Love Upstream

The actors were appropriate for the characters. Very down to earth, no squeaky voices. There is another with a similar theme with Christopher Russell and Cindy Busby. City girl, wilderness. Cindy not relatable and voice is grating. The actors in this film relateable and you actually feel for them and the two friends. Great movie and I watch alot of Hallmark movies which only Christmas Waltz rated a 10 for me.

Quite an average love story. Nothing more, nothing less. Fortunately the lead actress wasn't too dolled up and after a rough start she was quite likeable. The lead actor didn't look like an outdoorsy type to me at all though (it takes a little more than a beard). Not very believable. Support cast was okay, nice scenery.

The benefit of the doubt, just because I like love stories in general: a very meager 6 out of 10.

8.0 stars.

An author is getting her own TV show and her book about relationships is going to be a bestseller. Something goes awry and it all falls apart in a very short time. Now she's left picking up the pieces. She meets a man in an elevator and she comes off as very uptight and city girl snooty, but this guy is special and down-to-earth. Even though he is turned off initially, she gets another chance (by coincidence-a Hallmark one). Eventually she ends up doing a story about him and a lake resort that he owns with two of his friends. The rest is an adventure that is original, refreshing, and entertaining. I really enjoyed the romantic aspects, because they are tangible as both leads reach down to their core to give us something real. She is flawed, yet cute and insightful. He is very deep and emotional, but really loves her. They are great together, the passion is palpable. I love this film.

'Love Upstream' (2021)

Opening thoughts: 'Love Upstream' is another film, the second in a row after 'Blueprint to the Heart', that was not watched with high expectations. Not though because of the premise as was in the case of that film, though there was little special about this one too. But as someone who has a thing for relating to characters and not caring for those with overwritten character flaws, and reading the summary sounded like the film would be an example of the latter.

Luckily 'Love Upstream' was a little better than anticipated. It is wildly uneven and the second film in a row (after the aforementioned film mentioned in the previous paragraph) to have a very rough start. Actually even rougher than that film's first quarter. Stick with it though, because in my view 'Love Upstream' did get a lot better and most of it was pretty decent while never great.

Bad things: Am going to begin with the bad things first. It does not start off very well at all, very rough actually to the point of bailing being considered. The dialogue is stilted and contrived. Even worse is that the female lead character is truly unlikeable and pretty much unrootable, due to that the film really overdoes her arrogance, her know it all attitude and how quickly and easily she loses her temper.

Didn't like how the conflict was written, that came out of nowhere and came over as ridiculous to implausibility level and over-heated. It is also at this point that after doing so well with making the female protagonist grow and learn that we go back to disliking her almost as much as in the first quarter or so. It is very formulaic, not unexpected but these were all familiar tropes with familiar (overly so later on) execution.

Good things: Kimberly-Sue Murray and Steve Lund give their all in their roles and are one hundred percent committed. Lund's character was a lot easier to like and invest in and is also more subtle, so his performance is marginally better. The supporting cast support them well, especially zesty Nadine Whiteman Roden. The chemistry between Murray and Lund is quite strong.

Did on the whole find the characters not too badly written, finding them a little above Hallmark cliches, and did warm to them. The character flaws are definitely overdone but their good points are also not downplayed and they at least grow. It looks good, particularly the scenery, and is suitably scored and sympathetically directed. As said earlier in the review, 'Love Upstream' does get a lot better, with the script being wittier, more amusing and flowing a lot more naturally and the pacing tighter and more fluid. While very flawed, the story is cohesive and is on the whole light hearted, sweet and charming.

Closing thoughts: Overall, decent and worth sticking with regardless of any temptations to turn off.

6/10.

Charlotte Meyers is a successful writer of relationship books. Her new book is about salvaging her relationship and getting engaged. She is blindsided when her boyfriend dumps her. Her whole career is put in doubt. Wilderness guide Rob Wilson is tired of his clueless city dwelling clients. They are two very different people and they get stuck together in an elevator. Despite hating him, she has an idea to rejuvenate her career and he needs the money for his father's medical bills.

The premise is fine especially for a TV romance movie. It's not anything great but at least, it's quick. It basically boils down to the two leads. They are relative nobody actors. They do have functional chemistry after a fun meet-cute. She's better than him. They're both fairly fine. She just seems more comedic or at least, she's trying harder to be comedic. More could be done with the style. It's not just about the money but imagination. This is fine.