Sunday’s Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie Takes Viewers “Away & Back”

In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, the Hallmark Channel has released its second Hallmark Hall of Fame movie since the franchise moved to the channel in December. The network’s latest offering is about love, loss and  … swans.

Away&Back3When a family of swans make their home on the Peterson family’s farm, it’s love at first sight for 10-year-old daughter Frankie. But when one of the swans perishes, leaving behind a nest filled with eggs, possessive and protective ornithologist Ginny rushes in to save them. “She may be great working with birds, but she’s terribly insensitive when it comes to working with people,” explains Minka Kelly, who plays Ginny. “To put it mildly, she is not a people person.”

For Frankie’s dad Jack (Jason Lee), it’s dislike at first sight when he encounters pushy, know-it-all Ginny, especially because his young daughter considers the eggs “hers.” Jason Lee reveals that his character is ambivalent about the eggs of the swan, but “After what Frankie has gone through – losing her mother – he’s afraid if something happens with the eggs, and she suffers another loss, it would be devastating for her.”

Are Jason Lee and Minka Kelly taking  selfie? I prefer to think that they're Tweeting from the set of their swan-themed movie, Away & Back.
Are Jason Lee and Minka Kelly taking a selfie? I prefer to think that they’re Tweeting from the set of their swan-themed movie, Away & Back.

But the story is much more than a story of loss, says actress Minka Kelly. “It’s certainly one of the themes. Jack loses his wife, the kids lose their mother, the swan eggs — and, potentially, baby swans — lose their mother. But, as the title of the movie — Away & Back – more than hints at, there are also wonderful new beginnings in this story. It may start out with loss, but it ends up with the themes of hope and life. … and love.”

Away & Back
Connor Paton, Jaren Lewison and Maggie Elizabeth Jones check on their feathered friends in Away & Back

One of the things I enjoy about HHOF movies is that the films attract outstanding talent. Here, Jason Lee (My Name is Earl) and Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) star in a production that could easily have premiered at your local Cineplex. Fortunately, we don’t have to fight ice-storms and flu-germs at the local movie theater; the entire family can enjoy this heart-warming story the comfort of home. In addition to sweet performances from Kelly and Lee, young actress Maggie Elizabeth Jones is truly delightful as earnest swan-lover, Frankie; hers is a character to whom young movie watchers will easily relate. And the film’s several mention’s of E.B. White’s beloved classic, The Trumpet of the Swan, may introduce a new favorite book to your family. 

Away & Back > Hallmark Channel > Sunday, Jan. 25 at 8pm ET/PT, 7pm CT.  

Photo credits: Erik Heinila/Hallmark

4 Comments

  1. Love Far and Away!
    Love the Hallmark channel movies!
    My mother has Alzheimer’s and very much enjoys the movies played here. And I grew up with the Walton’s, Little House on the Prairie, and Sundays Walt Disney movie. I love wholesome family movies, and this is where to find them! Thank you for providing an alternate option that truly is “family” tv!!

  2. My Wife and I liked the movie Away and Back very much. We watched it several times. I googled to see what the lady that took care of the Swans was and I saw a review that someone was saying what an awful movie it was. We liked it very much. We watch most all the Hallmark Movies that come on TV. Very seldom do we see one that we don’t like.
    Sometimes the music is a little loud for the speaking and we have a little problem hearing what they are saying. Other than that we love the movies.

    It takes all kind of people to make the world go around but it would be awful if everyone liked the same thing. It would be a dull world. We do not like all the R rated stuff that is on many of the other channels. The robbing and killing and the far out stuff. Hard to find family movies anymore with all the space crap and the comic stuff with the killing that the kids see. It is no wonder why our world is in such of a mess.

    We live in a rural area of Ms. Close to Tupelo and I could see something like that happening here with all the wildlife around. All of our Grandkids have grown up around here and se are married and we loved the movie. Our daughter saw it about a week ago as we were watching it and called and made a comment about it when she was told we were watching it too. She is 48 with grown kids so its not just our age group.

    Anyway keep on trucking we loved it.

    Percy Garner

    • I can’t imagine anyone not liking this movie. Frankie steels your heart. Her brothers are just what you expect from boys their age. They show just enough love and protection for her. I plan to watch it with my great granddaughters ages 7, 8, and 9. It is a rare thing to be able to share a movie these days unless it is Disney. Please continue with this type of movie.

    • I can’t imagine anyone not liking this movie. Frankie steals your heart. Her brothers are just what you expect from boys their age. They show just enough love and protection for her. I plan to watch it with my great granddaughters ages 7, 8, and 9. It is a rare thing to be able to share a movie these days unless it is Disney. Please continue with this type of movie.

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