L'anello perfetto - Love Upstream

8.0 stars.

An author is getting her own TV show and her book about relationships is going to be a bestseller. Something goes awry and it all falls apart in a very short time. Now she's left picking up the pieces. She meets a man in an elevator and she comes off as very uptight and city girl snooty, but this guy is special and down-to-earth. Even though he is turned off initially, she gets another chance (by coincidence-a Hallmark one). Eventually she ends up doing a story about him and a lake resort that he owns with two of his friends. The rest is an adventure that is original, refreshing, and entertaining. I really enjoyed the romantic aspects, because they are tangible as both leads reach down to their core to give us something real. She is flawed, yet cute and insightful. He is very deep and emotional, but really loves her. They are great together, the passion is palpable. I love this film.

Charlotte Meyers is a successful writer of relationship books. Her new book is about salvaging her relationship and getting engaged. She is blindsided when her boyfriend dumps her. Her whole career is put in doubt. Wilderness guide Rob Wilson is tired of his clueless city dwelling clients. They are two very different people and they get stuck together in an elevator. Despite hating him, she has an idea to rejuvenate her career and he needs the money for his father's medical bills.

The premise is fine especially for a TV romance movie. It's not anything great but at least, it's quick. It basically boils down to the two leads. They are relative nobody actors. They do have functional chemistry after a fun meet-cute. She's better than him. They're both fairly fine. She just seems more comedic or at least, she's trying harder to be comedic. More could be done with the style. It's not just about the money but imagination. This is fine.

This is pretty typical but it was also cute. Enjoyed it very much. Was pretty funny in some parts and thst was unexpected.

Start with the unoriginal failed-relationship-author premise. Add a totally unlikeable, make that hateable, woman. She's an arrogant,, self-absorbed, know-it-all who can't see the plain reality around her. Then she throws a tantrum stuck in an elevator and tops that off insulting the guy who keeps his cool to get them out. What a great start, but stick with it. It gets slightly better.

He's a little self-absorbed and arrogant himself, but much more quiet about it although he throws an insult or two at her. And a lot of secondary characters are pretty unlikeable.

Of course the two leads' ugly personalities don't last and they change completely. Trouble is, it's hard to believe a person like Charlotte can really change that much.

The middle is mostly about Charlotte being coached in the Wilderness. Sounds like a great opportunity of some breathtaking scenery. Nope. Most of the Wilderness stuff is shot either in the same spot on a lake, or the same clearing in the woods. You don't even get much look at what she can see off the deck of her cabin.

The conflict was predictable, although it has some twists too. Trouble is the twists are ridiculous and the way the conflict blows up is ridiculous too. No one is as stupid as what Charlotte does to make everything go bad.

Kimberly-Sue Murray and Steve Lund have chemistry. The acting is spotty. At times it seems half hearted, or like the actors are uncertain. The story is clumsy especially when it goes off the rails with the silly plot lines. That's not referring to a couple of funny moments which depend a little on the ridiculous like when Rob meets Charlotte's ex, or when he's teaching her to start a fire.

Technical point - a J-stroke does not mean constantly switching sides.

This movie is actually worth watching, probably because it wasn't actually produced by Hallmark. Good acting. Nice witty dialog. Yeah the plot is not original like most of these movies, but the good acting / directing / writing make it very watchable as a romcom.

Of particular note is the male lead actor (Canadian) who can actually act, unlike many of the male actors in this type of movie. In fact the chemistry between the male and female lead is also very good. They do a great job playing off each other.

As what I call a "Hallmarkish" movie this is a cut above most of them.