The Reckoning

Good movie!

Good movie!

Good movie!

I know it's hard to get the same actors after a couple years, so I can for go that one. The other things.... So much of this fantastic story was left out, not even mentioned or changed. I know they didn't mention Katie's best friend in the second movie, I thought they might make up for it in this one. Seems like they focused a lot on Katie and not on the whole story. It is frustrating to think this is what people will see when it doesn't do the books justice. I know that it is a fictional story but there are just some things you don't change. Please read the books! I am so glad I did, before watching the movies.

I really loved the storyline, and they were all three well made, but I couldn't have been more disappointed with the roles being played by other people. It nearly made me wish I would have not seen any of it to be honest. The original actress Danielle Panabaker was absolutely stunning and fit the role perfectly as did the original actor who played Daniel. They were perfect and they drew you in to fall in love with them. The actors who took on the roles were not bad actors, but just didn't fit, especially Katie. She just didn't look the part whatsoever. If new actors have to be brought in at least make sure they look the role. Just my opinion I suppose, but it really took the heart out of it for me. Even Katies Dad was played by someone else in the end. Without the changes I likely would have given this a 9 or a 10, but not now. At least I'm forewarned on Beverly Lewis movies to check these things out before making a purchase in the future.

This is the conclusion of the Beverly Lewis trilogy on the Heritage of Lancaster County. It immediately follows "The Confession" (2013) in the storyline. Katie Lapp/Katherine Mayfield (Katie Leclerc) has now inherited everything from her wealthy birth mother, and heads up the foundation that her birth mother had established. She's in a relationship with Justin Wirth (Chad Connell), the administrative head of the foundation. He has a blue-blood heritage having gone to Harvard and worked for Google. Katie has written letters to her adoptive Amish parents, Samuel Lapp (Kevin Rothery) and Rebecca Lapp (Vanessa Holmes), but because Katie is banned, they do not open the letters. The foundation decides to give major support to the Oak Vale Home for Boys, and hires a counsellor who turns out to have a connection with Katie. Katie's old Amish boyfriend, Daniel Fisher (Jacob Blair), shows up and causes Katie to wonder about her choices. She makes some different choices. This is one bad movie. The script is stilted, and Katie's accent is bad. Katie is the only hold-over actor from the previous film. Her adoptive parents seem to have had personality transplants from the previous film. Justin's parents are caricatures of the "Upper Class." Katie's heritage has turned into a conservative Protestant one rather than an Amish one. She's happy to lead out in oral prayer, though she never would have done this back in her Amish community. Her religious language has minimal Amish roots. There's a bizarre barn-raising scene with troubled youth that has little relationship to an Amish barn-raising except for some visual effects. This felt like a film made to fulfill a contract with as little creative investment as possible.

It is a continuation of The Shunning and The Confession. I was a little disappointed that Panibaker didn't continue the series. However it is every good and follows the sequence. It answer the question did she leave fold or did Katie girl run back to the ways of her childhood. Really Good James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/17/2021

For the sake of completeness you want to see how things end in this trilogy. The storylines come to a close and it's satisfying to watch. Katie LeClerc is still very watchable. Some of the other cast have changed. In some ways it's the weakest of the three. There still are Amish vs non Amish contrasts. A few weak points. A rather tiresome triangle between her Englisher fiancé and her Amish old flame. Why did they choose such a sketchy looking guy to play the Amish guy? Her orphanage project isn't that interesting.

The third and final film, based on the Beverly Lewis' 'The Heritage of Lancaster County' novel trilogy. This was an unexpected watch. I mean I was not going to watch these films. But I had a short time, so I had to pick a short film and television films are always less than 90 minutes long. Once I saw the first, I could not leave behind the remaining two. After all it was not a bad watch. If you are like close enough to 30 or above that, you will find these films decent. Because that's what life is about. You are mature enough to understand them. Ten years ago definitely I would have not enjoyed them as of now. As I've mentioned in the previous review, that I did not know what to expect from it. For me, the actual story had ended in the previous part itself. This was just an extension, extension of Katie Lapp's new world's new life. Surely some people would be very interesting to know how she makes her new lifestyle. Because there's a lot to learn, especially being too kind in this tough world. Every step forward is a new lesson. Anyway, she has trusted people all around her. What she now needs is a man and his unending love and care. After inheriting wealth from her mother, now herself entangled in a new situation. The first film was about unveiling the truth, followed by in the second, she reconnected with her root, and now the romance. It's a three way romance, she does not know whom to choose. Caught between past and present, the film focused on her journey of self-discovery. She's helping those who needs it. Besides, it helped her to realise what her heart says. In the end, it all ended up happily as always for a Hallmark film. -xX] I think before you make a future with Justin, you need to make peace with your past. [Xx- To watch it on an average day, it won't be that bad. But if you pick it with lots of expectations, then you are in a wrong film. The families would approve it easily. Yet this third film was not as good as previous two. Because the romance theme they have used in this was so common in most of the same themes. What uplifted the film was those orphan segments. It had told some meaningful aspect of the wealthy people with a good heart. And that's the that, the film did not impress me on the overall. One of the reasons was, again, the casting. Three films and each time a bunch of new actors stepped-in on someone's role we were very used to. I know what you might be thinking. It's not Katie Lapp, but some supporting characters. Katie's Amish parents particular. The original actors were brilliant. They never had more scope for their parts, but I loved them in their short span. It was too late to switch to a new pair. So, I felt out of synch with the narration when their parts came in. I have never seen a trilogy that messed up like this. My pick is the middle one. I liked the second film very much. But the first was decent and expected to end the trilogy in a same way. Despite re-cast, the actors were good. At least they should have stuck with the same director. Though this director was okay. Another thing is, the end. That's not what I'd expected, but that's fine for not giving what the viewers had expected, but it did make sense, except leaving a bad impression on Katie of what she has chosen. I mean not the man, but what kind of life. So my conclusion is, this part was least decent in the series. But as a trilogy not bad for once trying. 6/10

Third movie in the Trilogy. The main male actors have changed and that makes this one not as good. Someone from Katie's past show up and that's handled pretty badly. Also, Daniel never tells her he left a letter for her mother to find (2nd movie). That was a pretty important thing to leave out.