Stream It Or Skip It? (“Chance Of A Lifetime”)

Providence Falls is a clever and romantic new series of films, the first of which premieres on the Hallmark Channel this weekend. Weaving together the same characters from two different timelines, the films tell the story of a man named Liam O’Connor, whose true love from the 19th century died just as their romance was getting started. After Liam’s own death (and after spending about 200 years in purgatory), he’s given a chance to reunite with his true love, Cora, in the present day. Unfortunately for him, there’s another man vying for Cora’s affection, Finn, who is purported to be her one true love, according to the laws of destiny. The films are truly entertaining fantasy, but also beg the question of whether our fates really are preordained.

Opening Shot: A man named Liam and woman named Cora, dressed in period garb like they’re from, I dunno, Ireland in the 1800s, run through the woods together, chased by men with torches. The man tells the woman, “Go back, tell them it was all me,” but she refuses to leave him, telling him that their fates are intertwined forever. As they run from the crowd, she trips and falls into a deep pit and he calls out after her, “Cora!” When she lands, an alarm clock sounds and a woman in the present day awakens – seems like this was all just a dream.

The Gist: Okay, here’s the deal. Two hundred years ago in Ireland, Cora MacLeod (Katie Stevens) left the man who was supposedly her soul mate, Finn Walsh (Evan Roderick), for a thief named Liam O’Connor (Lachlan Quarmby). According to the laws of destiny, Liam was never supposed to have stolen Cora’s heart. In the present day, Cora and Finn (and some of their friends and family from 200 years ago) have been reincarnated. Now, Cora, a detective investigating a jewelry store robbery in her hometown of Providence Falls, works closely with Finn, the assistant D.A. and the two have a serious flirtation.

Liam though? He’s been in purgatory this whole time. When he was alive, he was a law-breaker, a thief, but he’s been brought to the Department of Destiny, an all-white, minimally decorated room that’s supposed to represent limbo, where the fate of his soul is to be determined so he can finally receive his eternal assignment. Liam is given a choice by his “case worker” Samael: reincarnate and make sure Cora ends up with her one true love, Finn, earning himself a one-way ticket to heaven. Or… If he (selfishly) tries to disrupt the laws of fate again and steal Cora back from Finn in this current life, he’ll get sent to H-E-double hockey sticks. (Cora, Finn, and the five others reincarnated in this life will also have their own eternal fates determined by whatever the outcome of this adventure is, too. We get to know all of these characters in the past and present as the plot unfolds.)

So, Liam is sent to the present day to be Cora’s new partner on the police force, investigating the robbery. When he arrives, it helps that some of the people who have been reincarnated from Ireland have been implanted with vague, but false, memories of him so it would appear that he has an existing relationship with them. When Cora meets Liam, she doesn’t immediately know him, but her soul does, and she feels an instant connection, she just can’t place him.

They develop feelings as they work together, but the closer Liam gets to her, the more he wonders whether he really is being selfish, wanting Cora even if their fate isn’t supposed to allow it. Eventually this creates a real dilemma for Cora, who grows fond of both Liam and Finn and now has to choose between them. Trouble is, she doesn’t know why Liam’s been sent to Providence Falls, or that her eternal fate is in his hands.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Providence Falls is what happens when a Hallmark writer is inspired by afterlife-curious titles like Albert Brooks’ Defending Your Life and The Good Place as well as time-travel shows like The Way Home.

Our Take: It would be interesting enough if the story here was simply that a man who loves a woman is forced to play matchmaker for her (or else face an eternity in hell!), but Providence Falls ups the ante with flashbacks that show the true nature of the relationships between the seven souls who are intertwined in the past and present. Adding to the fun are the characters from the Department of Destiny, especial Agon, Liam’s guide in the present-day, helping him get acclimated to live in the 21st century, while also trying to keep him on-task. It’s a role that bridges past and present, but it also adds a genuinely mystical twist to the story, too.

Providence Falls is a three-part story, and the first part sets up the story nicely, pacing things out so we learn a lot – but not everything – about these characters’ backstories. While the initial impulse is to root for Cora and Liam to ultimately be together (and hopefully not go to Hell for that choice), Liam also has some other interesting romantic options in the present day – an unusual touch for a Hallmark movie, because it truly makes the story seem like maybe it could go in a different direction from what’s expected. There’s a joy in watching something like this, a true TV event that unfolds over three weeks, with each part layering in new information. And even though you know that a happy ending is in store, the pleasure is that unlike many a Hallmark movie, there is a truly unexpected and exciting journey leading us there.

Parting Shot: At the end of part one, Liam comes to the realization that if he truly loves Cora, he should probably let her be with the man she’s fated to be with, Finn. Just as he’s made peace with that idea, Cora approaches Liam to tell him that she feels something for him and wants to explore it a little more. That certainly complicates his mission!

Performance Worth Watching: As Agon, Amitai Marmorstein isn’t just a funny supporting character, he adds a completely weird and whimsical aspect to the film, not quite human but an all-knowing guide to Liam’s fate.

Memorable Dialogue: “Let me get this straight, you want me to get the love of my life to fall for another man?” Liam asks while in purgatory, trying to understand the terms of the agreement that might end in his eternal damnation. That is very much the gist of this movie!

Our Call: Providence Falls is a dang delight. The historical fantasy is just one reason to love it, but the way it blends that fantasy with modern-day romance with a goofy but earnest approach to Liam’s existential dilemma makes it a truly refreshing offering from Hallmark that we’ve never seen before. STREAM IT!

Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.