This one could have been so much better. It had some potential. Comic potential (the party scene where our heroine was starving and kept trying to get to some food); some potential for the always entertaining ugly duckling into a swan; a great old star (Morgan Fairchild) playing the powerful nemesis that is eventually won over; a very attractive and likable lead actor who played a likable character; and an interesting plot line clashing a romance author with our heroine, an editor trying to make her clients book better, but risking her popularity. There was a cute poor kid and a romantic rival for cutie who was a wolf in sheep's clothing. There was a nice appealing secondary couple as well. All of the usual elements of a hallmance when mixed with some good acting and a well cast troupe can add up to perfectly enjoyable 2 hours worthy of a rewatch in a year or two.
Unfortunately, Lindsey Hartley was woefully miscast. She was too old, had the dark looks of a villainess, little comedy chops, and had her make-up applied like it was spackle. They needed a younger actress who could pass for a naïve and nerdy, but smart goofball a little out of her element in the big city. This casting blunder was made even more obvious because her supposed sophisticated and happily married boss was played by an actress 10 years younger. Had they switched roles, it would have gone a long way to making this twice as good. It's a shame, because everything else about the movie was on point.
Review of Perfect on Paper
