A Machu Picchu Proposal

Wow, reading some of these reviews... I totally understand not every creative effort is for every person, every taste, every time. But I'm a pretty big movie fan and very open-minded to different genres, styles and contexts. That said, I don't always gravitate toward Hallmark movies but I really enjoyed this one! I was home with a cold and happened to catch it on TV, and I was pleasantly surprised at how sweet, wholesome, and light-hearted it was. A romance movie I could easily watch with my grandparents and not feel embarrassed. I also loved that it was beautifully (and respectfully) filmed in Peru, and included Peruvian actors. I am particularly excited to see what chef Carlos does next!

Katie (Rhiannon Fish) reluctantly agrees to join her fraternal twin brother Dan and his girlfriend Luciana on a trip to Peru. He promises that she won't be the third wheel. They have brought Luci's friend Chef Carlos (Alec Santos). Dan is actually planning to propose and Katie promises to help. He keeps getting sidetracked.

This Hallmark movie has great locations. My only problem with the locations is that they don't really show them traveling. The characters seem to be walking to all these places. There is a good long hike to get to Machu Picchu. That's a missed opportunity for the first act. Dan could be really struggling on the hike and when he tries to propose, he could pass out. Well, that's my big joke pitch. Katie should probably spend more time alone with Carlos for the romance. It has great background anyways.

I didn't think a movie could be bad enough to spur me to write my first review but here we are.

To echo the sentiments of other reviewers, I used to enjoy Rhiannon Fish in almost anything but lately she seems to be just 'mailing it in', and the utter lack of chemistry between her and Santos in this one is astounding.

Part of Rhiannon's charm has always been her youthful nature and bubbly effervescence but here it falls flat because Santos seems intent on outdoing her exuberance in what is supposed to pass for spontaneity, or so the writers would have you believe.

Not even the breathtaking scenery or vibrant beauty of Peru on display in the market scenes can save this from being a real stinker.

Do better Hallmark.

Where do I even begin with this cinematic dumpster fire? This movie was the equivalent of stepping on a LEGO barefoot in the middle of the night, unexpected, painful, and full of regret. I genuinely don't understand how this mess got greenlit, let alone made it all the way to air. Somewhere out there, a script supervisor is laughing or crying.

Now, let me be clear: when I write a critical review, I make a point to watch the entire movie. That's right, I suffered through every cringeworthy minute of this poorly-scripted, chemistry-free catastrophe. And yes, it was absolute torture. I typically enjoy Rhiannon Fish-she's done some solid work-but lately, she's been handed scripts that feel like AI wrote them after a power outage. Costa Rican Wedding and Polar Opposites were already on shaky ground, but this? This one slid right into the abyss.

There was zero chemistry between Carlos and Katie.

None.

Nada.

Watching them attempt romance was like watching two coworkers forced to slow dance at a company holiday party under fluorescent lights. And then there's Katie's brother, Dan-flaky, erratic, and somehow both over-acted and underwritten at the same time. I found him more exhausting than endearing, and that last-minute sibling spat? Laughable. Not in the "ha-ha" way, but more in the "how did this get past the editing room?" way.

The storyline was painfully bad. I kept waiting for a twist, a spark, anything to save it from the pit of cliché mediocrity, but nope. Just more forced dialogue and plot holes big enough to drive a snowplow through. Yes, the scenery was lovely, but you know what else has great scenery? A postcard. And that doesn't waste 90 minutes of my life.

Honestly, Hallmark, you can do better. You have done better. Just last week, you gave us Villa Amore-a total gem. I've watched it three times already, and it keeps getting better. So, how did we go from gourmet to gas station sushi in seven days?

Final verdict: One star, and that's being generous. Please, for the love of all things cozy and romantic, stop recycling the same tired storylines and phoned-in dialogue. The audience deserves more than a pretty backdrop and a script that feels like it was written during a lunch break.

This movie was horrible. The plot and the actors were extremely dry. It was so bad even the location couldn't save it. The characters lacked chemistry. The person who greenlit this project must be related to the writer. This movie was not a good representation of hallmark movies. This belonged on Tubi or at your local high school theater. I am not sure if different actors could have saved this movie. I also didn't like Rhiannon Fish or the plot in Polar Opposites. I am not sure if the same writer wrote both movies. I know hallmark movies are not in the same league as movies you see in theaters, but this was a major letdown.