Love in the Maldives (2023 TV Movie) User Reviews

Great scenery but common overused story

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 2 April 2023]

A travel reporter is challenged to find something new for her and sent to this resort to find it. As far as story, what follows is very common for this premise combined with the idea of an exotic tropical location. The conflict was exactly as I expected it and likewise common for this premise. Same thing for the conclusion. Strictly in the sense of predictability. The last part of the movie was disappointing and unsatisfying.

The scenery was beautiful. Throw in some sets that show an underwater bedroom (enclosed obviously) as well as an unwater dining and party area. Some of the water scenes show luminescence of both fish and algae. One flaw in the natural scenery is that Rae is repeatedly shown snorkeling in about 6 feet of water with a smooth bottom having little plant life or obstructions. One of these scenes shows her looking for interesting objects and finding one. This is not where experienced people go to snorkel.

Jocelyn Hudon is one of Hallmark's youngest regular leads and she is one of my favorites for the under 35 crowd and has a fairly extensive portfolio or resume of rom/coms. Hallmark and the other networks need more actors in her age bracket.

Hudon and Jake Manley have decent chemistry. The dialogue, like the story, is nothing special making this movie more appealing for nature and scenery than for script.

Even the Maldives couldn't save this one

[EnglishDoc · 5/10 · 2 April 2023]

I am a travel writer and recently returned from the Maldives, so you can imagine how excited I was to watch this movie. It definitely did the Maldives justice, but the actors were just horrible. Why did they have to dye the male lead's hair blonde, circa The Backstreet Boys? And why was his acting so stilted in such a beautiful, relaxing environment? It's ridiculous that she is on assignment to find exactly what she discovered - peace, serenity, and relaxation - but they still found a way to include conflict over a sunken ship (5 minutes of the movie) and her editor suddenly wanted her old schtick and not what she was sent for in the first place. Hallmark has GOT to change up the formula and be okay with a different plot. We don't always need a contrived conflict and a quick resolution. Sometimes we just want romance in the Maldives.

Beautiful scenery ... BUT

[toncincin · 5/10 · 2 April 2023]

The story was kind of booooooring. The acting was meh. Jocelyn Hudon and her real life husband, Jake Manley. Had decent chemistry on-screen chemistry. Not sure I understand his frosted hair. It was a little over the top. The 80s is calling him.

DIVING: They go "diving" - she says she's scuba certified (and I assume he is too) ... and yet, they go "diving" with no oxygen tanks - only mask and snorkel. Now ... that would be snorkeling - not scuba diving. No - they are not tankless scuba diving - they had no tube connecting them to anything. They could be "free diving" - but I doubt that's what they want us to believe since it's never mentioned.

I do appreciate that they have an older single woman traveling alone. That was a nice touch. Gave a different perspective on traveling.

All-in-all - I watched it from start to finish. It was just OK - probably will not watch again. The scenery warrants my 5 rating ... the rest of the story/acting was a 1-2.

Painful..

[ts-0000 · 7 April 2023]

Come on Hallmark.. You can do better,well at least you did years back.

The leads had average chemistry,which is odd since read someplace they are an actual couple.

The female lead was over the top in her actions role,who directed her to act like this?

The only saving grace when shown,was the various locations.. Many pretty scenes,but all the clichés & other subpars ruin it.

You can fall asleep or basically predict what is or will be going on with,Hallmark movies without watching the whole movie.

The overall acting to actors chosen,was in addition to the leads also average.

Cinematography was pleasant,music needs fine tuning but was better than in past overpowering voices.

Would I recommend this? If your bored,need something to watch,enjoy any actors or like a cheesy(eye roll)movie.

Beautiful scenery, and very good chemistry between main characters

[theresacardona · 7/10 · 1 June 2023]

The stories has been used before, but the scenery was absolute spectacular, and there was very very good chemistry between the two main characters. It was definitely believable, and I understand they are married in real life and you could see the spark between them.

I thought it was a good touch, showing people traveling alone and interracial couples cause that's part of life. I liked the older woman character whose husband had passed away, that was a nice addition to the story. Maybe Hallmark will do more movies about older( i.e. Over 40) people finding love and life.

