You Had Me at Aloha

There is a Hallmark series that I watch and the two leads here are in that program. I guess it wasn't a surprise that the chemistry and ease of acting together was superb. So often I will watch a Hallmark movie that has at least one character that seems to have just been dropped right into the cast without a lot of acting experience. It becomes very distracting. I guess the main thing I enjoyed about this movie was that I could just watch it from beginning to end and believe it! Throughout, there were a lot of comic elements in the script, and that's what made it a very enjoyable romcom as well. I highly recommend it for a low stress, fun watch!

First things first: This production deserves credit for navigating the COVID crisis, especially under the very restrictive mandates in Honolulu. Attentive viewers will notice the preponderance of outdoor shots--which is perfect for a film that wants to capitalize on the beauty of Hawaii---and the emphasis on spacing and small groups.

Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith are a staple on Hallmark. Here they play Paige and Ben, co-hosts of a destination travel show, who come to Oahu to create an episode. Like oil and vinegar at first, they grapple with the incompatibility of their styles. Paige likes things scripted and under control; Ben prefers the ad lib and impromptu adventures.

As a travelogue for Oahu, the film does a satisfactory job. As a romance, it successfully leans on the comedic chops of its stars, who have a practiced and warm congeniality. They were heavily involved in the design and production of this film.

As other viewers have commented, some haircuts are noticeably patchy, but that minor detail is more than compensated for by the aforementioned extra effort required to make this film during civil restrictions and travel limitations.

There's a simple way to tell if you'll like this movie, and that's how much you like Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith together.

True the plot is inconsequential - it's predictable. It's an excuse to put these two people on the same screen. I didn't see the twist coming, but I should have because the plot is almost the same as another movie that I can't remember the title. (If I describe it, it's too close to spoilers even if it is predictable.)

The point is that Hutton and Smith have worked together for years and the chemistry and ease of their real relationship is obvious.

That's not to say these characters are anything like those on When Calls the Heart because they aren't. In fact the two actors almost switch personalities. (It makes me wonder if someone said to Smith - see how close you can imitate Rosemary and maybe likewise to Hutton as Lee.)

I enjoyed it. There are only so many new plots that fit Saturday night on Hallmark Channel. I do love it when there is something fresh, but barring that, I look for the relationships and this pair came through again.

Love these two together. Fun story. Great scenery.

Watching romantic comedy is for me an escape, a way to forget the ugliness of our world today. Contrary to popular belief, this is one of the most difficult genres of movies to make. Unfortunately, lately, few movies succeed in meeting the challenge of creating the magic of feeling in love and making people laugh. The majority of Hallmark movies increasingly look like superficial products where the main thing is to please the majority of viewers; even the cast of the main actors is terrible: they often have no chemistry. However, I was pleasantly surprised first by the secondary actors who are usually simple extras who add nothing to the story. Then the main actors are really good together, the story is told well and some moments are funny and some are really romantic. I really enjoyed the movie.