Empty Arms_720p(480P)

source: Empty Arms

"Holy Hanna!!!" That is a phrase frequently recurring in the soaper called "Love Notes." Nora Flannery is a successful critic of classical music with a popular radio program. Nora grew up with a nasty, single mom, and she would never think of a child having to experience what she did. Jamie Denniger (a.k.a., James Keen) is country and western star who was adopted and raised in entitlement by a wealthy Kentucky breeder of horses. He is tormented by not knowing his birth parents and would hate to see a child given up to be raised by strangers. Like two ships passing in the night, Nora and Jamie have a single encounter. And the result is: pop and boom!!! Nora becomes pregnant with Jamie's child. The majority of the film consists of Nora trying to track down the busy Jamie and secure his signature on the release agreement form on the legal documents. Nora also busies herself in interviewing couples interested in adoption. A weakness of the film was in the treatment of the character of Claire, Nora's best friend. Nora chose to bring the baby to term because she was planning for the infertile Claire and her husband Jeff to raise the child. But when Jeff sues for divorce, Claire essentially drops out of the film until the very end. The screenplay never addressed why Claire would not have wanted to raise the child on her own after Jeff ended the marriage. Early in the film, there was the attempt to identify a romantic reference point in the relationship of the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Nadezhda von Meck. The composition known as the Pathétique (Symphony Number 6) attempted to set the emotive tone of the film. But the analogy was never made very clear in the curious relationship of Nora and Jamie; it was nothing like Tchaikovksy and Nadezhda. On the other hand, the filmmakers did a good job in demonstrating how the two characters' shared love of music was tied to the search for "a full and honest love." Invariably, Jamie seemed lost and confused, utterly bewildered about both his feelings for Nora and the prospects of becoming a father. There was an interlude on the old Keen Estates, where Nora is diagnosed with a case of Braxton Hicks by a veterinarian! It was during the stay on the ranch that Nora and Jamie truly begin to bond. It all comes down to a single moment of truth in a Kentucky hospital at the time of delivery and whether Nora will be willing to give her child up for adoption. It turns out that she will have many different options, all of which augur well for a beautiful baby girl. Nora decides to name the child Jamie. "Jamie, meet Jamie!!!" Holy Hannah!!!

This is a nice telling of a very emotional story. It has a few minor twists that liven it up, but overall you really feel the emotional struggles of both Nora and Jamie. For a while you want to say "Jamie, what a jerk" until you get some insight into his background. The acting was mostly level and not at all over the top as it could have been in such a story. Yet the feelings still struck home. I liked it the way it was done. For a while when Nora was having trouble connecting with Jamie, I was thinking that all she needed was two words to his agent - paternity suit. Not that this is what she wanted, but it would have gotten their attention. I'm glad she stuck with enduring the hard way to connect.

the ingredient of an awesome worthy of watching TV movie is here... two perfectly crafted being matched by circumstances... and walla.. they are linked forever.. i kept thinking that Anotnio Cupo looks so familiar and after googling his name i notice he has already aged gracefully in some of the hall mark newer movies but all the same he is so gorgeous and the actress miss Leighton smart portrayal of her independent character was well presented here and i just love her for wanting to have the baby afterbirth... oopps no spoiler please... it may be just a TV movie but the movie is gripping .. not a boring second to waste... watch it and you will find out why...

This is one of those "slice of life" movies where everyone acts like a fairly normal person, nobody is killed, nothing spectacularly dramatic happens, and things just roll through a series of "life moments" for those on the screen. The appeal mostly hangs on how much we care about the characters and on how resonant the dialogue and scenes are with how real life feels to us. Well... this felt real enough, even though most of us won't have the kind of wealth sitting around that the male lead does. If we did, we might well have the life that he leads here, so it fits fine for movie purposes. All the other characters we meet seem like very everyday people, and all the developments are things we all live through and/or hear from our own friends. The way things work out for the central characters isn't settled until the very end, so our interest is held throughout, and the pacing is pretty good and steady. So, it comes down to the characters and their portrayal by the actors, and everyone here does a fine job of breathing life into each one. They all feel real and they all seem to belong to the same reality. I only gave the movie a 6; perhaps it should be higher, but despite the solid base I just described, I wasn't overly excited about this movie at any point. It's pretty good, but just that. I don't feel like my life has changed at all by having seen it, and there isn't any really new ground broken here, so... I can't rave about it. However, if you have the time to pay attention to solid performances in a decent drama, I expect you'll enjoy this one.

