Not to be confused with the 2018 rom-com by the same name that catered to a young adult demographic, “Then Came You” (2020) features Annabelle, a middle-aged widow from Nantucket. On a soul-affirming trip to Scotland, she chances upon a second shot at love across the pond with Lord Awd/Howard, an innkeeper yet to come to terms with his spouse’s demise. They due are played by popular daytime show host Kathie Lee Gifford and late night show host Craig Ferguson respectively. However, this love story comes with a side of metaphorical thorny thistles.
“Then Came You” marks Kathie Lee’s foray into screenwriting, and as such, the screenplay resembles an unpolished first draft that she came up with after binging the entirety of the Hallmark catalogue. The verbal exposition is distracting and the conflict (a rushed love triangle between Annabelle, Howard and his new fiancée, Clare—played by Elizabeth Hurley in the briefest of cameos) isn’t well fleshed out. To borrow an oft-recurring phrase from the movie, “The script doesn’t have the ‘greatest bones.” It also goes off on the oddest—or rather ‘Awd’-est tangents particularly in its third act. Nonetheless, this is a well-intentioned effort from Gifford, and especially a stirring addition to an otherwise under-represented sub genre of mature depictions of lonely and widowed individuals finding love again.
Borrowing from Hallmark While Satirising It
The rom-com also treads a fine line between a sincere attempt at the genre as well as a pastiche of every Hallmark flick in existence. It borrows tropes, subsequently satirising the same. Instances of this include Howard refraining from ‘talking like a greeting card’ and Annabelle’s overly quirky dressing sense resulting in her inadvertently appropriating Scottish culture by cosplaying as a shortbread tin. Later, the pair consummate their blossoming romance off camera in a scene filmed in the style of a fast-paced black and white Chaplin-esque comic gag, seemingly taking a dig at the lack of intimacy and the PG-rated sensibilities of Hallmark outings. Ironically enough, despite this deliberate and cheeky workaround, the movie doesn’t shy from innuendo.
As an actor, Gifford is passable in her debut. She lends an endearing and chirpy quality to a character who would otherwise be considered grating, which is a feat to achieve in itself. She fares better as a singer, with the rom-com doubling as a musical. The eponymous title track and “Whiskey and Wine”—a duet sung alongside late singer and frequent collaborator on Gifford’s albums, Brett James—in particular stands out.
Ferguson and Kathy Lee are Good Together
Due to his prior experience as an actor, Craig Ferguson delivers a far superior performance than his co-star. His comic timing, gift of gab, improv skills, and effortless charisma—which shone through during the “Late Late Show”—translates well to the big screen, too. Furthe, he impresses in emotionally challenging scenes as the gruff, closed off, and depressive widower. He’s grappling with loss and attempting to mend both the leaky pipes of his crumbling estate-turned-B & B as well as an estranged relationship with his son.
Along with scenic visuals of the highlands, Gifford and Ferguson’s organic chemistry and wholesome and humorous banter is another highlight that sets the heart aflutter as well as elicits laughs. It also offers Gifford ample opportunity to play off Ferguson, simultaneously display an ability to keep up with his quick wit and stream of consciousness. Additionally, Ford Kiernan is memorable as Gavin, the upbeat groundskeeper and the yin to Howard’s yang.
Barring the amateur writing, “Then Came You” proves to be a feel-good watch that beautifully conveys its message of making fresh memories and starting anew.
“Then Came You” is currently streaming on Tubi.
