Love in the Maldives

Love in the Maldives_720p(480P)

source: Love in the Maldives

This is a good example of when Hallmark gets it right. Granted, the plot has been used many times before - though rarely better, and most good Hallmark films these days rely on recycled plot devices - but that doesn't matter when you have two likeable leads. Jocelyn Hudon is gorgeous and spends plenty of time in a bikini, and her real-life husband Jake Manley. She is a journalist working on her latest piece about solo travelling and he is a charming local (with frosted blonde tips, which was an interesting one) who knows the ins and outs of the Maldives, where the film is set. As often as Hudon is in a bikini, he is shirtless, so it's equal-opportunity stuff. The combination of Jocelyn Hudon and the spectacular turquoise water and white sand of the Maldives as the backdrop to this easy-to-watch - and dare I say cute - romance is an absolute winner for mine. And given the two leads are together in real life, there's no issues with chemistry, which is where it seems like one of every three or four Hallmark movies falls flat. I loved Love in the Maldives.

What's with all these travel journalists who are adverse to new-to-them adventures? Rae usually wires high adventure pieces and just can't handle the concept of relaxing. She's supposed to be an experienced travel journalist used to going on great adventures but doesn't research where she's going this time as evidence by her packing? Since she doesn't want to use the map, preferring the romance of getting lost, she doesn't even take it; that's how people become statistics in real life. Not to mention that she only packs a less than full waterproof backpack (not the greatest capacity), including her electronics and mosquito netting, and still has a different outfit with appropriate shoes for everyday. These are only a few reasons I found the character less believable than usual. I found the actress believable enough but Jake looked like a broody teenager most of the time, not someone in love with his job. Overall, Hallmark relied on location alone to carry the movie. Which it managed to do. I mean at least it was actually filmed at the title location, unlike love on glacier.

Positives: the storyline wasn't terrible (although rehashing so many parts of other Hallmark movies) and the scenery was beautiful. Negatives: acting is not great, not much chemistry between the leads, and I really wish Hallmark would eventually realize the "little details " matter. For example, they make a big production of the travel writer only having a backpack when arriving, and it has mosquito netting, flashlights, etc. But by the end of the movie, said travel writer has worn at least 8 different outfits, 4 different pairs of shoes, and has accessories as well as extra pieces of clothing. And that all fit in the backpack, huh? In another part of the story they make a big deal that these baby sea turtles are gathered and released in a group to increase chances of survival, but immediately they take just 2 by themselves and release them. Little things like this drive me crazy! It makes the writers, director, and editors look very uncaring and unprofessional.

I was excited for this movie. Set in a tropical location with an amazing resort seems like the perfect movie to make us pine for the summer and vacation season. The main girl was in love locks and baby it's cold outside, so I looked forward to this movie but was left disappointed. It started with writing a relaxing review of this magical resort (which does give off a pirates could come at any moment and kill everyone vibe) and seemed to be about finding yourself and what you want but then the whole shipwreck thing got weird. It started to becoming like the finding the pearl vibe but this adventure was starting too late in the movie to be meaningful. It wasn't needed. The movie should have stayed focused on the breathing course and the widow who was finding herself too. If she was truly respectful about the culture and people, she would not have taken a photo and accidentally send it to her editor like all the other movies revealing the secret location. Didn't the magazine pay for her to write about this resort? Not sure if anything she wrote was about that. The underwater views, amazing features of the resort, beautiful location, and it still fell flat. Also there's no way she packed all that stuff in that tiny flat bag.

7.1 stars. 'Love in the Maldives' is first and foremost about a woman named Rae (Hudon) and a man named Jared (Manley) who are young, attractive and fit, ogling each other. In the meantime they do a bit of snorkeling, walking on the beach, yoga poses, and smiling (she smiles, he does half smirks). The other half of the film centers on her desire as a magazine writer to find the most exciting adventures thereby capturing them in her stories. She loves to do any sort of adrenaline and outdoorsy activities like surfing, climbing, hiking, camping, you name it. This time she is only supposed to document her experience in a five star resort in the Maldives, as a casual tourist. The theme of the story centers on the fact that she prefers excitement, so she seeks out a good looking young man who knows of a secret sunken ship, and they set out on a quest to find it. 'Love in the Maldives' is not the most endearing, exciting, or entertaining movie, it's simply about two young adults getting acquainted at an exotic island beach resort. The romance is slow and steady, but not believable even though this film lends itself to being primarily romance driven. Something about Manly's inability to show us a more personal side of his character leaves the passion a bit cold. Secondly, the potentially mysterious sunken ship narrative is disappointing and anti-climactic. The only vindication for 'Love in the Maldives' is the amazing ocean panorama, however the location is irrelevant because this could have taken place in the Caribbean, the Philippines, or Hawaii. There is nothing peculiar in this film that sets the Maldives apart from any touristy destination (save the underwater suites and restaurants). I was touched by the very end and actually shed a tear, but it was too little too late to salvage this sunken treasure. On a positive note Hudon is jaw dropping and has amazing charm, so she is now in my top five favorite females of Hallmark. Not only does she have grace and a smile that will melt your heart, her physique is nearly unparalleled (thus all the bathing suit shots). From a realistic perspective, there are not enough Maldivian locals and too many westerners pictured in this film. Maybe this takes place at a British, American or Australian resort, but to my knowledge the Maldives is a sovereign nation of Indo-asians, and this movie has too few natives. I don't feel that 'Love in the Maldives' characterizes the culture or peoples that we would encounter at a resort there, so for lack of authenticity I am slightly disillusioned by it.

All that spent on the destination and they leave out actual scuba diving! Maldives has some of the best in the world and all we get is some shallow sand snorkeling. None of the beautiful reefs and underwater life. What a waste. Even the free diving/snorkeling is done wrong. As is the 'wreck'. At the surface 🤣 Really. Subpar acting. Hudon is a little better than Manley; not much. It's amazing these two is together for so long and now married with their absolute lack of onscreen chemistry. The story plot and ending is so replayed and predictable. Not a clue how anyone rated higher than a five. This could of been so much better.

Could not resist the pun. What attracted me to this was the location. The Maldives is on my "bucket list" and the resort was amazing. Hallmark does a great job with location shots (would love to be on the filming team!). Hallmark has a formula and this is a typical story, m I expected this and actually did enjoy the actors performances. What really bothered me was that there were no diving scenes with scuba gear, despite the one scene where tanks show. Expert Pearl Divers can only hold their breath max 7 minutes so no way they could have done that shipwreck dive or the one with the sharks- without air. That part could have easily been made more legitimate without too much effort. Have to really suspend disbelief on this one - light entertainment with beautiful location.

The scenery was the only good thing about this movie. This storyline is overplayed and definitely reminded me of another Hallmark movie about waterfalls. This storyline is overplayed and definitely reminded me of another Hallmark movie about waterfalls. I didn't see a true chemistry between the two leads. The acting was subpar. This movie was hard to get through. The movies this year on Hallmark have not been well done. I think maybe two are repeated watches. It's quite disappointing. The scenery was the only good thing about this movie. This storyline is overplayed and definitely reminded me of another Hallmark movie about waterfalls. This storyline is overplayed and definitely reminded me of another Hallmark movie about waterfalls. I didn't see a true chemistry between the two leads. The acting was subpar. This movie was hard to get through. The movies this year on Hallmark have not been well done. I think maybe two are repeated watches. It's quite disappointing.