Starring Holland Roden and Nolan Gerard Funk
***SPOILER ALERT***
Audrey (Roden) is an artist trying to make it in New York City. However, after her grandmother Molly dies, she returns to her Minnesota hometown. Molly has left Audrey and her mother, Kay (Henriette Ivanans), the antiques shop she owned, but Audrey plans to return to the city after the holidays. In a secret spot in a rolltop desk, she discovers five pieces of jewelry and Molly’s letter, which stipulates that Audrey must return each piece to its rightful owner before Christmas. For this task, she must enlist the aid of her old friend Finn O’Sullivan (Funk), a private investigator. As Audrey and Finn follow trails of clues to track down the owners, they become close. However, when she discovers that he’s withheld an important fact from her, it threatens to derail their romance.
PROS
When I learned that one of the writers of this movie was John Christian Plummer, known for the Mystery 101 series, I was eager to see it. Five Gold Rings didn’t disappoint. The quest story was involving, and because of the film’s gentle tone, it was the perfect antidote to recent Hallmark movies featuring hyperactive holiday hijinks and outrageous characters.
A complementary pair. Roden was warm and Funk cool, and the leads’ acting had a relaxed, natural quality I enjoyed. Roden’s character, Audrey, was a gifted artist, but her heart wasn’t in it; increasingly, she gravitated toward helping her mother operate the antiques business. Roden brought a sweet, endearing quality to her role. And Funk was well cast as the private investigator, Finn. He was clever and persistent, and he had just the no-nonsense demeanor you’d expect. Finn was kind and occasionally showed flashes of playfulness—by helping Audrey make a snowman, for instance.
Although this wasn’t the most romantic Hallmark movie, I liked the couple’s candlelight walk, in which she slipped and he caught her. Finn was a reserved character, yet the pair had a subtle chemistry; you could see it from the gleam in their eyes as they interacted. For helping Audrey on short notice, he came across as a generous and dashing hero. Together, the young couple doggedly followed up every lead as they tried to fulfill Molly’s wishes.
The stories behind the jewelry. It was gratifying to see how each recipient’s heart was warmed by the return of their jewelry; I loved observing their reactions. Audrey and Finn’s mission brought Christmas spirit to others, and the stories behind the five items were engaging.
1) The first piece of jewelry was a pendant with Russian engraving. It belonged to Elizabeth, who’d danced the role of Clara in The Nutcracker and been given the pendant by a famous Russian ballerina who’d admired her performance. Elizabeth had lost it years earlier. She was deeply emotional and grateful when Audrey and Finn returned it.
2) The second piece, a pendant containing a key, had belonged to Frank, now deceased. Clues led Audrey and Finn to the local museum, where the key fit an antique desk. Inside was a manuscript, which they returned to Frank’s son, who was impressed and moved that his father had written a novel.
3) The third item was bracelet decorated with shells and a cross, and engraved with the name “Siobhan.” Through a retired priest, Audrey and Finn tracked Siobhan down. Her treasured item had been burned in a church fire and had originally belonged to her grandmother.
4) The story behind the fourth piece was the most entertaining. A somewhat catty antiques dealer, Diana (Daina Leitold), who was also organizing the town’s Christmas gala, had sold a ring-shaped brooch to Edgar. Molly had discovered the brooch in a park. Audrey and Finn found Edgar’s son-in-law, who said that Edgar had given him a challenging task: to prove his love for Edgar’s daughter by finding the brooch in the park. Edgar had actually hoped he wouldn’t find it and would elope with his daughter, sparing Edgar wedding expenses! A snowstorm made it impossible to retrieve anyway.
5) Her grandmother instructed Audrey in her letter to save the best for last, but Audrey and Finn didn’t know which item she was referring to. It was a ring with red and green stones. A clue in the letter, “no stone unturned,” had them removing the stones to find the local jeweler’s mark beneath. The jeweler confirmed that Molly had it made especially for Audrey, a touching gesture.
CONS
Unnecessary drama. At Diane’s Christmas gala, Audrey and Finn enjoyed a lovely slow dance. But the romantic spell was broken when she learned he’d been paid by Molly to help her. Tearfully, she left the gala. Her reaction seemed disproportionate; she already knew Finn wasn’t in it just for the money, for when the recipients of the jewelry asked if they could repay him, he always turned them down. Audrey’s abrupt departure felt like drama that wasn’t needed; that she and Finn had accomplished their mission was more than enough for me. It hadn’t occurred to Audrey that by not revealing Molly had paid him, Finn was honoring her grandmother’s wishes. To bring them together, Molly had wanted Audrey to believe that Finn was helping her solely out of generosity. After Audrey’s mother pointed this out, harmony between the couple was restored.
My grade for Five Gold Rings: 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.
