Lean into Love

Of course I had not heard about this 2023 romantic TV movie from writer Katie Kerr and director Brittany Underwood prior to stumbling upon it by random chance here in 2024. And with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to sit down and give the movie a fair chance, despite it being a romantic movie. Yeah, the romance genre is generally not a genre of movies that I watch a lot of.

Well, the storyline was actually every bit as generic and predictable as I was expecting. It was one of those sappy storylines where once you've seen one romantic movie, then you have essentially seen them all. But I am sure that there is an audience out there for these types of sappy-romantic movies. Now, I am not saying that it was a bad storyline or script, but it was rather generic. Truth be told, though, I was actually adequately entertained throughout the course of the movie.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but I will say that they had some talented actors and actresses on the cast list.

If you enjoy sappy romance movies, then you will definitely also enjoy "Lean Into Love" (aka "Love On Retreat") from director Brittany Underwood.

My rating of the movie lands on a five out of ten stars.

This movie is so so bad, that I needed 3 days to finish it. Despite the fact that it could have been a good idea for a movie, unfortunately it did not rise my expectations.

I love Jonathan Stoddard and he is the only reason that I watched it 'till the end even if it took a lot of time and energy to finish it. But the rest of the cast, so so so bad! So dull, they had nothing to offer. And the lack of chemistry between the 2 leading characters...

I don't know who the leading actress is, even if I'm watching almost all the time this kind of movies, I don't remember seeing her in anything, but unfortunately casting her was a bad inspiration. She didn't fit well in the shoes of someone who can offer beauty tips online, on social media. She wasn't believable and does not look like someone who can guide you thru a beauty routine. Sorry, but this is what I felt during the movie.

This movie was not worth the time it took to sit through the Amazon Prime Freevee ads, let alone the hour plus of movie time.

The heroine was could not play off the intensity of her character. It was akin to watching an old Lucille Ball but without Lucy's flair and strength to pull it off.

That said, it wasn't the heroine that was the real problem. Her romantic love interest character in this romantic comedy lacked both romance and comedy, not to mention character. That was the real beef, the character was not developed so as to be interesting or charming.

It was the lack of character that made watching the movie tedious because you couldn't help hoping her real hero would show his face.

I'd like my time back for this watch.

This is the third TV movie made together by Almost Never Films and Reel One Entertainment which I watched in the new 2023 season. It shares cast with "The Soulmate Search" and location and director with "Love's Playlist". Being ROE TV movie it has technical issues like notorious loud background music, but most of the movie doesn't suffer from it. I only noticed one really bad cut, too. The plot takes place in the beautiful Pinellas County in the great State of Florida, and yes it was shot there, and not in Hamilton, CA like so many other ROE TV movies.

Casting was good, but acting... This is the first time I watched Ansley Gordon. She overplayed in Act I, and together with really moronic start I already tought this is again disaster like "Love's Playlist". I checked director, and, oh look, it's Brittany Underwood, former actress who directed "Love's Playlist", too. That explains it. However, Ansley was better as the movie went, and she really pulled it of. Unfortunately in the several scenes she had really bad makeup - most notably around half of the movie.

Her partner Jonathan Stoddard was disaster on several levels, and I blame director because he was pretty good in "The Soulmate Search". Firstly, he looked ridiculous with that quasi Elvis Presley hairstyle and sideburns, and on top of that what's up with that bright pink/red lipstick in the end? Secondly, over 80% of his dialogue he finished with smile/grin! Who talks like that all the time? He looked and acted like a clown in the last scene because of it. This movie is not even a real comedy except few scenes, so why constant grin? I fully blame director Brittany Underwood.

Writting was ok except abovementioned Act I with moronic/cringe comedic laptop scene.

If "Love on Retreat" had semi-competent director, it could be easy 7* for a romance TV movie, of course.

And as every other ROE TV movie, don't watch trailer if you plan to watch the movie as it shows everything!