I gave The Secret: Dare to Dream a shot not because I believe in The Secret (to my cynical, cold-dead heart, it’s hooey… maybe even malarkey) but I believe that can be fun… but there’s also a chance that it would be genuine. An actual sweet, warm-hearted flick. So it was a win-win with the vague possibility it’s just a drab overly-serious bunch of hokum and no fun on either level… but happy to say it’s not that.

Instead, the film is just a good-natured romantic drama starring likable actors who occasionally reference The Secret (or Secret Adjacent) things about the universe or luck or providence providing. It really has nothing otherwise to do with The Secret besides the power of positive thinking.

The film stars Katie Holmes (who I still see as Joey) as a widowed mother of three in Louisiana just trying to keep their heads above water. And then a mysterious-but-friendly stranger (Josh Lucas) comes into the picture and insists on helping out around the house. Which makes Jerry O’Connell’s character a little suspicious, a little jealous, and ultimately a lot The Baxter of the movie (if you catch that reference).

It’s mostly just a heart-felt little drama/romance about people living their every day lives with a bit of that old positive thinking sprinkle over everything. I enjoyed it for the just-above-shmaltzy is is. It was never too ooey-gooey treacly but it was certainly navigating those waters. And certainly if you live for that kind of thing, you’ll certainly adore the film. If you are an even more cynical, more cold hearted person than me, then run. Run far away. This ain’t for you.

Score: 78