The first instalment in the series left so much to be desired (between lack of chemistry, a slow, boring plot and a male lead so absolutely clueless it was hard to understand how he dressed himself in the morning...) so I was hesitant to watch the sequel. I'm a huge fan of Autumn Reeser and am also Italian living in Italy so I wanted to see what this movie had to offer.
I was pleasantly surprised by everything about this movie! The plot was pleasant and engaging (rare in the current Hallmark repertoire) but it was the (mostly) correct use of Italian that really sold me on it. The accents aren't horrendously fake like in some past hallmark movies, the male lead is a Belgian born Italian and the grammar and sayings are spot on! This was a huge step up from the usual disasters that ensue when low-budget (and even high budget, in some cases) movies try to tap into a different culture.
Not only did the story have some meat but the characters all had good chemistry. I felt like they really tried to stay true to a lot of Italian customs and beliefs and made good use of both the location and the language to enrich and further the plot.
A+ - the first in a long time for Hallmark.
I was pleasantly surprised by everything about this movie! The plot was pleasant and engaging (rare in the current Hallmark repertoire) but it was the (mostly) correct use of Italian that really sold me on it. The accents aren't horrendously fake like in some past hallmark movies, the male lead is a Belgian born Italian and the grammar and sayings are spot on! This was a huge step up from the usual disasters that ensue when low-budget (and even high budget, in some cases) movies try to tap into a different culture.
Not only did the story have some meat but the characters all had good chemistry. I felt like they really tried to stay true to a lot of Italian customs and beliefs and made good use of both the location and the language to enrich and further the plot.
A+ - the first in a long time for Hallmark.