User reviews

I like Rhiannon Fish but Emily may be the most unlikeable Rom/Com lead ever. She is clumsy, but that can be cute. She is a total moron, arrogant, and refuses all help, much to her detriment. But when she gets really desperate, she starts manipulating Ryan. For literally half the movie Emily screws up one thing after another. Ryan is an OK guy, but Emily was so frustrating it didn't help him look good. Phoebe's parents are totally mean to Emily and even though she probably deserves it, that doesn't make the movie fun to watch.

Their search is totally hopeless despite the importance of what they lost. But since it's Hallmark, I assumed the impossible will happen, but you'll have to see.

As in many of these movies, the whole tone of events changes so quickly the viewer gets whiplash. In this case, at the half way point (with commercials) the relationship settles down and the calamities get a little less depressing. Also like most of these movies, there is a conflict based on a misunderstanding toward the end, but this one comes and goes so quickly, it might as well have been skipped.

There is some great local scenery. And I was a little surprised to find this swimming "scenery" in a Hallmark movie. Not that revealing, but more than the usual.

The midpoint recovery was enough to take this movie from avoid-at-all-costs to almost watchable.

Rhiannon Fish is a lovely actress, but she plays the seriously klutzy and awkward nurse Emily who has been asked to be the bridesmaid at her best friend's Costa Rican destination wedding. She is also tasked with heirloom wedding rings, which she promptly looses when a monkey steals her backpack. She also has to work with the grooms cousin who she thinks hates her.

This Hallmark romance has a beautiful pura vida ending with a gorgeous Costa Rican waterfall as the backdrop. It makes the film totally worth watching. As awkward as the beginning is, the end is beautiful and worth seeing for a romantic...making this a recommendation for hallmark romantics.

I thought this would be a good one, and I wasn't disappointed.

The combination of an on-location shoot - I mean, those images of Costa Rica are self-explanatory; the scenery is almost the real star of the show - two very good leads in Hallmark veteran Christopher Russell and Australia's Rhiannon Fish (herself nearing Hallmark veteran status now with a string of titles under her belt), and you have all the makings.

That said, Hallmark have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory before...but thankfully not on this occasion. "A Costa Rican Wedding" is great. Russell and Fish have great chemistry, the acting is, for the most part, good from all concerned, despite the occasional cringey moment, and the ending, as always, is satisfying. It's Hallmark, after all.

More of this couple, please, Crown Media.

Christopher Russell is one of the few Hallmark males that I find to look like a romance movie lead and generally acts credibly as such, so I was pleasantly surprised to find 2 new movies back to back with him in the lead. I thought the chemistry and physical match was better with Ashley Tinsbrough in Operation Nutcracker (also just released), but this match with Ms. Fish was not bad. The scenery was fantastic, the storyline hasn't been done before and both leads acted their scripted roles well. My 2 negatives were 1) the getting lost part seemed to last longer than necessary and despite writing in a variety of obstacles to overcome, still seemed to drag a bit. Secondly, while Ms. Fish is cute enough, her scripted character was too overdone to be fully attractive. Nonetheless, more watchable than a lot of what Hallmark cranks off the assembly line.

7.5 stars.

This film had a lot of promise, however, some of it just didn't come together perfectly for me. Something about the jungle adventure, and getting lost and then going back and the wedding party and the slight mystery were all really great ideas, but somehow the finished product was just a bit underwhelming.

I think I had too high of expectations going in. Look at the leads. The lead female is one of my favorites of Hallmark movies. She has a personality unlike anyone else, and she never fails to entertain. I love her to pieces.

But this movie did not in any way embellish her wonderful personality. She is a handful, clumsy, stubborn, incorrigible, inept. Only she could portray such an annoying person and still be semi-lovable.

And the lead male, he was something. Not sure what to think, but something wasn't completely right about his character. This movie had a ton of potential, but didn't totally measure up. But I love her so much, I'll treat myself to rewatching it in a few years, just to see her and for no other reason.

