Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Reality Bites: A Hannah Swensen Mystery’

2/11/2025

Written by John Edward Betancourt

We are taught from a very early age, that family should mean the world to us, and there’s good reason that lesson is sent our way. Because family, really is special. For our siblings and our parents have actual ties to us on a fundamental genetic level. Something that no one else will share with us, until we start a family of our own. Not to mention, they know us like no one else does, and teach us lessons that no one else can. So, yes, it should mean something to us, to the point where we should be ready to do anything and everything for our family to help them out in this life and keep them safe if they are in danger. Since they are something unique and important to us.

In fact, many of us stand by that second lesson. Since we will drop everything to be there when they need us, and they, vice versa. But what’s interesting about these lessons, is that we eventually learn there are boundaries involved with them. Because if a family member is painfully toxic and mean, we learn we don’t need to be around them. Nor should we support them. Not to mention, if they’re asking us to do something illegal or something that will incur pain and suffering on others, in name of helping them out or to offer them safety, we definitely don’t need to go the extra mile to help them, since that can cause more harm than good. As evidenced by the new Hallmark Mystery feature, Reality Bites: A Hannah Swensen Mystery.

Which is a story that returns us to Hannah’s world at an exciting time. Simply because she receives a phone call from the one biggest cooking shows around, for they are eager to use her shop to film a new episode. A move that Hannah is all about making happen, to meet her cooking hero and to of course, put The Cookie Jar on the map. But alas, the chaos surrounding the shoot, and the fact that one of the crew members dies under suspicious circumstances, ruins the magic of meeting one’s hero. But Hannah is not a person to let one dark day keep her down and keep her from doing what she does best, and the weird circumstances surrounding that death prompt her to dive in and the save the day, and what she will learn about this case, will explore the trouble that comes with helping troubled family members

Since we come to learn that a daughter is eager to save her father from a case that will lock him up forever and she is abiding by the lessons. She’s cherishing family, she’s doing whatever needs to happen to keep daddy safe in her eyes, and it leads to utter chaos. To death, to panic, to utter fear in this story, and that is a perfect way to explore the central theme and point out how we cannot hold to that when parents and siblings and other relatives go down that kind of road. Because they will drag us into the depths with them and that is the last thing we ever need, and that added real depth and thoughtfulness to this story. One that also harbored some lovely moments that will absolutely please fans of this franchise.

After all, we would be foolish to not point out that the budding romance that Chad and Hannah toyed with in their last adventure only grows here. Since Chad invites Hannah into his life and into his world, courtesy of the very case that brings this unfortunately loyal family member to town, and that’s quite the big deal. Since a stoic man like Chad would not make that kind of decision without some kind of connection to Hannah on a deep level. Not to mention, he plays the hero here and goes the extra mile to ensure her safety. All of which makes it clear that love might be on the horizon, and we are all here for it, courtesy of a movie that features some dark concepts, but never loses sight of the charm of this series.

Since it also added more quirky and hilarious moments with Hannah’s mother, and the whole ‘never meet your heroes’ sequence was legendary to say the least. Since it offered up some flawlessly Hannah Swensen moments, one that included a stunning pie drop, and well, all of these moments brought forth a satisfying feature. Because this one had everything we love and more regarding this franchise. Since it offered a compelling case, one filled with valuable life lessons, featured the lighthearted nature of this series and of course… peppered in a little bit of that trademark romance that Hallmark is known for, and this leaves us eager for the next chapter in Hannah’s adventures. To see what unique cases await and of course, what will become of this connection she and Chad clearly share.

Watch ‘Reality Bites: A Hannah Swensen Mystery’

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