A Costa Rican Wedding

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.

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.

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!!!!

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.

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.