Review

"Good Witch: Curse from a Rose" – A Spellbindingly Predictable Romp Through Hallmark’s Magical Playbook

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a Hallmark holiday movie and a low-budget Harry Potter fanfic had a baby, Good Witch: Curse from a Rose is here to answer that question. Released in 2019, this cinematic gem (or glittery rock, depending on your tolerance for Hallmark movies) is the seventh installment in the Good Witch series, and it’s everything you’d expect: wholesome, charming, and about as surprising as finding out that the mysterious stranger in town is actually a long-lost relative with a heart of gold.

The plot revolves around Cassie Nightingale (Catherine Bell), Middleton’s resident enchantress, who is basically the Mary Poppins of small-town witchcraft. This time, she’s dealing with a cursed rose, a haunted painting, and a nosy historian who’s determined to uncover the town’s magical secrets. Spoiler alert: the curse is about as threatening as a kitten with a feather duster, and the historian’s big reveal is less “shocking twist” and more “mildly interesting footnote.”

What makes Curse from a Rose truly special is its commitment to the Hallmark formula. There’s a quaint town square, a quirky supporting cast, and enough warm fuzzies to make you forget that real life exists. The dialogue is so wholesome it could cure cynicism, and the romance is so chaste it makes holding hands look like a scandal. If you’ve ever watched a Hallmark holiday movie and thought, “This needs more magic but less conflict,” then congratulations, this is your cinematic soulmate.

The film’s pacing is slower than a snail on a treadmill, but hey, that’s part of the charm. It’s like a cozy blanket for your brain, except the blanket is made of glitter and the brain is slightly bored. The special effects are delightfully low-budget—think “sparkly lights and a fog machine”—but honestly, it’s refreshing to see a movie that doesn’t rely on CGI explosions to hold your attention.

In conclusion, Good Witch: Curse from a Rose is the perfect movie for anyone who loves Hallmark movies but wishes they had more witchcraft and fewer Christmas trees. It’s not going to win any Oscars (or even a participation trophy), but it’s a delightful escape from reality—assuming your reality doesn’t involve cursed roses or haunted paintings. So grab some popcorn, suspend your disbelief, and let Cassie work her magic. Just don’t expect any actual curses to be broken, unless you count the curse of high expectations.

Rating: 3 out of 5 enchanted roses (because let’s be real, it’s no Hallmark holiday movie, but it’s close).