THE BIRTHDAY WISH
US, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jessy Schramm, Luke Mc Farlane, Marcus Rosner, Yvonne Chapman, Barbara Pollard, David Lewis.
Directed by Peter de Luise.
Hallmark films made for television have a reputation for being sentimental, easy entertainment for undemanding viewers. This one fulfils those expectations but there is a charm and cheeriness that makes it more enjoyable – especially for a women’s audience.
Jessy Schramm plays Gwen, a television commercial director, very successful. After her father died when she was 13, she determines that her life will be completely planned and orderly, engaged by 30 – and the birthday fast approaching. She has been engaged to Alex, Marcus Rosner, a self-absorbed weatherman who is so concerned about himself, his appearance, his career, possibilities in Hollywood, that it does not dawn on him to propose, something which Gwen is always expecting.
At the time of her 30th birthday, she has a wish that she could see 10 years into the future – and does, not what she was expecting, even going to the optometrist to test her eyes! And she confides all this to her close friend and her assistant, Mia. She also keeps in touch with her mother – who, later, decides she will remarry. Mother and daughter are close, sharing a birthday cake at every birthday.
The complication is with the assistant director, Dave, played by Luke McFarlane?. The way the screenplay has been written he is perfect in every way, always direct, asking the truth, connecting with everyone, even difficult people onset. He is in love with Gwen, she responding to him but not wanting to admit it, checking her eyes with the optometrist again, discussing with Mia.
But Dave, seeing Glenn with Alex and his seeming to propose to her, goes off, but Gwen, realising the truth, seeks him out, a reconciliation…
The film, rather amusingly, goes to 10 years later, the vision the Gwen had at the time of her birthday, married to Dave, three children, happy married life…
The film raises the themes from the female perspective – as well as presenting Dave, handsome, as the ideal and idealised male!
