Warming up to You

6.3/10 · 912 ratings20211h 25mWeirdness 5/10Bingo card

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The premise

An outdoorsy fitness expert (Busby) at a luxury wellness retreat must whip a bad-boy movie star (Russell) into shape before shooting begins on his next action film.

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: Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell have made 3 Hallmark movies together.

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

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

  • The protagonist is fired for being too good at her job (making people exercise).
  • The 'Agent Darian Hall' movie titles like 'Assault on the World Rising'.
  • The 'Purple Polar Bear' rescue zoo which consists of stuffed animals.
  • The agent, Jared, audibly breaks wind in the final act while rushing Rick to the car.

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.

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)
Kate Wolfe is a dedicated personal trainer in Los Angeles who is fired by her boss, Nigel, because she refuses to adhere to the gym's new 'no sweat' motto and insists on actually training celebrity clients. Unemployed, she accepts an offer from her best friend Sasha to move back to Silver Springs, Washington, to help run a wellness retreat. Shortly after arriving, Kate is hired by a movie studio for a 'hush-hush' one-month intensive to train an out-of-shape star. The client is Rick Steele, the face of the 'Agent Darian Hall' spy franchise, who has gained weight following a messy breakup with his co-star, Liza Cahoone. Rick is initially resistant to Kate's strict regime of green smoothies and uphill cardio, even attempting to cheat using an electric bike. However, they begin to bond as Rick uses his 'spy skills' to learn about Kate’s past, discovering she was raised by her grandfather after her parents died of cancer. Kate reveals her dream to rezone her grandfather's land to create a summer fitness camp for children. The romantic tension grows, but Kate maintains a strict 'no dating clients' rule. The situation complicates when the studio sends Liza Cahoone to the retreat to film action scenes with Rick, hoping to spark a tabloid-friendly reconciliation. Rick realizes he no longer loves Liza and rejects her advances, leading her to quit the film. To help Kate, Rick uses his celebrity influence to support her presentation to the town council, successfully getting her land rezoned. Knowing Kate won't date him while she's his employee, Rick has the studio 'fire' her and shred the contract. The film ends with Rick returning to Silver Springs to help Kate build her camp, finally free to pursue a relationship now that they are no longer client and coach.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Kate is fired from her L.A. gym for being too focused on actual fitness and moves to Silver Springs to help Sasha's retreat.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Action star Rick Steele arrives at the retreat undercover to lose weight for his next 'Agent Darian Hall' movie.

  3. Midpoint

    Rick and Kate bond during training; Rick uses an electric bike to cheat on a hill climb but eventually commits to the program.

  4. Complication

    Rick's ex-girlfriend and co-star Liza Cahoone arrives at the retreat to film 'chemistry' scenes and stage a fake romance for publicity.

  5. Climax

    Rick rejects Liza and helps Kate win over the town council to approve her kids' fitness camp land rezoning.

  6. Resolution

    Rick has the studio terminate Kate's contract so they can bypass her 'no dating clients' rule and start a relationship.

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.

Rating 6.3 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.3567

Higher-rated than 36% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Warming up to You 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.

  • “No sweat, no effort—no problem.”
    — NigelExplaining the new lazy motto of the L.A. gym.
  • “I survived capture and fought my way out of a Thai prison using nothing more than a piece of string and a plastic comb.”
    — Rick SteeleQuoting his own movie character to impress Kate at a juice bar.
  • “I wasn't raised in the woods to be scared of owls.”
    — Kate WolfeQuoting her grandfather to show her toughness.
  • “We are officially no longer client and coach.”
    — Rick SteeleExplaining why they are finally allowed to date.

Meet the characters

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

  • Kate Wolfe

    Lead

    Personal Trainer

    DisciplinedPrincipledAthleticGuarded
  • Rick Steele

    Love interest

    Action Movie Star

    Client and romantic interest

    CharmingJadedHumorousSecretly Sensitive
  • Liza Cahoone

    Antagonist

    Actress

    Rick's ex-girlfriend and co-star

    VainManipulativeCareer-focused
  • Sasha Jones

    Supporting

    Wellness Retreat Owner

    Best friend

    EncouragingBusiness-mindedLoyal
  • Jared Munroe

    Supporting

    Talent Agent

    Rick's agent

    High-strungOpportunisticSecretly romantic

Questions people ask about Warming up to You

Where can I watch Warming up to You?

Warming up to You is available via fuboTV, Philo, and YouTube TV. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Warming up to You?

Warming up to You runs about 1 hour and 25 minutes, and was released in 2021.

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