Stars Fell Again takes place some two years after audiences last saw Bryce and Madison fall in love during Stars Fell on Alabama.
While I admit to the first film being cute, I didn’t think it was the type to start a franchise. Two years later, the stars are falling in Oregon as Bryce (James Maslow) and Madison (Ciara Hanna) head there for the holidays. They’re there so that Madison can spend time with her family. Meanwhile, Bryce has his own agenda: ask Madison’s family for their blessing. He’s very old school in that way. Much to their surprise, Madison’s younger sister, Harper (Ali Faulkner), announces she’s getting married that weekend to Noah (Tom Connolly). What should be the perfect holiday weekend for Bryce now becomes a nightmare for proposing. Bryce isn’t the only one having a nightmare of sorts that weekend. Harper’s best friend, Josh (Drew Moerlein), realizes that it’s now or never to announce his feelings.
Bryce and Madison’s relationship is very much set in stone in this film. The good news is that the power dynamics are different because he’s not working as her agent anymore. Sarah (Cecilia Kim) is now working as Madison’s agent. This was one of my biggest issues with the first film so I’m happy to see that they took care of this. Much of the drama comes from Bryce having to change is plans because of Harper. Meanwhile, the film still plays within the romantic comedy tropes. There’s a trick to knowing how things are going to turn out and it starts and ends by looking at the credits. In a rom-com like this, you just know something is going to happen during the wedding. You can feel the tension during the film’s 88 minute runtime, too. It just becomes a question of not if, but when.
Zane Thomas (Zebedee Row) has a very small cameo but it’s nothing too major. I like how he still plays a role in the story long after breaking up with Madison. Bryce’s friend, David (Johnnie Mack), “surprises” Madison and company in Oregon because of the whole engagement plans.
Stars Fell Again is fine for a sequel that nobody saw coming. I mean, it’s cute but at the end of the day, it’s not a film that I plan on rewatching anytime soon. Thankfully, this film is much shorter than its predecessor–audiences are in and out in under 90 minutes.
DIRECTOR: V.W.Scheich
SCREENWRITERS: Robert Windom, Uyen Le, V.W.Scheich
CAST: James Maslow, Ciara Hanna, Ali Faulkner, Drew Moerlein, Tom Connolly, Cecilia Kim, Johnnie Mack, Jon Eiswerth, Bill Winkler, Lisa Carswell, Zebedee Row
Samuel Goldwyn Films releases Stars Fell Again in theaters and Digital on February 3, 2023. Grade: 3/5
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