Directed By: Kat Coiro
Written By: Ryan Engle
Story By: Ryan Engle & Kristin E. Engle
Cinematography: Danny Ruhlmann
Editor: Zene Baker and Troy Takaki
Cast: Halle Bailey, Rage-Jean Page, Lorenzo De Moor, Marco Calvani, Isabella Ferrari, Aziza Scott, Nia Vardalos, Desiree Popper
When a woman crashes at an empty Italian villa posing as the owner’s fiancée, she discovers an unexpected romance that could transform her life.
Sometimes a movie doesn’t need to reinvent the romantic comedy. Sometimes it just needs to be charming, pretty, and know exactly what it wants to be. This is pretty much that movie.
It’s simple, predictable, and built with the kind of sitcom logic you can see coming from a mile away. But honestly? There’s something rather pleasant about that. The movie has an easygoing charm, a picturesque setting, and a cast that makes the whole thing go down pretty smoothly. It’s not exactly epic filmmaking, but it is certainly easy on the eyes.
And then there’s Halle Bailey. It’s still a little strange seeing her play a fully grown adult character because, well… she still looks so young. There are moments when it feels almost like she’s playing dress-up as an adult. But she’s good here, and there’s an appealing warmth to her performance. Young people need love stories too, apparently. Who knew?
The movie does introduce a few details that seem as though they’re going to become important, only to eventually leave them sitting on the side of the road. I kept waiting for certain pieces of Mateo and Isabella’s history to lead somewhere, especially because their relationship feels like it has a story worth telling. Even if they’re supporting characters, a little more background would have given the movie some additional texture.
But my biggest hesitation comes from something outside the movie itself.
I’ve seen this film treated by some as though being basic, automatically makes it bad. And I’m not entirely convinced that’s fair. Plenty of romantic comedies have operated with this exact formula for years. They’re predictable, glossy, sentimental and designed to give you a pleasant couple of hours.
So why does this one sometimes seem to get judged more harshly?
I can’t help but wonder if part of it has something to do with the fact that the central love story is primarily between two Black leads. That shouldn’t make the movie more or less identifiable, and it certainly shouldn’t make its familiar formula suddenly seem inferior. If anything, it’s nice to see a Black love story allowed to simply be a love story, rather than feeling obligated to explain itself, make a political statement, or turn every moment into a joke. that’s what I appreciated here.
Yes, this film is basic. But basic isn’t necessarily a crime. Sometimes you want the cinematic equivalent of a nice vacation: beautiful scenery, attractive people, a little romance, a little sass, and absolutely no need to pack emotional baggage.
The film has a pleasant vibe, and sometimes that’s enough.
It may not stay with you forever, but we have all seen worse.
Grade: C+
