Love Under the Olive Tree

This film has a rehashed plot of the 2016 Hallmark Film "Autumn in the Vineyard". The female leads in both films are both neurotic and start off closed off in the beginning until the male lead helps them "open up". In both films the female and male leads have a "History" and are competitive. Both films had competition where the one of the leads gets the land if they win. The only difference this time around is that its olives/olive oil and not wine. The few occasional cutesy moments were not enough to redeem this film. The rehashed plots are getting more and noticeable. Hallmark films are a fun guilty pleasure but not when you can recognized a rehashed plot. "Autumn in the Vineyard" did it better. Hallmark needs to stop taking its audience for granted.

Even though this Hallmark has a relatively high rating all of the reviews seem to be very negative. So I feel like it's my duty to give it a good review. First of all yes, yes, yes, it does incorporate many many many of the hallmark cliches and stock story lines. What a shocker! Alert the media. First of all I liked the Olive Oil making plot line. It was certainly different and I enjoyed the fresh setting other than chocolate and wine. It was interesting unlike blueberries or pumpkins. The two leads had good chemistry. The family conflict and rivalry kept my interest. I liked that the grandfathers who started the feud were actually more reasonable than their offspring. It was realistic. I also loved the secondary romance of her best friend and the coffee shop owner. It was sweet. I was invested in the outcome of the olive oil Judging and wager and happy that there was a clear winner and it was the one I was rooting for.

This was an unnecessary movie that just repeats the theme of other Hallmark movies in an uninteresting way. Don't bother. The 2 leads seem ill at ease. Olive oil is not the most interesting subject.

Just like the year it was made (2020), this movie was a dud. The characters seemed very likable, but I just could not get into the story at all. I quit watching about 3/4 the way through it. Definitely not one of Hallmark's better showings.

The plot has been over-used, and the acting not very believable. Even the supporting cast left a lot to be desired. I saw no comedy or romance in this movie. Maybe some fresh new talent from the writers on down to the bit players would be able to salvage this wreck.