When it comes to Hallmark there are quite a few actors that I would count as staples. Chris McNally and Janel Parrish are two of those. Lately, I have been more used to seeing McNally on When Call The Heart and Parrish I was missing on my screen since Christmas. But both are two people that I love to watch in their movies and television shows.
Two for Tee is a movie about community, learning, and growth. The description doesn’t give it away, “Tee is a Chinese American pottery artist who meets new community center handyman Will. As she learns about her family’s traditions through art, can she and Will save the center from closure?”
Now, as a person that watches way too much Hallmark (according to my friends), I can confidently say that this movie was different. It made me feel different, in the sense that all the tropes I am used to weren’t there. They added more.
Janel leads the movie, starring as Tee. She’s an insanely talented pottery maker and teaches classes at the local community center. Her class is filled with students that love her and each other. She is humble and kind and really loves her community, family, and friends. Her dream is to have her pottery showcased at the local gallery.
McNally stars as Will, a single Dad who just moved to the community so that his daughter can grow up with both her Mom and Dad present. He’s looking for a job and gets one to be the handyman at the center.
Tee also co-owns a local shop with her bestie where her Mom sometimes helps out. Her Mom, Leigh Anne, is an immigrant from China. She works hard and came to the states for a reason, but is very sad about what she left behind. The biggest one being her cousin, who stopped speaking to her. This relationship was something that Leigh Anne had treasured and misses deeply.
Will and Tee are both going through things personally, but when they find out that the center that they both work at may have to close, they both know that shouldn’t happen. They two set out on a mission to make sure that doesn’t happen.
When Tee brings her pottery to the attention of the gallery owner – he basically tells her no, that he can’t see her in her art. I can’t even imagine what that would be like for Tee, as she is so proud of her pottery (as she should be). Her Mom talks to her about a teapot that they own, how it is from China, and what it means to their family. This inspires Tee to incorporate her Chinese heritage into her pottery.
What I did love is that this movie wasn’t just a romance. Yes, Tee and Will fell in love over time. It was really beautiful to watch that relationship unfold. It was one that was built on trust and friendship – which I do believe was portrayed beautifully. Will and Tee both were pushing each other to be better people. They both appreciated the world around them.
And then there was the relationship between Will and his daughter Natalie. The man is the epitome of a girl dad and he knows that what he can learn from his daughter is to be cherished. He stops putting things off, making sure that he does the things that he promised his daughter and told her that he wanted to do.
The movie wasn’t just a sweet romance. It was a movie that showcased community and what can happen when everyone listens and comes together to make the community a better place.
Two or Tee is a charming movie filled with love and spirit. It’s a movie that reminds you that there can be a lot going on, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or confusing. It can just feel like natural progression – the pacing is beautifully edited to make the story easier to follow.
Parrish and McNally are versatile performers who can pull off a lot of different genres. Whether it be comedy, drama, or action – the two can do it.
Parrish can pull off chemistry with anyone – I have yet to see her act opposite anyone that she can’t make you believe that they are the only people in the room. It doesn’t matter what the role. She’s a powerhouse.
Two for Tee is one of those movies that you wish was real, because it’s just magical. It’s athe kind of community that you wish that you could live in. One that is filled with hope and understanding, commitment and togetherness.
In the world that we live in, I think we all need an escape. Two for Tee offered that – two hours of an escape that makes you just believe that there is happiness out there, as well as people that will be there or you.
