Duck: Friends, if I was presenting a cooking show that clashed with my integrity, having to smile harder on camera would give yours truly a pain in the beak. No wonder Taylor, the presenter in question, is unsure of whether to renew her TV contract in A Taste of Love. Ducking lost, off she goes to her hometown to visit her parents and help with their local restaurant. There, reconnecting with former beau Jacob, she must make some duck-worthy choices that eventually save her bacon bits. (Not her duck a l’orange.)
Star: Bacon or no, A Taste of Love does a super-ducking awesome job of showing the importance of authenticity when it comes to deciding on your career and partner, not to mention the future life you’re building. I really enjoyed A Taste of Love! Compared to other Hallmarks I’ve watched, this one wasn’t afraid to focus on the wider community as well as the romantic protagonists. Nice.
Duck: Yes, that did my flippers good. And although the leads Jessie Kove (Jacob) and Erin Cahill (Taylor) do a solid job with the romantic chemistry in A Taste of Love, it’s the team that really counts for me in this one. Every bird on the Hallmark pond was important to the whole, and in spite of the well-played (by Ashley Dulaney) but mildly irritating ex—a necessary pondweed-suck—there was a real sense of community here.
Star: Excellent performance from Martin Cove, playing Taylor’s father—nice emotional range and depth there. And Tymberlee Hill’s performance as agent Jessica really popped my clogs. Great stuff.
Duck: And you know, the love of food was beak-to-flippers heartfelt in this film too, with Chef Stephen Coe doing a great at job playing himself.
Star: Yeah, making the effort to cast Coe as a contest judge speaks to the love of food in this movie, which I could really feel.
Duck: Also, cheers to the Hallmark Diversity Ducks, who really tickled my beak-holes with this one. We had characters who were of color, and those who were out as gay/queer, not to mention more mature characters who got good screen-time and played pivotal roles. Nice!
Star: But Hallmark, here’s a tip, because I know you’ve stated your commitment to LGBTQIA+ visibility: When a character is addressing a crowd, replacing phrases like “Ladies and gentlemen” will make your movie more inclusive to nonbinary and genderqueer folks. It’s just a small touch that makes a big difference. (“Friends,” “Folks,” and “Good evening, everyone,” are good examples.)
Duck: Oh! And there were waterfowl on-screen for at least two seconds. It got me so excited I almost lost my salmon.
Star: Thank duck you didn’t lose it, sweetie. Maybe next time, we won’t sit you on my knee.
For updates about where to watch A Taste of Love, which aired on Hallmark on 2/19/24, you can sign up for updates here.
Featured image courtesy of Hallmark Movies Now and Star Tavares.
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