That's Amor

By the rating I thought it was going to be terrible. It was fine. I actually found myself quite enjoying it at times and even got a bit emotional towards the end. It followed the usual pattern of a cheesy romcom, but I've definitely seen worse. The acting was pretty decent for a movie of this type. No known names of faces to me bar the mum who I recognize from somewhere. There was also no weird over-acting or weird clumsiness of the main character like I'm used to seeing in these Hallmark type films. The chemistry between the loved up couple seemed real. Well worth the watch if you're in the mood for something cheesy, girly and a bit cringy.

Ummmm what happened Netflix? Why do you keep funding rejected Hallmark movies made by wannabe moviemakers? This was painful. Please stop making female driven love stories that are created and directed by men, this is embarrassing Netflix!

I don't remember seeing Riley Dandy in anything before but she was the best part of this movie. I loved watching her and she delivered some snappy lines with style.

Her boyfriend was obviously a piece of crap, but Sofia was, as her friend Olivia pointedly told her, letting others make decisions for her- the uncaring boss, the cheating boyfriend, and even her well intentioned mother. So one would expect a character arc where she eventually takes control of her life and ends up making a big life decision based only on what was objectively best for her (and realistic).

But not in this movie.

Matias was a nice enough character, but I didn't see him as anything other than a convenient and pleasant rebound guy that could help boost Sofia's shattered self esteem. And I HATED his hairstyle. I just wanted to grab a pair of scissors and cut off his long bangs.

The problem with movies like this is that they try turn a perfectly fine new casual relationship into an epic romance between soulmates without making that believable.

Sofia needed some time to work on Sofia before getting involved again so soon. Her career was dead in the water at 30. Not a good time to jump right from a long term bad relationship into an unrealistic and impractical one. And why was she even thinking of forgiving that first guy? Ugh. She'll never be able to unsee what she saw.

There were some nice moments, but it just didn't work for me. Aside from their annoying refusal to acknowledge that their characters have sex, Hallmark usually makes better movies than this.

IN A NUTSHELL: After her job and relationship implode on the same day, Sofia starts from scratch and meets a dashing Spanish chef who might be her missing ingredient.

The romantic comedy was directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino, and written by Ali Afshar, John Ducey, and Tiffany Dupont.

THINGS I LIKED: I had never seen Riley Dandy in anything before. She is a cute actress, although her character's personality was a bit self-centered and annoying. That's a serious problem for a romantic comedy if you don't like one of the romantic leads.

Nancy Lenehan was adorable in her role. It was great to see her in something again.

I lived in Spain for two years, so I loved that element of the story; however, some of the characters didn't actually look or sound Spanish. That was disappointing.

I had foot surgery and had to wear one of those boots for months.

I really enjoyed the cooking class scenes in the restaurant.

I was impressed with all of the secondary characters, even those who didn't have very many lines. They all seemed believable and natural. The director did a great job creating a realistic, fun environment on set.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: It's super predictable and full of rom-com cliches.

The ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend were paper thin, making it way too easy to not like them.

Isaac Gonzales Rossi's character is sweet but almost too smiley all of the time.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kissing Fighting Superficial characters

THEMES: Choices and consequences Romance Second chances Food Relationships Courage to walk away from bad relationships.

Great chemistry between the two leads. Some familiar supporting cast and others I have not seen. Typically I don't enjoy new actors but this cast was very likable and fun. Liked the story, the locations etc.

I have found it hard to find quality, interesting, fun, and entertaining television shows even with network tv and all the streaming services so finding an interesting film with good acting is a rarity these days.

Some other reviewer compared this to a Hallmark movie and must say this was a better quality film than most Hallmark fare these days This was a lot of fun to watch! Thank you all involved.