A Greek Recipe for Romance

I enjoyed, this week's movie in the series, "Passport to Love".

I have never been to Greece, but have always wanted to go. This movie, with the culture, food, and beautiful scenery makes me want to go even more!

The story line is fun and engaging. There may be a few familiar elements, but it is worth the watch. The characters are believable and relatable. The story line is cute and I found myself actually watching the movie and not just having it on for background noise.

Thank you to Hallmark for sharing different cultures with the viewers in this series. This is definitely my favorite thus far!

The Passport to Love films this year have been very good - I always say that an on-location Hallmark is better than those where Canadian cities are standing in for more exotic locales - and "A Greek Recipe for Romance" is definitely not the exception to that rule.

Whilst the trope that propels this boy-meets-girl movie isn't exactly an original one, and you know exactly how it is going to end, the stunning Greek scenery and the sparkling performance by Danielle C. Ryan as American Abby, more than makes up for the bland storyline. If Ryan's effort here is anything to go by, Hallmark movies are in safe hands.

The Greek setting was lovely and more intimate than most. I enjoyed that they found Greek actors to play the roles and in particular I thought Rafael Kariotakis was well cast in the leading man role. He was handsome and engaging, exactly what you want in a romantic film.

The story is about Abby who visits her mom Jackie in Greece after being laid off from her big New York job. An opportunity arises for Abby, but she doesn't have any restaurant experience...until she is hooked up with the local Theo. Theo is has to reopen his diseased mother's restaurant in two weeks or loose his permits and location. The two initially clash, but then really start to come together for this joint cause. Unfortunately, Theo's father has other plans for him back in Athens and he isn't afraid to use a little sabotage.

I thought the leads we a lovely couple...I would have liked to feel more chemistry. I loved the more intimate Greek backdrop, and I loved the scene when Abby is walking home with the camera behind her along the cobblestones, it was lovely.

I love to armchair travel and I think fellow hallmark romantics will also enjoy it for that.

An easy story, not bad acting, food and Greece, a pink building and an antique amphiteatrum, the reconciliation father - son.

I admitt, for me , the last is one of the good points of film ( near the dance festival fragment or the surprise for Theo , visited in villa by Amy and her mom ).

No surprises, a lot of unrealism but the location ( in fact, the real main character ) just matters. If I do not know if real Danielle C. Ryan was the most inspired option for Amy, I liked, much, the work of Rafael Kariotakis and Argyris Gaganis. And, sure, the food .

In short, the so familiar romance. Nothing bad, in essence.

I don't know what it is about Hallmark movies set in Greece that always fall short. This one was a fail. The storyline didn't kill it for me, though there were odd spots. The chemistry was off between the main characters. Their snark was too much. The scenery was lovely, but I couldn't handle the horrible acting. Not everyone but her mom and his friend were tough to watch. It felt quite a bit like everyone was reading from cards. It was stiff and not enjoyable to listen to. I will say, though, that the food looked delicious and made me hungry, and the scenery was the only positive for me.

It is not a rewatch.