Romance in Hawaii

I love Kelley Jakle, but I wonder about casting an obvious blonde in a role where that would be a definite handicap for the character trying to make inroads in the midst of a community with strong cultural values that border on xenophobic at times. The movie even makes references to that by using pejorative labels for people from outside.

As if xenophobia isn't enough negativity, Leah has a competitor for promotion who plays dirty using sexism against her and a boss who plays into it. "Women have to work twice as hard to get half as far." Unfortunately, at a time when Leah should be focusing on business, she decides to concentrate a lot of effort on socializing and Hula and seems to ignore what she was sent for.

Interestingly neither of these things is the focus of the movie. There is a lot of screentime spent on Hulu dancing. This combines with the romantic plot thread, but it also shortchanges that a bit.

From the minute Leah meets the hotel events coordinator, Ikaika, and then the property owner at least part of the general outcome is predictable. This becomes apparent before the midpoint. Another theme that seems to be universal in this type of movie is that of the Evil Developers who want to destroy everything beautiful putting only buildings in their place. (Are all Developers really that stupid?) I thought there were some rough parts in getting there because not everything made sense. To explain what I mean would be spoilers and I don't want to do that.

I love to hear Jakle sing and she does one song,

This could have been good with better actors and a bit of rework of the script. As it is, it seems artificial, forced. The leads just recite the lines but I can't see any feelings from them. It's difficult to watch.

The lead actress has a lovely singing voice and beautiful eyes. Maybe she is good in something else but this role wasn't good for her.

The male lead is very good looking but a wooden actor. I can believe him as a dancer. Otherwise, he is sort of boring.

I like films with cultural elements and I would like to learn about hula but, somehow, in this film, everything sounded fake. I don't know if the hula part was realistic. I couldn't really buy the premise.

Leah (Kelley Jakle) is an up-and-coming relator who has a chance to become a partner. All she has to do is secure a property that is in foreclosure in Hawaii. The only problem is that the owners don't want to sell. To make matters worse, her coworker is also after the same property in hopes that he will be made a partner. While things on the business front aren't going well, Leah discovers Hula and falls in love with it. However, she is worried that her coworker will use her newfound hobby against her as she isn't focusing solely on work. So, she signs up for secret lessons from a charming local, Ikaika. We find out Leah was in love once before, but was hurt and is now afraid to put herself back out there. But things start to change with Ikaika. It's basically the same formula as the hallmark Christmas movie. The big city businesswoman comes to the small town and starts developing feelings for the small-town local man. However, I found this movie very charming, even if the formula is pretty predictable. The two leads have amazing chemistry, and there was never a dull moment. Also, it felt unique enough that it wasn't the same old Hallmark film you've seen a hundred times. Kelley Jakle shines as the lead. Kelley is an amazing actor and singer, and it's so refreshing to see her in a starring role. She plays Leah perfectly. You feel like she is a real person. As someone who has been in a bad relationship before, it really felt relatable that she was scared to open up to someone else again. Also, she is way too cute. Her outfits are perfect. Kelley also has an amazing voice, as she is probably better known for her singing. So, seeing her sing in this movie was special. My only criticism would be that the ending felt a little rushed. Some of the supporting cast also struggle with their lines. But I can overlook that as they don't seem to be traditional actors and are likely just local talent. All in all, it's a super cute movie for what it is and worth watching for Kelley Jakle alone!

Romance in Hawaii is a sun-soaked gem that blends breezy romance, heartfelt storytelling, and a deep respect for Hawaiian culture. The plot is light and fun, with just the right amount of drama to keep you hooked. The lead who played Ikaika stood out in each scene he was in, loved the charm that he brought to the character and scenes.

I really loved the thoughtful way this portrayed Hawaii, the filmmakers ensured cultural elements, especially hula, are presented with care and authenticity, honoring their history rather than exploiting them as mere backdrop. It's clear they did their homework, and the result is a love letter to the islands as much as it is a love story between its leads.

Beautifully shot, culturally respectful, and full of heart, Romance in Hawaii is a feel-good film perfect for fans of romantic dramas that don't sacrifice substance for scenery. A fresh favorite worth discovering.

The best thing about this movie is the background setting. Whether or not it is actually Hawaii, it is beautiful. The actors do a decent job of.pushing the story forward, though the story is predictable and not particularly realistic. The dialogue wasn't the best, but it was serviceable for this genre of movie.

The key issue I have with the movie is that they overdid it on the cultural explanations. I felt like a cult recruit receiving a sales pitch. A little goes a long way, but the writers filled nearly every scene with another explanation of Hawaiian culture. They should have spent more time on the romance. As it was, they made Hawaii the main character, which meant everything else felt undeveloped.