I've been to Venice so, I was really keen on watching this movie. As luck would have it, the show aired tonight. The scenery of Venice is stunning and I enjoyed the cooking romantic angle. It was fun to see the Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Square, and the Murano glass blowing, though I wish they would have shown the inside of the Doge's palace as the great hall is stunning yet intimidating with it's wall-size paintings by Titian. So I was really wanting this to be a great movie. Just like one of my other favorities: A Christmas in Rome with Lacey Chabert and Samuel Paige. But somehow I found the two leads Amy (Stephanie Leonidas) and Marcello (Raniero Monaco Di Lapio) lacking the chemistry. Their interaction seemed stiff and any conversation seemed scripted. I have to say though, I hope to see Raniero in more movies, as he is a top grade "A" hunk. Like I said, the story angle is all about cooking, and it was nice to see that whole cooking school top chef sort of thing, but Italian style. And - we even get to see the culinary creations after each lesson. I liked the effort that the production crew put in to making this part believable, though they really need to tone down the background music, which at times was a tad cheesy with its obvious nod to all things Italy, but also very loud, often drowning out the dialogue. Good music is essential but not when it becomes the "star" of the show. Of course there is always a bit of drama and the big misunderstanding (or in this case a career-driven Amy chooses her job in NY over Amore in Italia). Overall it was a nice trip down memory lane and everyone will enjoy the magic of Venice as the backdrop. I recommend it as a pretty good romantic escape.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Something's Brewing
(2023 TV Movie)
Distracted by the giant zit
22 September 2023
Ok - I'm just going to say it - when the lead has a giant zit which no amount of make-up is ever going to cover then please have the studio hire a facial specialist to pop it - it was far too distracting and made the movie unwatchable since your eye is constantly drawn to the blemish which looks like Mt. Etna ready to blow. Too bad as the movie had promise, though a bit slow in parts. I found the background music a bit loud as well, often blocking out the dialogue. I would recommend a pass on this movie - rather bland, and zero chemistry between the leads (I blame the blemish) - give it a miss.
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