Darrow & Darrow (TV Mini Series) Darrow & Darrow (2017) User Reviews

Reasonably Entertaining

[mikerjones · 7/10 · 13 February 2018]

Reasonably entertaining and I hope they make more. Tom and Kimberly are good together and very watchable. The story had its highs and lows, but my wife and I enjoyed it. There needs to be some better writing for Wendie because her character is not terribly likeable. If that was what was intended, they succeeded.

Actually a bit above the regular Hallmark mystery movies; somewhat less contrived anyway.

I hope they make more just so we can see what happens with Tom and Kimberly, if nothing else.

Darrow Family Differing Values

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 7 January 2018]

Although Darrow & Darrow bears more than a passing resemblance to the Judging Amy series of the Clinton-Bush years it certainly has enough originality to be judged on its merits.

It does however look like a TV series pilot than a primer for a series of these Hallmark Mystery films. Kimberly Williams-Paisley is a single mom raising an on the cusp of pubescence daughter. She comes from a father and mother team of attorneys. But dad has passed on and Mom Wendie Mallick views the legal profession differently.

Williams-Paisley is an idealist and ready to give of her time and services to those in need as in her current client a guy who has a donut shop, but who is on parole and who is an old childhood friend. Mallick wants to make money because she spends a lot of it. They also have differing parent styles so its with a lot of trepidation that she comes into the home and the firm.

I know Hallmark will give us more of the Darrow family and their differing views on law and life. I do look forward.

Eccentric

[Jackbv123 · 8/10 · 7 January 2018]

I loved this and hated it.

I totally loved Tom Cavanagh together with Kimberly Williams-Paisley. This is some of the best chemistry. True, they are both eccentric, especially Miles. Cavanagh is great at this. This relationship totally makes the movie and what promises to be a regular series of movies.

I hate Joanna, as played by Wendie Malick . She is Claire's mother. This woman is evil. No not in a big way. She will never kill anyone. She will probably never rob anyone, at least not of anything significant. But Joanna has no concern for the truth. To her, a white lie is not a lie at all. But her lies stretch even the term "white". The values she teaches her granddaughter, both directly and by example, are insidious and totally opposite of those of the girl's mother. There is a lot of conflict between Joanna and Claire and Claire is not wrong in any of it. This movie started out with a discussion of bullying. Joanna was trying to help Louise deal with her being bullied. Funny think is, right after that I noticed that Joanna was basically bullying Claire. It seems like she does a lot of that.

This mystery is interesting enough, but the story is much more than that by following Louise and Joanna and Claire in their personal lives. As I said, the relationship makes the movie. The relationship is just starting out, so it is all the more fun.

On balance, there is too much I don't like, but this movie comes up a winner thanks to Cavanaugh and Williams-Paisley.

Great Cast, Average Writing

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 10 September 2020]

This pilot for a proposed Hallmark Channel series features a strong cast. Though it is listed under the Crime, Drama, and Mystery genres, it has strong comedic undertones, which has a lot to do with its stars: Kimberly Williams-Paisley ("According to Jim"), Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me") and Tom Cavanaugh ("Burn Notice").

Williams-Paisley plays Claire Darrow (I wonder where they found that name?), a small-town attorney who has revived the law firm formerly run by her father. Malick plays mother Joanna, a successful New York City attorney who used to handle big cases, but is now down on her luck and jobless, looking for a place to land. Cavanaugh plays Miles Strasberg, a pragmatic attorney who faces Claire in court, despite his attraction to her. He asks her out every week, and she always declines.

The pilot revolves around a smash-and-grab jewelry burglary. When a local merchant is accused of the crime, Claire defends him. Miles thinks he has an open and shut case, but Claire's instincts tell her the guy is innocent.

As a crime procedural, the writing is mediocre. Claire is not shown to be insightful or decisive in defense of her client. But she is caring and empathetic, which is more important in a Hallmark offering.

This first episode sets up conflicts between Claire, her mother and her daughter. Years of resentment and the teenage temperament must be overcome if these three are to coexist in harmony. This could have made a good series---especially given the acting talent---but Hallmark instead made some follow-up films in subsequent years.