This film has the two essential ingredients for success: gorgeous leads and a gripping story. From the moment the movie started, I was hooked, not only by the smashing good looks of the two leads, Laura Leighton and Antonio Cupo, but a story that is timeless, two people thrown together in a situation that neither of them is prepared to cope with. I have long been a fan of Laura Leighton, ever since her Melrose Place days, and I watch her in everything she does. Not only is she absolutely beautiful, she is so intelligent and her brains show through which only enhances her beauty. Her co-star, Antonio Cupo, a newcomer for me - I had to look him up on Google to learn that he is a top star in Italy, where his family is from, having migrated to Canada in 1968, so apparently he is fluent in several languages - was the perfect foil for Laura in every way, indeed, they were such a perfect match that it was impossible not to be drawn into the story which had many twists and turns, my favorite kind of story.

I started watching this movie because adoption was listed in the slight preview. I lost a child to adoption, thus HAD to watch this to see the outcome. I'm not sure the writing was all that good, nor the fake pregnancy get-up that believable, but the actors were convincing enough to keep me sucked in to the story line. In fact, they had me holding my breath right up until the end of the show. Being a mother who is reunited with the child she lost to adoption, the fact that the father (Antonio Cupo) in this story happens to be an adoptee, made this story even more compelling and actually believable. His eventual reaction to and dialogue concerning the possibility of his child being adopted by strangers, was very realistic. The circumstances of my son's beginnings were not all that different than those in this movie, only I didn't have the resources to track down his father and give him time to reconsider before the powers that be...adoption social workers, portrayed quite accurately in this movie...moved in for the kill, unlike this the outcome in this movie. Honestly, with what seems to be Hollywood's love of adoption in the lives of aging stars, this story and its extremely happy outcome for the parents and the baby is beyond refreshing. It makes me not care in the least about the believability of the minor details or even of the likelihood that this story could be true. It's the kind of story I wanted to be true decades ago, and truly enjoyed imagining was true while watching 'Love Notes'. Thus, I highly recommend it.

I wasn't familiar with either of the two leads in this film, and after seeing the brief description in the local guide, thought I might watch it for all of, say, five minutes. However, I found it to be a straightforward story, presented in a realistic fashion, with two wholly-engaging leads, who were likable as well as believable. It is refreshing to see a story - whether on film or stage - presented without a trace of exaggeration or forced drama, which still holds one's interest, and a feeling for the characters. This movie, in my opinion, achieved that - far better than most big-screen and big-budget presentations with a bevy of "A" list Hollywood superstars. I believe what most of us want is to be entertained and to view a story with characters whom we we like. Although some performances and story lines are designed to have a hard edge, tragedy, and where the cast are supposed to be less than likable -- it is always a plus to see those where we can feel good after viewing. This one provides all you could ask from a well-designed and well-acted film. While "Lifetime's" are largely average, and sometimes well-below, this one is a commendable, "A-class" effort.

Fell asleep on the sofa and woke up in the middle of the night to this. Thought I left the TV on Skinimax and couldn't find the remote. Oh darn, right? Don't do it! It's a trick. Tracey Lotrds couldn't write a more shallow, less interesting plot. And there was no skin! None! However, the only 3 out of 10 goes to the acting of bit parts in this film. Very subtle, very impressive character acting, despite the amazingly awful dialog thrown at them. Kudos and good luck to you individuals. Now for those of you that read the notes on this site that push this film up to a whopping 5.3... I'm sorry. Find the remote!!!