This movie was difficult for me to watch because the lead character, Emily is an absolute dunce to the point where I couldn't stand it any longer. It wasn't funny or cute..it was Flat out ridiculous and asinine. I could understand making a character a little ditzy or whatever but this, it's way too much. It completely takes away from movie as a whole. It's a shame because it is filmed in a beautiful location and the movie does have the premise to be decent. This characters stupidity ruins the movie for the other characters and actors. The family members of the bride seem like condescending weirdos (granted Emily is a moron, but still). I couldn't finish this just because of the sheer amount of stupidity, cluelessness, and flat out annoyingness of Emily.

"A Costa Rican Wedding" is an endearing romantic comedy that offers a delightful mix of beautiful scenery and an engaging, light-hearted storyline. The film stars Rhiannon Fish and Christopher Russell, who bring a genuine and warm chemistry to their roles, making the romance both believable and enjoyable to watch. Fish's character, Emily, a clumsy and sometimes ditsy bridesmaid, finds herself in a series of amusing misadventures, managing to lose just about everything. Even the bride's mother, played by the wonderfully funny Maureen Kedes, can't help but be skeptical of Emily's antics, adding an extra layer of comedy to the film. Kedes' performance stands out as she effortlessly balances humor with a touch of warmth, making her character both relatable and memorable. Overall, "A Costa Rican Wedding" is a fun, easy-to-watch movie that provides plenty of laughs and a feel-good experience for anyone looking to escape into a charming romantic comedy.

Emily (Rhiannon Fish) is in Costa Rica as the maid of honor for the wedding of her lifelong best friend Phoebe who is always willing to cover for her mistakes. She's been cyber-stalking her ex. She also hates the groom's best man Ryan (Christopher Russell) for some reason. It doesn't help that the bumbling Emily keeps making mistakes and white knight Ryan keeps coming to the rescue. The final straw is her losing the wedding bands to a monkey and the duo has to follow it into the jungle.

Sure, I'm grading on a curve. This is above average Hallmark. Despite the lesser named actors, they do fine work. Both leads try their comedic best and it's marginally humorous. At least, it's somewhat cute. The conflict needs to be defined before their first scene. They should drop Shane and insert some flashbacks of Ryan getting on Emily's nerves. Those could be funny if done right. It's also good to get into the jungle with real monkeys. It's a cute adventure. They need to be in the jungle until they find the rings. Then they can rush to the wedding and save it as a couple of muddy messes.

My wife wanted a romantic movie night. I'm not one for that kind of stuff. But, to keep the peace, I agreed. I have to say the movie was visually stunning. I'm literally looking at booking a family trip to Costa Rica now. It was so lush and clean and it just felt like an escape to a tropical paradise. And the women in the film were all beautiful, even the mom of the bride, played by Maureen Kedes, they dressed her kind of mom-like-dorky, but you could tell she was hot. The lead guy and the girl, Chris Russell and Rhiannon Fish were like Barbie and Ken. Just sort of hopelessly perfect and the acting was realistic. Granted, some of the situations and lines were beyond DORKY, it kind of added to the humor. I did a spit take on my beer at some of the dialogue from all the characters. So, even though I was laughing at it, I was laughing with it -so I was thoroughly entertained. I felt like the writer must have intended that...like they knew it was goofy but wrote it anyway. I thought the real winner of the movie was the supporting cast, the wedding party. Really would have liked to see more from all of them! The two dads, John Bridell and Gregory Mitchell were great and I really got a kick out of that sarcastic, nasty, bitchy - but simultaneously, lovely mom...she was so funny. Kinda reminded me of someone who was sitting next to me watching the movie!

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood to watch something so silly, predictable and annoying. But this was pretty awful. Most of it was just cringy. I have to clarify that I truly enjoy Christopher Russell and Rhiannon Fish. And the rest of the cast were decent. So that leaves us with the writing or the directing. Both of these people seem to have quite a few credits behind them, but.....the overall movie was just.so.silly.....and annoying to the extreme. Okay, ya lost one phone. But TWO of them?

