respective struggles with a failing restaurant and a crumbling marriage.

  3. Midpoint

    Allison is offered the Chair of the English Department at A&T, creating a conflict between her career goals and her love for Nico.

  4. Conflict Escalation

    A 'sisterhood intervention' turns into a major argument where Melina's debt and Reesa's secret apartment hunting are revealed.

  5. Climax

    Allison realizes she is 'faking the funk' and turns down the promotion during a video call with the university board.

  6. Resolution

    Andre arrives in Italy to reconcile with Reesa, and Allison decides to stay in Tuscany with Nico to pursue writing.

35 tropes in one movie

We counted 35 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 5.9 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 5.9567

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

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Unthinkably Good Things 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'm living my life like it's golden.”
    — AllisonA recurring mantra and song lyric used by the friends to celebrate their freedom.
  • “Never regret anything that made you smile.”
    — NicoNico quoting an Italian proverb to Allison to encourage her to stay.
  • “When you're a black woman, it takes extra clawing and scratching, and many sleepless nights just to get here.”
    — AllisonExplaining to Nico why it is so hard for her to walk away from a tenured position.

Meet the characters

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

  • Allison Cooper

    Lead

    Professor / Aspiring Author

    AcademicRisk-averseLoyalPoetic
  • Nico

    Love interest

    Cheesemaker / Vineyard Owner

    Italian boyfriend

    PatientRomanticFamily-oriented
  • Reesa

    Supporting

    Retired

    Best friend

    AnxiousImpulsiveNurturing
  • Melina

    Supporting

    Restaurant Owner

    Best friend

    ResilientProudTalented
  • Lucas Williams

    Supporting

    Chef

    Melina's love interest

    EncouragingSophisticated

Questions people ask about Unthinkably Good Things

Where can I watch Unthinkably Good Things?

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

How long is Unthinkably Good Things?

Unthinkably Good Things runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2022.

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