A Splash of Love

I tried to get past how stupid the female lead character was, but I couldn't. Here was a student studying for her PhD who totally lacked common sense. I guess the writer needed a cute meet set up which I could get overlook, but the character continued to act like an idiot. I really wanted to see this movie for the location and subject matter, but making the female lead an idiot was not for me. I may fast forward through it to make it watchable or just watch a nature program.

I was really looking forward to this movie since my husband and I recently went on a whale-watching excursion during our Alaskan Cruise. Not enough Whale encounters to salvage this one! A Marine Biology PhD student "afraid" of the cold ocean water? No knowledge of how to scientifically collect water samples? During the first 10 minutes the female lead got lost using a paper map and was repeatedly doused by a motorized rubber boat doing donuts too close to shore. The male lead who ran a whale watching excursion business was "surprised" to discover whales in a certain place where they should have been anyway. The obligatory Aurora Borealis sky views at night. I agree with everyone who was irritated by the OMG teenage squealing of the female lead which continued throughout the movie. OMG is right!!!

In too many of this genre of movies, the two romantic leads end up sparring with each other until the second half of the movie. In this one, however, they display kindness and genuine fondness for each other. It was a refreshing change! I hope to see more of the same going forward because I don't think anyone watches this stuff to see couples acting like oil and water.

Some of the side shows and B-plots were rough around the edges, the science wasn't all correct, and I could see some bits irritating viewers, but overall I think this comes across as cute and charming. There was a realism to the relationship circumstances that I think many of us could relate to.

The actors of any production, regardless of type, have a script they must comply with and deliver. A-listers, like Tom Cruise or Meryl Streep, are the only actors able to demand or ask for changes to a script or location or direction in film or stage. To blame any actor for poor lines, and his/her interpretation of those lines, especially an actress who earned rave reviews in an earlier show, is "shooting the messenger," and should rather blame the WRITER and/or the DIRECTOR.

I'm a Floridian, a PhD, and a geological oceanographer. On all counts, the movie had too many errors and plot holes to even be enjoyable., and I almost always like Hallmark movies.

First, she's from Miami Central College? I understand that the writers want to use a fictional name, but in FL, a school with that name is a community college, which not only don't have PhD programs, they don't even have grad students. And if they wanted to set the original location, why not use the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, a world famous oceanography school that's part of UMiami? Do you really think that RSMAS would object to playing a part in a movie? Well, considering this one, maybe.

Next, the main character herself. My 1st thought was, "great, they're featuring an oceanography student! Good press for our field!" Then I find they have someone completely unrealistically unprepared in any way. Squealing at the ickyness of a crab (that's clearly fake, btw)? Having NO idea how to do ANYTHING in a boat, not even knowing which direction is the bow? Has she never observed her chosen subjects in the field from Miami? Plus (as another person notes) not knowing anything about orcas when she arrives there? Whining when her feet get cold?

I know this isn't a documentary and that I can't expect rigorous scientific reality from a Hallmark movie, but for crying out loud, y'all could have hired SOMEONE to prevent this from being so embarrassingly bad.