Groundswell

source: Groundswell

It's a beginning. First HM movie filmed in Hawaii that featured snippets of the real Hawaii, not just beautiful scenery, but especially with contemporary music, clothing, jewelry and yes, the food. We all came to Hawaii from distant lands, my ancestors included, and it was nice to see the Puerto Ricans honored. Lacey Chabert and Ector Rivera were convincing in their roles as rejected chef/girlfriend and surfer who lost his wife. Singer Anuhea and chef Lee Ann Wong were a real treat, as well as Katie Lee who authored the book, Groundswell. And just for the record, most female surfers don't wear just swimsuits for surfing! Maybe we'll hear pidgin English in the next one. I'm watching this again, as one can miss so much with only one viewing.

I have to agree with other reviewers. This had potential and didn't quite get there. This had the same plot as the Christmas movie, The Sweetest Thing, where Lacey competes in the gingerbread contest. Hallmark continues to disappoint with recycled stories. I also agree that it was strange she was never in a swimsuit or wetsuit on camera - when she's supposed to be learning to surf in Hawaii. That was the central storyline. The movie was very slow, even the competition was predictable. I like Lacey and Ektor, just not together. Their scenes were awkward, and when he tells her about his past love interest who died, he didn't seem invested in the story himself, so was hard to feel the drama and the loss. This one was a recycled storyline and unoriginal. Lacey is one of my favorites, so this was disappointing.

30 minutes into this movie and I was BORED!!! It was your typical Hallmark movie that has been done a 1,000 times over. An underappreciated chef who breaks up with her boyfriend who is a chef and her boss, and flees to family in Hawaii. She meets a surfer and a chef - surprise! The chemistry isn't there. It's just a dull film. The Hawaiian scenery is beautiful. This movie is based off a book written by Katie Lee Biegel. If her friend didn't have the producing rights I don't think this book would have been made into a movie. I guess it's all who you know. This is one movie that you can pass on.

The movie has a typical Hallmark plot about a woman whose boyfriend takes her for granted with the added complication that he also takes credit for her work. They've used this plot device on an almost yearly basis. But I was interested in watching it because of the setting in Hawaii. I really wanted to love this movie but it was somewhat of a miss. I always enjoy Lacey Chabert but, as attractive as they are individually, the two leads had no chemistry. Her ex boyfriend looked old enough to be her father. The dishes she prepared with the other chef didn't look or sound appetizing at all and they didn't have a plausible explanation for the ex-boyfriends presence at a contest that he's not judging. He just stood around with mostly nothing to do. I kept wishing it was another episode of Hawaii Five-0 because that cast had real chemistry. The settings were gorgeous and I really enjoyed the aunts character but it's just not enough to watch a second time.

When the most suspenseful aspect of the movie is when Lacey is going to put on a swimsuit, you know you're in trouble. I mean there's Hawaii, and a beach, and an ocean. There is a very fit guy as a love interest with many abs and everything. So of course he's in a swimsuit. He's giving her surfing lessons. They are in the ocean together throughout the movie. But I guess if Lacey Chabert doesn't want to wear a swimsuit (not expecting a bikini here) she doesn't wear a swimsuit! You can tell it was an issue because it looks so odd that they have to make a joke about it at the beginning. Other than Lacey's strange swimwear, and the nice scenery there is not much to see here. She dumps her "boyfriend" because he is a user and disrespects her and flees to Hawaii to be with her Aunt June. And I don't blame her! Aunt June has a house right on the beach and must have cost a billion dollars. By the end, she gets the hot guy, learns to surf, wins a contest, and gets her own restaurant. But (spoiler alert) she never puts on a swimsuit.

I love Lacey Chabert Hallmark movies. She brings a pure and true feeling to each of her characters. And this movie she is at her best. And she has a beautiful Hawaii glow that makes her look even more beautiful. The main characters have a strong chemistry that shows through out the movie. I hate when you can tell that the actors are awkward around each other and this is not the case here. Yes, the storyline is a little overdone. But who cares they pull it off nicely. And Hawaii as a background is beautiful to look at. It makes me what to go back. And I love that surf lessons are part of how they fall in love.

Tired of the same thing over and over with Hallmark movies? We are! Why go to Hawaii and not fall in love with the Polynesian culture? So many beautiful people and heritage on the Hawaiian islands, food fusions that are amazing. No, Hallmark has their best actress hook up with a rude instructor that doesn't fit the hang loose style of Hawaii. Why take the time and money to shoot in Hawaii and ignore the beauty of the surroundings and culture of the islands! A chef should love to learn about local foods and the culture and people that makes the Hawaiian islands unique. Lacy Chebert should switch to GAC.

Lots of food eye candy and flavor combinations in this tropical Hallmark romance between a chef and a professional surfer. Lacey Chabert plays Emma, a professional chef whose famous "bachelor" chef boyfriend keeps taking credit for her work. Emma quits from his restaurant and his life and goes to visit her aunt in Hawaii to regroup and figure out what she wants to do next. There she meets Ben a professional surfer who after the loss of his wife has stopped doing things that bring him joy (like surfing) and his brother a restaurant owner and professional chef specializing in Puerto Rican cuisine. Emma getting surf lessons from Ben and entering an island cooking contest with his brother. Surprise! Her ex-boyfriend shows up as the celebrity chef consultant for the cooking contest. This romance was a little predictable, but it was set in a lush local and did give a little history lesson on the Puerto Rican population in Hawaii. My favorite part was Ben's backstory with his wife being his pen pal first and that after they married they still wrote letters and hid them for one another to find. (Sweet, romantic and really a lost art!) I didn't hate it and if you are looking for a "find yourself" romance Hallmark style...this could be the film for you.

Even though the reviews were bad, I really wanted to like this movie. Who doesn't like a Lacey Chabert movie? So I spent two hours today, minus commercials watching this movie. The positive - beautiful scenery. Otherwise, the movie was slow, it lacked much of a storyline, the acting was bad, and I didn't really care about the characters. The whole surfing theme was a stretch. Then then the Lacey character just happens to find a cooking contest gig. The story had a little twist with Lacey's jerk ex showing up in Hawaii to be a mentor for a cooking contest. Overall, not a good movie. Fortunately I had cross stitch to keep me occupied.