Lifetime is closing out its fall slate with a new original movie starring Paula Patton and Derek Luke, and the network has just announced the full details. The film, titled Love on the Vineyard, reunites Patton with Luke, who previously shared the screen in the 2013 romantic comedy Baggage Claim. Janet Hubert rounds out the cast as Shirley Evans, a role that marks her return to television.
The movie is set against the backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, with the town of Oak Bluffs serving as a central character. Tracey E. Edmonds returns to Lifetime to executive produce the film, which celebrates one of America’s most historic Black communities.
Patton Returns to the Vineyard
Patton plays Jordan Wilson, a Washington, D.C., commercial real estate executive who comes back to Martha’s Vineyard with her teenage daughter after years away. The move forces Jordan to confront her past, including Eric Robinson, her former summer love, played by Luke.
The plot centers on a fight to save a beloved historic inn in Oak Bluffs. The property holds deep significance for the island’s Black community, and Jordan becomes involved in the effort to protect it. As she works to preserve the past, she must also navigate grief and family tensions, and the possibility of a second chance at love.
The film’s premise positions preserving history as a path to embracing the future, with Jordan discovering that saving the inn may be the key to reclaiming the love she thought she had lost forever. The property itself stands as a physical anchor of the story, and the fight to save it gives the plot its stakes.
Hubert Joins the Cast
Janet Hubert joins the cast as Shirley Evans. Hubert is known for her role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The role of Shirley Evans is not detailed in the announcement. What is known is that Hubert’s addition adds a veteran presence to the cast.
Edmonds Returns to Lifetime
Tracey E. Edmonds is returning to Lifetime to executive produce Love on the Vineyard. Her credits include Soul Food and Jumping the Broom.
The Love of a Lifetime Franchise
Love on the Vineyard is part of Lifetime’s Love of a Lifetime franchise. The movie closes out the network’s fall slate on Saturday, November 21, at 8/7c.
The Fall Slate Lineup
The fall slate closes with two previously announced films. Paradise with You, starring Taye Diggs, premieres November 7, followed by One Last Shot, starring, written, and executive produced by Tisha Campbell, premiering November 14.
Love on the Vineyard will be the anchor of the run, and its November 21 premiere date puts it in prime spot to close out the season.
The Martha’s Vineyard Backdrop
The film is set against the iconic backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, with Oak Bluffs celebrated as one of America’s most historic Black communities.
Jordan reconnects with Eric Robinson, her former summer love, and the two must navigate the fight to save the historic inn. The property holds deep significance for the island’s Black community.
What the Movie Delivers
The film is a straightforward romantic drama with a specific setting. Patton and Luke’s reunion gives the story a foundation. Hubert adds a veteran presence, and Edmonds returns to the network as executive producer.
The story is about love, history, and family. Jordan returns to the Vineyard to reconnect with Eric and find her way back to the love she thought she had lost. The inn serves as the physical anchor of the plot, and the fight to save it gives the story its stakes.
The Bottom Line
Love on the Vineyard is a solid entry in Lifetime’s romantic drama lineup. The reunion of Patton and Luke gives the film a hook, and the setting of Martha’s Vineyard adds local color.
The movie is worth watching for fans of the franchise, and it closes a fall slate that has already delivered two other romantic films. The November 21 premiere date puts it in a prime spot to close out the season.
KEY FACTS BOX
– Starring: Paula Patton, Derek Luke, Janet Hubert
– Executive producer: Tracey E. Edmonds
– Premiere date: Saturday, November 21 at 8/7c
– Previous films in the franchise: Paradise with You (Taye Diggs), One Last Shot (Tisha Campbell)
The film’s premise is simple: a woman returns to Martha’s Vineyard with her teenage daughter after years away, reconnects with her old love, and fights to save a piece of history.
“Discovering that preserving the past may be the key to embracing her future and reclaiming the love she thought she had lost forever.”
Jordan learns that the past is not something to be left behind; it is the path to her future. The inn, the town, and the people who love it are all part of that past, and saving them is saving herself.
The film closes out a fall slate that has already delivered two other romantic films. Taye Diggs and Tisha Campbell both have their own releases, and Love on the Vineyard is the anchor of the run.
Source material: “Paula Patton, Derek Luke & Janet Hubert To Star In New Lifetime Movie ‘Love On The Vineyard’ From Tracey E. Edmonds,” Deadline.
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