Virginia Williams and Eric Mabius Go Back to School in READING, WRITING & ROMANCE

Summer vacation is drawing to a close and the stores are jammed with parents buying school supplies. With the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and the stacks of unblemished notebooks reminding us that school days are near, The Hallmark Channel gets us in the mood with their latest original movie, Reading, Writing & Romance.

Starring Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty) as a genial actor waiting for his big break and Virginia Williams (Fairly Legal) as an English teacher with a fantastic wardrobe, Reading, Writing & Romance is a charming movie that combines romance with following your dreams and influencing the next generation.

Mabius stars as Wayne Wenders, a struggling actor who had a minor career surge when he landed a commercial for a slightly embarrassing product and hopes that his next commercial, for root beer, will lead to better recognition and roles. While he waits for that payday, however, his bills are past due and his landlord is eager to find a new tenant. Enter Wayne’s former principal, played by Stefanie Powers, who offers him a two-month substitute teaching gig at a high school. In desperate need of money, and at the encouragement of his parents to finally put his teaching certificate to good use, Wayne accepts and begins teaching high school students about Shakespeare and grammar.

Well, he tries to, anyway. The kids find nothing relatable about Shakespeare and even less about grammar. Until Wayne realizes that he should approach each lesson with the same showmanship he brings to his acting jobs. Soon the kids are interested and Wayne proposes a student film festival to encourage their understanding of The Bard.

Meanwhile, his department head, Amy Davenport (Williams), provides encouragement and, soon enough, the pair start to fall in love. Obstacles only slightly less dire than those facing Romeo & Juliet block the path to true love: the world’s meanest Vice Principal is obsessed with enforcing the school’s no-fraternization policy; Wayne’s desire to continue pursuing acting results in hurt feelings and tough decisions; and Amy’s unfortunate lipstick choice. OK, not that last one. That’s more of an issue I had with the character. Seriously, frosted pink lipstick? Is this 1983?

There are a few nits to pick with this movie – for one thing, the student film presentation is titled “A Night of Shakespear”, which we’re shown twice in a couple of pivotal scenes. The editing bay doesn’t have spellcheck? And apparently Wayne only teaches one class because we never see him with another set of students.

Those nits are (relatively) minor in an otherwise sweet tale of what love, success, and following your dreams can look like when you’re open to all possibilities.

Reading, Writing & Romance premieres tonight at 9/8c on The Hallmark Channel.