Starring Rebecca Dalton, Olivier Renaud, and Alexandra Castillo
***SPOILER ALERT***
Addi (Dalton) is working in her family’s shoe repair shop, but soon her dream opportunity arrives: assistant to shoe designer Delaney Diaz (Castillo). Before her interview, Addi slops coffee all over the sneakers of Delaney’s PR guy, Austin (Renaud), then wows him with her creative repair job on his shoes. He sings Addi’s praises to Delaney, who gives her the job. As they prepare for a fashion week runway show that promises to save the troubled company, Delaney is difficult and demanding toward Addi, and Austin urges his new colleague to be patient and to earn Delaney’s trust. But after Claudia (Veronica Hortiguela), Addi’s sister, sneaks one of Addi’s designs into Delaney’s portfolio, a PR nightmare ensues, infuriating Delaney, and the company appears to be done for. Addi must salvage the situation in time for fashion week—and rescue her relationship with Austin.
PROS
Reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Hallmark’s last summer movie of 2024 was as refreshing as a blast of cool air on a hot, muggy day. And you don’t need to be a fashionista to enjoy it. Written by Rickie Castaneda and Megan Hocking, the film featured sharp, entertaining dialogue.
A dream team. Dalton and Renaud sparkled in Head over Heels. Rarely have I seen such a dynamic pairing of actors in a Hallmark movie. Their lively characters, Addi and Austin, were bright, ambitious, and dedicated, and both overflowed with creativity—she in creating artistic designs, he in devising unique ways of promoting shoes, such as his display of hanging shoes above a busy laneway. These two were true equals in every way. They had romantic sparks from the get-go, culminating in a sweet kiss on the runway. Austin won me over when he appointed himself Addi’s champion after she gave his shoes a makeover, and I loved how he advised her on how to handle Delaney; he knew the boss well because she’d been his mother’s best friend. And I likely wasn’t the only one who found Austin adorable for putting Addi’s little niece to bed and singing to her. As for Addi, due to her naïveté about the fashion world, she made a few blunders, such as giving Andrea (Holly Jade Balmer), a spy from the firm that wanted to buy Delaney out, too much information about a day-to-night pump design. But Addi’s talent and drive, as well as her immense loyalty to Delaney, shone through.
Not your average mean boss. Nasty bosses in Hallmark movies are usually one-dimensional and predictable; after irritating their employees for the entire movie, they do one nice thing at the end. Addi’s sharp-tongued boss was a much meatier character than expected and was brilliantly played by Castillo, who gave her depth. Delaney was persistently demanding and dumped menial errands on Addi, who finally protested. The boss had no tolerance for errors and expected Addi to be up to speed from day one. So what was at the root of this? Delaney had allegedly stolen designs and was dogged by a snide reporter over this, and her loss of confidence was so complete that she’d given up designing. Her designers played it safe, sticking to classic designs because she was afraid to take creative risks.
Her struggles had made her cold and snippy, yet she began to show a softer side and flashes of warmth. You could see her beginning to recognize Abbi’s value. Realizing she’d been harsh by keeping Addi from a family birthday party, Delaney sent an apologetic card and presents to make up for it. And she appreciated Addi and her family’s heroic accomplishment—churning out shoes for the runway show in just forty-eight hours! She acknowledged Addi’s talents by insisting she wear the shoes of her own design on the runway, and Delaney joined her there. Ultimately, Addi was rewarded with the chance to design the men’s line.
One heck of a disaster. A crisis of epic proportions occurred as a result of Claudia slipping Addi’s design into Delaney’s portfolio. It was an innocent act—she was only trying to help her sister get noticed—but there was so much at risk for all concerned, and I wasn’t sure how the situation would be resolved. Austin had unknowingly used Addi’s design in a press release, and when the reporter showed Delaney an image of it and she didn’t recognize it as her own, her past came back to haunt her, as he accused her of stealing it. Andrea told Austin that Addi had put the design in the portfolio, and he wouldn’t believe Addi’s claim that she hadn’t. During the meeting with the team, Addi, fearing Delaney’s wrath, didn’t confess what had happened. Defeated, Delaney gave up on the runway show and the business. After a pep talk from her dad (Michael Dickson), Addi came clean to Delaney about what Claudia had done and rallied her boss into fighting for the company, saving the day. The crisis added dramatic weight to this otherwise light film.
CONS
None.
My grade for Head over Heels: A
Caroline Kaiser is a professional book editor who specializes in fiction and memoirs, and she’s been guiding writers toward publication since 2007. Caroline is also the author of two ghostly mystery novels, Virginia’s Ghost and The Spirits of South Drive. Before she embarked on an editing and writing career, she spent many years working in a Toronto auction house as an antiques appraiser. Apart from curling up on the couch and drinking tea as she watches Hallmark movies, Caroline enjoys baking and exploring London, Ontario, the picturesque city she now calls home. Her website is www.carolinekaisereditor.com.