In less than a few hours? Really? The comedic aspect was just too overdone. There were a couple of somewhat likeable cast members, but the maid of honor and bride's parents were not among them. There have been some really enjoyable Hallmark movies with a lot of humor. This is not one of them.

The scenery was beautiful and refreshing but couldn't make up for the vehicle itself.

A clumsy maid of honor Emily (Rhiannon Fish) creates a catastrophe when she loses the heirloom wedding rings she was safe guarding for her best friends wedding. She goes on a quest and gets help from the ruggedly handsome groom's cousin, who she's not particularly fond of Ryan (Christopher Russell). Their quest takes them thru the Costa Rican jungle and some comical mishaps along the way. Of course it wouldn't be a Hallmark movie without seeing the chemistry start to unfold. What I didn't care for was "the usual misunderstanding" and how the "big catastrophe" was TOO EASILY swept away with a couple of totally unbelievable simple script solutions which turned this movie from something special into something lame! Hallmark you came oh so close to having a REAL THEATRE WORTHY MOVIE on your hands, but you slightly missed the mark with that "solution" Fish and Russell were a delight and perfectly cast!!!!

The most annoying movie I have seen. I couldn't even finish it. The woman is SO annoying! She is stubborn, truly stupid, unrealistic, a liar and hardheaded, and not endearing at all. Don't waste your time! The only reason I watched about half of it was the views of Costa Rica, although I suspect they are probably selected for maximum impact on people that never travels. The lead actor was the only good thing in the movie and it was hard to see the lack of chemistry between them. I wanted to see the guy abandon her in the jungle for ever. It was definitely not funny because of how bad the atory and dialogues are.

OK. I admit, it's a bit campy, goofy, cheesy...but c'mon, it's a Hallmark movie! And it's a really, really good Hallmark movie because for once, we see all the actors getting dirty or sweaty, and in some cases, dirty and sweaty!!! Hats off to these actors pulling realism from dorky situations and even more dialogue that's...well...kinda fake. I mean, I actually tried imagining some famous film star trying to say those lines, and I don't think they could be done any better. Really loved the bride. She was so pretty. The two leads were obviously gorgeous and adorable together. Really good chemistry. I was surprised to see Hallmark allow a real French kiss with tongue! The mom was so perfectly annoying and gave those mean digs but you really felt that she loved her daughter. The other men, the groom and the two dad dudes were perfectly cast. I loved the cinematography. Was beautiful and I thought the editing was really nice...fast paced and whimsical. So put away your snobby Oscar movie hat and sit down for a family fun silly romp of a movie that has stunning scenery.

Really wanted to like this, but at the half way mark, I'm not sure that I can make it through even with fast forwarding through the commercials. The character Emily (Rhiannon Fish) is so far unredeemable, arrogant and downright unlikeable. Not quite sure how they think it's plausible that she could be a nurse. The scenery is absolutely beautiful. Ryan (Christopher Russell) is as always wonderful. A good actor who is also easy on the eyes. The mother of the bride didn't help matters, hopefully by the end Phoebe will be able to stand up to her mom and actually have the wedding that she wants and deserves. By the way, the whole stalking the ex thing was really creepy.

I love that new movies are released on Hallmark Movies NOW before the network. I adored these actors and was excited that they were in a film together. Rhiannon Fish's character, Emily, was a bit deshelled and sometimes annoying, especially with Christopher Russell's character. Their chemistry was there, and it improved as the movie went on. On the other hand, the bride's mother, I wanted to tell her to shut up numerous times. I wish the bride had done it, but I understand that type of personality.

The scenery in the movie was breathtaking, and now I know where I want to go on my next vacation. Overall, the movie was great and a definite rewatch.

