Christian Mingle (2014)

Directed and written by Corbin Bernsen, this is based on the website of the same name, which has “60% brand awareness among U.S. dating service users, with 17% indicating they had used the platform.”

Gwyneth Hayden (Lacey Chabert) works in advertising, so we know she’s Godless. But after seeing an ad for the dating site for the devoted, she buys The Bible for Dummies and Christianity for Dummies, then starts seeing Paul Wood (Jonathan Patrick Moore), a believer whose entire family — which includes Morgan Fairchild and David Keith as mom and dad — is super involved in the church. They surprise her by telling her they are going on mission work, and she comes along, only for her cheat books to be found. Not everyone understands the concept of forgiveness, and she goes back home, where she decides she wants to be a Christian, even if she won’t see Paul.

Paul spent no time mourning, as he’s already dating childhood friend Kelly (Jill Saunders), despite seeing the work that Gwyneth has done. This being a romcom, of course, they get together.

Bernsen shows up as Matt, the guy who fixes our heroine’s bike. In his shop, he’s watching The Young and the Restless, and that’s Bernsen’s late mother, Jeanne Cooper, in the scene he’s checking out.

Also, this feels like IMDBS: “Corey Feldman, who was Lacey Chabert’s spiritual advisor at the time, pleaded with her not to do this movie, and do The Lost Tree instead. She ended up doing both.” I say BS, as the The Lost Tree trivia says: “Corey Feldman, who was Lacey Chabert’s spiritual advisor at the time, pleaded with her not to do this movie, and do Christian Mingle instead. She ended up doing both.”

The Common Sense Media notes for this movie are excellent: “I only joined to rate this Christian Mingle movie. I am a 71 year old woman. I watched the entire movie only because I was waiting to see if either the young man or his mother would get their “comeupance” for their judgmental attitudes. Yes, the young Lady may have “lied” as she tried to fill the requirements that the arrogant, judgy mother had instilled in her precious boy. And the fact that he could not stand up to “Mommy”, but had no trouble telling the young lady all of her “sins”! Then he leaves his wife and baby. Some Christian. And Lacy jumps into his arms. I would not want my Grandchildren to even see this movie.”

Also: John O’Hurley’s character is dealing with baldness, so he wears a captain’s hat.

You can watch this on Tubi.

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