Love in the Maldives

This is a good example of when Hallmark gets it right. Granted, the plot has been used many times before - though rarely better, and most good Hallmark films these days rely on recycled plot devices - but that doesn't matter when you have two likeable leads. Jocelyn Hudon is gorgeous and spends plenty of time in a bikini, and her real-life husband Jake Manley. She is a journalist working on her latest piece about solo travelling and he is a charming local (with frosted blonde tips, which was an interesting one) who knows the ins and outs of the Maldives, where the film is set. As often as Hudon is in a bikini, he is shirtless, so it's equal-opportunity stuff.

The combination of Jocelyn Hudon and the spectacular turquoise water and white sand of the Maldives as the backdrop to this easy-to-watch - and dare I say cute - romance is an absolute winner for mine. And given the two leads are together in real life, there's no issues with chemistry, which is where it seems like one of every three or four Hallmark movies falls flat.

I loved Love in the Maldives.

Rae Parker (Jocelyn Hudon) is a travel writer forced to go to the Maldives on an assignment. Jared Joseph (Jake Manley) is the Experience Director trying to get his plan together. She's looking for a story especially a legendary shipwreck.

I don't know these actors. They are beautiful people, but seem more like secondary performers. She's mildly humorous and he's mildly charming. This is not really about the acting or the story. It's location, location, location. It may be shown on Hallmark, but it's more fitting on the Travel Channel. I am often looking into the background more than paying attention to the characters. It's a great looking resort although the filmmaker could make it look more epic.

I really like Jocelyn Hudon (Rae) and she's perfectly cast here in a role that requires her character to spend a lot of time in flattering swim suits. But she's not just a beautiful actress; she also convincingly conveys Rae's joy, confusion, anxiety and frustration. And she has a megawatt smile that shines bright when she's happy (that smile reminded me of Hallmark vet Ashley Williams).

Jake Manley (Jared) was a bit muted as a former med school student (really?) who looks like a California surfer. I didn't see much emotional range in his performance but he certainly looks the part of a resort diving and yoga instructor. And as the real life husband of Jocelyn Hudon, chemistry was a given.

For those of us who love Hallmark movies, but are a bit tired of nearly every one of their movies being filmed in Canada, even when set in the U. S., this gorgeous location was a very nice change of pace. The movie was actually filmed on Rangali Island, one of nearly 1,200 islands in the Maldives, which is in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It was set at the 151 room Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort, which has been voted one of the best hotels in the world and is famous for its underwater restaurant.

Rae reminded me of the travel writer (Poppy) in Emily Henry's wonderful "People We Meet on Vacation", but the movie started with a scene that seemed very unlikely:

Boss: I need you to spend a week at a luxury resort in the Maldives. The fancy suite that I want you to stay in costs $15,000 a night, and it costs more than $2,000 just to get there, but we'll pay for everything.

Rae: Nah, that's not really me.

What????

And when she gets there, she basically blows off her boss' express instructions despite being informed that her print magazine (not many of those left) was merging with another magazine and going online (a little late). Such mergers typically result in job cuts and yet Rae was initially a bit blasé about her situation.

But she bonds with another solo traveler in a place where virtually all the guests are couples. I liked that relationship, which tied in nicely to Rae's column, and her relationship with Jared was light and breezy. In real life, these unattached singles would likely have just "hooked up". I though the escalation from introduction, to like, to love, in just a week, seemed... unlikely. But that's not uncommon in Hallmark movies.

Also, these kinds of geographically challenged relationships always have me asking what Drew Barrymore once asked in "Ever After": "A fish may love a bird, but where would they live?" And I certainly wasn't sold on the marketability, viability and value of Jared's Clarity Connection program.

But there were some clever dream sequences (including a fun transition to reality) that really worked for me and the location was beautifully filmed. Especially the many underwater scenes.

Still, if there's a line that shows up in more Hallmark movies than any other it might be "I haven't seen him this happy in a long time." It's a legitimate observation, but it is just soooooooo overused.

I liked this exchange though:

Jared's friend: "He's been a bit adrift" Rae: "Like the wandering shipwreck." Jared's friend: "And just like it, Jared has a heart of gold."

As for that shipwreck, well, a blind sailor could probably have found it.

My final quibble is, in fairness, about an annoying trope that shows up in most Hallmark movies: the 4th quarter conflict that is based on a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up in 30 seconds if anyone had made the slightest effort.

But this was such a visually appealing movie (including the gorgeous Jocelyn Hudon) that I gave it a relatively high (and probably undeserved) 8 stars.

If this has been filmed in Vancouver, as usual, and without Hudon, I doubt I would have given it more than a 5.

The story was kind of booooooring. The acting was meh. Jocelyn Hudon and her real life husband, Jake Manley. Had decent chemistry on-screen chemistry. Not sure I understand his frosted hair. It was a little over the top. The 80s is calling him.

DIVING: They go "diving" - she says she's scuba certified (and I assume he is too) ... and yet, they go "diving" with no oxygen tanks - only mask and snorkel. Now ... that would be snorkeling - not scuba diving. No - they are not tankless scuba diving - they had no tube connecting them to anything. They could be "free diving" - but I doubt that's what they want us to believe since it's never mentioned.

I do appreciate that they have an older single woman traveling alone. That was a nice touch. Gave a different perspective on traveling.

All-in-all - I watched it from start to finish. It was just OK - probably will not watch again. The scenery warrants my 5 rating ... the rest of the story/acting was a 1-2.

If you're watching a hallmark movie for original content then you're going to be terribly disappointed. It's a well known joke that all the plots are pretty much the same. You can almost clock the pace of the story right down to the conflict with about 15 minutes to go. A conflict that could've been avoided with simple communication.

That said it is what it is. But I'm glad that they are branching out with the locations - we have enough snowy small towns, pumpkin patches, made up European countries with a Prince or Princess. And it's nice to see different faces and a wee bit more diversity with the supporting casts. As a long time watcher, it's been the same 10 actors for about a decade.

I'm chuckling at the comments about the frosted hair on the male lead. Seriously '90s boy bands called and want their look back.

What can I say. It's a hallmark movie. Enjoy the scenery.