The two leads are adorable. But aren't they always? I loved this movie because two things made it cool. The scenery was like a love letter to Costa Rica. I just wanted to swing from a vine and jump in the water! And the supporting cast were so adorable and seemed so real. They really made the movie. I wanted more from all of them. The bride was so pretty and vulnerable. The two dads were hilarious and so spot on. Exactly the hands-off typical dads. The groom was super handsome and charming. His acting was so natural. The mom of the bride was that judgy mom we all love to hate. She pulled off some cringy lines because her acting was so believable...she reminded me of my Aunt Edith, (may she rest in peace)...but at the same time you could tell she loved her daughter. I also loved the ex boyfriend (hilarious) and the co worker of Emily. Kick back and enjoy this sweet film.

Terrible humans in paradise. Perpetual whining, manipulation, putting the lives of others in danger so you can get more BFF time with the bridesmaid. Just a taste of the delights of this movie! None of these people are going to end up happy...

Now, put those characters into the most ridiculous plot and you get A Costa Rica wedding! Don't try to make sense of the plot holes like, we are desperately late to a wedding, oh wait, a waterfall, never mind the wedding, let's take a swim!

What's good? Cute monkeys. Beautiful Costa Rica. The incredible vacation home. The male lead isn't a terrible human.

This is such a cute and funny love story. There's so much chemistry between the leads. The sights of Costa Rica are beautiful. It's the perfect summer movie to just relax and unwind at home while enjoying the great scenery of a Central American country and seeing this two very talented actors finally working together. Christopher is just too sweet for any movie and Rhiannon is just the most fun actress. The great lengths that Emily is willing to go to make her best friend happy and her adventure with a handsome and kind Ryan with whom she thought she couldn't get along is inspiring and heartwarming.

As others have said Rhiannon Fish is lovely and has done several enjoyable Hallmark movies. But her character in this movie is wholly unlikable. I couldn't even get through this movie. She was not only absent minded and clumsy which can work as funny, cute character personality traits in these movies. But Emily goes way past that to mean, rude, controlling, and just plain stupid. Oh the eye rolls. She gives you no reason to even root for her. I'm guessing Ryan found these monkeys and got the rings back because I couldn't finish. And Emily was too big a moron to solve the problem herself. Most of the other characters were likeable including the male lead. The setting was fun and beautiful. The story could have been fun. But I couldn't watch her roll her eyes anymore.

Just when I think the Hallmark movies can't get any stupider, a new one pops up to prove me wrong.

The heroine, a nurse, is so devoted to her dear friend's upcoming tropical nuptials that she becomes unhinged when a monkey steals her precious backpack which contains not only a cell phone but the bride and groom's rings, causing our girl to plunge into the steamy rain forest to identify the monkey. She manages to wrangle a Costa Rica tour guide (who is afraid of heights) into joining her. She reaches down for a stick and a viper nearly attacks her. Later on a giant black spider sits on her shoulder.

They had a map but a group of monkeys stole it as well. Seems she won't make it back to the lodge in time for her friend's wedding. After a series of typical Hallmark incidents, the pair finally return to the lodge where our heroine learns the ceremony has been cancelled for a variety of silly reasons. Plus, there is no minister. Complications ensue.

I'm not sure if it was the gorgeous scenery, the writing, or the committed acting but this was refreshingly different than most "hallmark" movies of this genre. I would definitely recommend watching it. The character Sue actually made the "strict mother" trope feel unique and just hers which really impressed me and was so fun to watch! A line that would usually have me rolling my eyes just made me lean in or laugh this time because it felt so authentic. And her dynamic with Phoebe was hilarious. Perfect balance of comedy and romance. Sometimes, I will zone-out watching movies (especially rom-coms) and this one had me laughing and locked in the whole time. Only knocking one star because it felt a bit long at points! Otherwise, go watch it!!

The scenery is gorgeous, the acting was great and the chemistry between the two actors was off the charts. I could not imagine anyone better to have played this characters. Rhiannon is always funny and guarantees a good movie. Christopher is the best costar and sidekick. This is like the fourth time that he has played a tour guide in a movie. But that's okay I'll book a tour with him any day of the week. A truly well developed romance with characters that are relatable and a story that feels like a breath of fresh air. This two actors need to make another movie together they are fire on the screen.