Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
4.4
You shouldn’t mess with fate. We’ve all heard that.
Oh, but it’s so tempting when a handsome stranger appears in your dreams, and he’s more alluring than any man in real life.
My Dreams of You explores that dilemma when Grace (Skyler Samuel) dreams of a handsome stranger, only to learn that her dream weaver made an error and that they weren’t supposed to meet in dreamland.
Dreams are often our intimate desires or fantasies, which explains why Grace (Skyler Samuels) dreamed of Michael (Kapil Talwalkar).
He was hot and attentive to her needs. He liked cheeseburgers fixed the way she did, and he could dance a sexy tango. What’s not to love?
According to Dream Central, the problem occurred because dreams are supposed to be based on actual memories and not include new people or places.
Their newest hire, Alura (Cecilia Lee), mixed up their memory tapes, and Michael and Grace met in dreamland.
Harvey (David Rosser) and Alura try to convince Grace that lives may drastically change unless she erases her memories of Michael.
Still, now that she knows he’s not a figment of her imagination, she’s determined to meet him.
While Skyler Samuels is a Hallmark film veteran, this is Kapil Talwalkar’s first appearance on Hallmark.
In fact, he’s more well-known for musical comedy. While this was a romantic comedy with some emotional depth, Hallmark took advantage of his musical talent by having Michael sing and play the guitar on screen.
Both actors featured an insane chemistry and acted like they had known each other for years. They had much in common, from food tastes to career choices.
As someone who writes, I understood their frustration having family members refer to their passion as a “hobby” that doesn’t bring real money.
While Kapil Talwalkar does a wonderful job as Michael, Skyler Samuels sells this film as Grace.
We’ve all been where she is, having to do temp work while waiting for our dream job.
It’s frustrating to receive rejection letters and hear many people ask about a more practical backup plan.
It made perfect sense why Grace wanted to escape into her dream world and thought Michael had rescued her from boredom.
When they meet, Grace discovers Michael is in a similar place as her, so they take off on an adventure that will inspire both of their careers.
The supporting cast, Alura (Cecilia Lee) and Harvey (David Rosser) added comic relief to the film.
Harvey strived to follow the Dream Council rules and led the chase to find Grace and stop her from reconnecting with Michael, while Alura added humor through her fascination with the real world and relationships.
Most supporting characters on Hallmark don’t get much of a point of view, but Alura becomes confused about what is right as she observes Michael and Grace from a distance.
While she’s always wanted to advance in the Dream Council, other things, like true love and sampling good old-fashioned American apple pie, become more important.
I don’t want to spoil much, but I’ll tease you that you’ll feel like you’re experiencing the best of summer attractions.
As a Michigan girl, I enjoyed that the movie’s first half occurred in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
There are always lots of festivals in Michigan, so I felt right at home as Michael and Grace explored a local street fair.
As they experience their adventure, they see some attractions like the largest spider and some simpler summer attractions like sharing ice cream and listening to music.
You’ll feel transported back to summer nights when date nights were about falling in love.
Kevin Fair directed My Dreams of You. Fair has directed many Hallmark films, most recently A Season for Family.
Working with different cast members allows directors to develop new relationships and see how they work together.
One thing we loved about My Dreams of You was that it transported you to each town along their adventure.
There were actual train station platforms, old-fashioned diners, and street fairs that made each place unique.
My Dreams of You differs from other Hallmark films because the main obstacle between them is they weren’t supposed to meet in this timeline.
If you watch time-traveling shows like Timeless or The Way Home, you know your decisions alter fate.
Even though Michael doesn’t remember Grace from her dreams, they form an instant connection, and Grace hopes their connection is strong enough to survive the Dream Council’s interference.
Here’s one thing to remember — fate always wins. You have to open your heart to possibilities and have some help.
So far, Hallmark’s Summer Nights movies have featured characters unsatisfied with their complacent lives and need a push to follow their dreams.
We are all familiar with this theme, so it has been fun to see these characters go on adventures, let loose, and laugh out loud.
This film features many examples of summer romance and how love wins. It’s the perfect movie to enjoy with ice cream or a frozen drink.
Watch My Dreams With You to see if Grace and Michael’s connection can withstand the rules of fate. If you enjoy this film as much as we did, please share your thoughts below or on social media.
My Dreams of You airs on Saturday, August 10 at 8/7c.