Darrow and Darrow

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 10 July 2023]

An ex-con donut shop owner (Kirby Morrow) framed for robbing a jewellery store. Claire takes his case, while her mother Joanna (Wendy Malick) returns from New York City having been wrongly fired from her law firm and tries to join her daughter's firm. They tend to clash as Claire Darrow, a lawyer, fights for what's right, regardless of whether it makes her a dime, and Joanna would rather make a profit.

The contrast between mother ( Wendy Malick) and daughter and their conflict is really well done, and makes a good subplot. There's no murder, but the case is adequately interesting, but I liked the drama and humour the most.

Better than I Expected

[cluecase · 10/10 · 22 October 2017]

I watch Hallmark Mystery Movies all the time and I like them, though they are always very slow. This was different. It was fast paced and very funny, almost as if without trying, and it didn't feel like a Hallmark Channel movie, it was better. The actors Kimberly Williams Paisley, Wendi Malick, and Tom Cavanaugh were all great and carried the story and the humor very well. I will totally be watching the sequel when it comes out.

Great addition to Hallmark

[byb9605 · 9/10 · 20 May 2018]

Darrow & Darrow is a great addition to the regular Hallmark line-up. The pairing of Kimberly and Tom is a good one, both a little geeky, but in a good way. The tension between Claire and her mom, not unlike so many other mothers and daughters, adds to the believability of the situation. Wendy Malik's dry/sarcastic humor is on point and without it in the mix, the show might just bog down to just another courtroom drama.

Too mundane

[nandinichatterjee-87776 · 5/10 · 6 March 2018]

Good- nice characters, relatable troubles Bad- insipid mystery, predictable, no chemistry between lead couple This mystery could have been wrapped up in 30 mins but the movie stretched on to 1 h 20mins. The side characters were a drag, uninteresting and not delved into. It was honestly quite a waste of time but I'm a fan of Tom Cavanaugh so I sat through it. He is woefully underutilised and you just don't see them as anything past friends. Aurora Teagarden is a much better movie.

Darling

[mstiechick · 9/10 · 26 August 2018]

This tv pilot/movie was well done and set up for a running series. The characters are likable and real. The plot moved along nicely. The direction was exeptional. I keep searchng for more episodes to see if it's been picked up. I'm intrigued by the characters and their possible development. This series could use more diverse characters, however, it's rare to see something this well directed/photographed on tv anymore. Either it's done cheaply with poor output or it's a mega production with expensive cast. This production is well crafted, and one of those potentially beloved series that became another "missed opportunity" by Hollywood.

Hoping sor MORE!

[Jazzie-too · 10/10 · 12 February 2018]

All I can say is that I really enjoyed this! Darrow & Darrow! Really hope this will kick off a series. All the characters are splendid. I enjoy a lot of Hallmark movies, mainly because they make me feel good in the end. But this one offered more. For me, it never got too silly or trivial. The plots and sub-plots kept my interest peaked. Just give us a series! Like Garage Sale Mysteries or The Gourmet Detective, The Flower Shop Mysteries ...... This is way too good to end here!

GREAT movie

[moviereviewer99 · 10/10 · 27 December 2019]

I've ALWAYS enjoyed a Hallmark movie and have been a fan of Kimberly Williams-Paisley for some time.

I wish they'd make the Darrow and Darrow movies into a series! I certainly would watch them.

LOTS of who-dunits on regular TV are morbid. You WON'T get that from a Hallmark movie.

Mother needs to go...

[lynnbar0320 · 8/10 · 18 August 2018]

I enjoyed this TV movie (the plot, most of the characters, etc.) but could not stand the mother (JoAnna(?)) Worse mother and grandmother ever. During the middle and towards the end, I started fast forwarding whenever her face came of the screen. I must say, this is a different turn for a 'Hallmark' TV movie to have such a despicable character who, since not a hardened criminal or otherwise a 'bad guy or gal', should not be this way. Tom Cavanaugh is great in this movie!