Hallmark Hall of Fame DVD "The Makeover" Staring Julia Stiles

I'm a Boston guy and initially happened to catch a clip of this movie while mindlessly channel surfing one evening. I was immediately taken in with the story premise, banter between the characters and very nice scenes of Boston (it made me proud to live here LOL!). O.K so it's a take off of "My Fair Lady" updated and it's not Academy Award winning material but....so what. In today's world of violent, vulgar, over the top high tech gimmick entertainment it was a very nice escape from the "real world". Isn't that what entertainment is really all about? It's cute, positive, makes you laugh and there's nice eye candy for both sexes here! Check it out.....there are worse ways you could spend 90 minutes! You can even watch this one with your family....how rare is that??

Great story that is an interesting twist of "My Fair Lady!" The movie also has an interesting gender twist. Setting is Boston rather than London. Plot involves Hanna Higgins rather than Henry Higgins, Elliott Dolittle rather than Eliza Doolittle and Colleen Pickering rather than Colonel Pickering. The plot is terrific as is the acting! Just as in My Fair Lady there is a subtle but growing Romantic overtone. This is a wonderful movie and we'll worth seeing more than once!

Love this movie and the fact that it arrived quickly.

She may not have achieved the status of "America's Sweetheart" like Julia Roberts (they do share a first name!) or the name recognition of Reese Witherspoon yet Julia Stiles has had her share of "sweetheart" roles. Her popularity has fallen off since a handful of characters from some teen movies of the 1990's, and still she has an impressive list of credits. Now this adorable romantic-comedy can be added to her résumé. Certainly it is nothing to be ashamed of.Coming in close to her competitor in a race for congress, Hannah Higgins (Stiles) concedes her candidacy and along with business partner Colleen (Camryn Manheim), she goes back to her educational consulting work. An impeccable dresser, and boasting a speech she thinks every person should envy, Hannah abhors how the English language is being butchered - critics called her a "cold fish" who was unable to connect with voters like her television personality opponent. Some months later, fate hands Hannah a second chance at a special election run but campaign consultants have some stipulations: Hannah needs to change. Unable to stand the thought of adopting a posture that is less than perfect or changing her look by filling her closet with sweater sets, a new opportunity presents itself in the common worker, Elliot (David Walton). Rough around the edges, Elliot is a Boston native through and through who is looking to land a promotion. His rejection for the same job years earlier prompts him to seek the help of Hannah's professional services little realizing that she has something else entirely in mind.Being a stranger to the synopsis of this movie isn't a hindrance to any potential viewer in the case of this television movie. In ten minutes flat, it's quite obvious what writer's set out to do and the original story this teleplay took its cues from isn't hard to pick out. The only difference in this Pygmalian-esque film is the roles of Higgins and Eliza Doolittle being reversed in Hannah and Elliot whose surname is very appropriately, Doolittle (try keeping a straight face when seeing that one plastered across campaign posters!). It's a clever script believe it or not, adding enough familiarity to make the story's inspiration evident but keeping true to its own traditions and "twists" - the results of which are usually quite humorous; it's the little things that hold it together! Whether it be Hannah's unwillingness to try things she deems "improper" or Elliot's patience with a girl who infuriates him and infatuates him in a single swoop, there is a quality to this which many in its genre try for though rarely achieve.Set in modern Boston, many situations feel a bit nostalgic only because of Hannah's fabulous characterization - or perhaps it would be more accurate to say her impeccable manners considering she is in desperate need of a serious overhaul on her people skills and connecting with people on a deeper emotional platform (that part of her does get on one's nerves). Her dialect was a large part of what shaped Hannah into who she was as a character - she felt like two parts of a character, one part an Austen heroine (because of her old-fashioned, proper English) and then fitting the bill of a stuffy "professor" felt like second nature to her, ingrained into her personality. Two minutes before the end, we are particularly struck with just how readily Hannah is to judge and treat people as "experiments" by her own admission. Then there is Elliot. It may seem petty to say this but it is a delicate business in movies like this to "makeover" a main protagonist. Here it was remarkably well managed as so often is the case, he wasn't painfully overplayed as a crass, bachelor male who had no manners save for those more appropriate for a barn yard. Instead, true he's a slightly unkempt (it wouldn't kill you to get a haircut, Elliot!) working Bostonian (accent fully intact) who was a kind-hearted guy underneath. It made him a compelling character that we didn't mind - and in fact rooted for, watching change into someone else because where it counted, he remained the same.Movies that change the outer appearance of a main character is not a new idea. Some do this premise with pizzazz and class, then there are others (which will remain unnamed) that are more a waste of good time. Fortunately, producer Brent Shields and everyone involved pulled together a scenario in this story that is classy and really, quite fun. Early on, there were a couple of especially campy moments (particularly when considering how the special election comes about) that made me question how seriously I would be able to take the film, luckily these elements are quickly dispensed with and in its place is a delightful little gem. The acting is fabulous and the writer is no stranger to some great comedy. It was pleasant not to watch some of the usual clichés play out (two examples come to mind) while the ending banter is quite cute even if the movie doesn't end cementing the future exactly as some viewers would wish for.© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such

This is a nice retelling of a classic story (I won't ruin it for those who haven't yet seen it.) Lots of fun and the chemistry between the actors works.

Incredible acting that could speak Baaaaston accent of a beer salesman to speak politically correct.

Really good movie.Thank You

if you like Julia Stiles, you will like this dvd. Hallmark does such a nice job on their movies, this is no exception. I love the characters, and the plot, I have watched it over and over, and never get disappointed.