Just Add Love

It's a shame that the film is not true to its roots so Much of it was filmed in Albanian that it marred the whole thing knowing that such a beautiful county is being used and not recognised for its stunning views. Please how can you use the UNESCO world heritage site of Berat passing it off as Tuscany However It's a good to the earth film,such a pleasure not to have to cover your ears because of offensive language it's heartwarming just like your mothers chicken soup it does exactly what expected, entertaining without shocking it's a wonderful film filmed in such a wonderful location just a shame they don't give adequate recognition to the area it's actually filmed in ALBANIAN.

I'll be brief. The location this movie was filmed is in Albania or to be precise the city of Berat. It's an UNESCO protected place. And the scene from where the guy says "I am your tour guide" is filmed in an old neighbourhood in the city of Vlora ( Valona for the italians ) which was recently renovated. Most of the trailer has scenes from Berat and the one scene i mentioned is filmed in Vlora. I can't say much about the movie itself. I say this with complete confidence because i'm albanian and from Vlora. Tuscany has a lot of beautiful places but if you can't afford to film there and film in Albania then you can't sell Albania as Tuscany. Oh forgot to mention, licence plates are Albanian too. You can search online for the italian ones. I assure you that's not Italy at all.

I think it could've been a good movie, the concept was a good idea. It starts harmlessly like any intentionally made to not offend Hallmark type shmaltz, but when the fake Italian with the totally over the top intentionally fake sounding unintentionally entirely overplayed camp went on way too long... and then didn't stop when it got a little too overdone, I had to turn it off! As an Italian America with many relatives who speak English with an Italian accent, I get the joke, but this guy was so bad at it and the joke went on way too long to the point it became offensive to my ears like finger nails on a chalk board.

source: Just Add Love

source: Just Add Love

Initially attracted to it for setting in Italy and cooking topic. And it was beautifully set in Italy, wish I could find out where, but the story was just blah. The actors were ok given that they did not have much to work with. The story lacked interest, no build up, no twist, no chemistry, nothing to draw you in and want to know more. Her character was a blah cook so how were we supposed to believe she could be successful, and why would he think he could successful in Italy too? The lead male didn't have a lead quality, not enough charisma, would be better as the leafs friend. And the female lead had no spark either. A very tally movie but with little interesting content. I would have turned it off if I had not paid for it and I did enjoy visiting Italy.

Have to give the writers credit for incorporating social media into the typical book writer storyline but the plot was just blah. It's such a beautiful setting and it could not save it. The only good actor was the uncle, the main characters were very boring. The story started off very strange. I thought the girl was Italian cause why else would she randomly say she has relatives in Italy and turns out to be just one uncle who moved there for work? No one else. No actual Italian roots? I've seen the main actress in a few movies and she's exactly the same in every single one. The girl was naive and aloof, the guy with the fake Italian accent randomly offering to help her with her cooking. He was right that without him none of her posts would have happened, but are we really to believe some "top" restaurant would offer her a chef job based on posts of table settings and trees? I'm hoping a restaurant owner would need to taste her food first? Any Instagramer can post pics of tomatoes and fish. She didn't even offer paying for the broken down car repairs as the trip was her fault. There were some random b storylines like the parents always arguing so it may have deterred the uncle from getting married? But then it turned out not to be true. And in another twist this constant arguing is why the girl learned to cook because the parents would be at peace instead of arguing when eating. The pace of the movie was very slow. Wished they showed more of Italy.

This new offering of GAF is a snooze fest from beginning to end. April, played by Laura Mitchell, is a wanna-be healthy food blogger/cook. She makes one healthy brownie recipe that is popular on social media, and we are supposed to believe this has garnered her a cook book contract with a publishing company. The trouble is, all of her other recipes are failing with the test groups, so April jets off to Italy, for some inspiration. She stays with her uncle, played by Scott Christopher, the one bright spot in the entire movie. She meets a tour guide, played by Brad Johnson, who seems much older than April. After losing the ridiculous fake Italian accent, we find out he is a chef in search of a kitchen to cook in. The plot is boring, the dialog is boring, the acting is stiff, the premise unbelievable. The two lead characters have zero chemistry, they are more like uncle and niece and just don't work as a couple. The movie is a colossal waste of time, there isn't nearly enough screen time for Scott Christopher to save this drek.

Good movie!

source: Just Add Love