Love on Iceland

Enjoyed Patti Murin & several lines relating to Disney and FROZEN. That was clever. Interesting that she and her real life husband were both in this film. It wasn't the best as these are so predictable. But it was sweet and a less obnoxious way to pass time than some of the crap other shows try to make us feel is normal. We need the happily ever after!

Very meh.

'Love on Iceland' is mostly what you'd expect from a television film, though does manage to mix things up ever so slightly by taking events over to Iceland - kudos for actually filming there, by the way.

The premise is plain and entirely predictable, though a lot of the camera work is solid - including a decent amount of drone footage - even if a few shots did amusingly feel like Eurovision postcards.

Cast-wise it's basic. Kaitlin Doubleday (Chloe) and Colin Donnell (Charlie) are average, neither terrible nor great. I actually think they missed a trick, Preston Sadleir (Kenneth) and Kate Easton (Erin) seemingly had way more chemistry together - of course difficult to tell if they are lead worthy, but I had more interest in their romance than Chloe and Charlie's.

The Icelandic surroundings help raise the film up, but it's still a draggy watch. 2½*.

The story is nothing special and the chemistry between the leads is weak. But the locations are beautiful, rescuing what would otherwise be a well below-average Hallmark movie.

One elephant in the closet is never mentioned, the shortness of winter days in Iceland. If it's supposed to be January (it's winter but the actual month is never mentioned) in southern Iceland (where all the locations are), there would only be 4.5 hours of daylight at the beginning of the month and 7 at the end. (The days would be even shorter in northern Iceland.) They spend far too much time doing daytime activities outdoors for the time of year.

Take the story outline of 100, no 1000, no even more than that, other Hallmark movies and flip around some details and set it in a most beautiful winter wonderland. I can't emphasize enough how overused the general story line is, from start to end.

As I've said before, when the story is not a factor, at least not a positive one, then look to the relationship building. Meh. Doubleday and Donell were OK together, but not that great either. There was a secondary romance which piqued a little interest but it was definitely secondary. The acting was OK also.

In this movie, it was the places they went featuring great scenery and some background and history behind those places.

It is very, very rare to write I like it ! About a Hallmark film. But this film deserves that. Not for ingredients , basic ones, but for...the spices. First, the location. Second - the dialogues about love stories as contain of the podcasts. Not the last, the love story between Icelandic guide and the shy American lady. And the cover/ illustrations of Norse legends and Myths. Sure, the predictability is the basic trait. But it is a charming film and that just matters.