It's Hallmark don't expect Bergman or Woody Allen dialogue or story but it's enjoyable and just a good piece of fluff.

more about the background

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 2 April 2023]

Rae Parker (Jocelyn Hudon) is a travel writer forced to go to the Maldives on an assignment. Jared Joseph (Jake Manley) is the Experience Director trying to get his plan together. She's looking for a story especially a legendary shipwreck.

I don't know these actors. They are beautiful people, but seem more like secondary performers. She's mildly humorous and he's mildly charming. This is not really about the acting or the story. It's location, location, location. It may be shown on Hallmark, but it's more fitting on the Travel Channel. I am often looking into the background more than paying attention to the characters. It's a great looking resort although the filmmaker could make it look more epic.

A little better than a typical Hallmark romance

[boots-57628 · 6/10 · 21 November 2023]

I'm typical Hallmark romance fashion, this movie is a light hearted, semi-corny, pretty predictable, feel good movie. Some actors were better than others but the main three were pretty great. I loved the character of the older woman on vacation, I found her character to be realistic and relatable for a lot of people, which is great.

The scenery was stunning and the little elements of adventure were intriguing.

Even with all this, I doubt I would find myself running to rewatch this movie anytime soon. I might leave it on if I came across it while scanning the channels for something in the background.

Yikes!

[chipotlelover · 4/10 · 3 April 2023]

First of all, I base my number of stars off a combination of both my score and my grandmother's score whom I watch these movies with. I rated it a three, she rated it a five hence the official score of four. The first negative to this movie was the fact that this story line has been done before. I realize every movie is basically the same, but this had zero originality to it. Just from the drop it was hard to try and stay engaged and interested in the movie. It did have some beautiful scenery shots that were well done, but it's in the Maldives so that should basically be a given. The acting in general is the other big negative to the movie. I can't remember the main lead males name (sorry), but his acting was absolutely atrocious and came across as extremely cheesy. This movie is definitely a hard pass for both of us.

Visually Stunning; the location is the real star, but Jocelyn Hudon also shines. And yet...

[MichaelByTheSea · 8/10 · 2 April 2023]

I really like Jocelyn Hudon (Rae) and she's perfectly cast here in a role that requires her character to spend a lot of time in flattering swim suits. But she's not just a beautiful actress; she also convincingly conveys Rae's joy, confusion, anxiety and frustration. And she has a megawatt smile that shines bright when she's happy (that smile reminded me of Hallmark vet Ashley Williams).

Jake Manley (Jared) was a bit muted as a former med school student (really?) who looks like a California surfer. I didn't see much emotional range in his performance but he certainly looks the part of a resort diving and yoga instructor. And as the real life husband of Jocelyn Hudon, chemistry was a given.

For those of us who love Hallmark movies, but are a bit tired of nearly every one of their movies being filmed in Canada, even when set in the U. S., this gorgeous location was a very nice change of pace. The movie was actually filmed on Rangali Island, one of nearly 1,200 islands in the Maldives, which is in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It was set at the 151 room Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort, which has been voted one of the best hotels in the world and is famous for its underwater restaurant.

Rae reminded me of the travel writer (Poppy) in Emily Henry's wonderful "People We Meet on Vacation", but the movie started with a scene that seemed very unlikely:

Boss: I need you to spend a week at a luxury resort in the Maldives. The fancy suite that I want you to stay in costs $15,000 a night, and it costs more than $2,000 just to get there, but we'll pay for everything.

Rae: Nah, that's not really me.

What????

And when she gets there, she basically blows off her boss' express instructions despite being informed that her print magazine (not many of those left) was merging with another magazine and going online (a little late). Such mergers typically result in job cuts and yet Rae was initially a bit blasé about her situation.

But she bonds with another solo traveler in a place where virtually all the guests are couples. I liked that relationship, which tied in nicely to Rae's column, and her relationship with Jared was light and breezy. In real life, these unattached singles would likely have just "hooked up". I though the escalation from introduction, to like, to love, in just a week, seemed... unlikely. But that's not uncommon in Hallmark movies.

Also, these kinds of geographically challenged relationships always have me asking what Drew Barrymore once asked in "Ever After": "A fish may love a bird, but where would they live?" And I certainly wasn't sold on the marketability, viability and value of Jared's Clarity Connection program.

But there were some clever dream sequences (including a fun transition to reality) that really worked for me and the location was beautifully filmed. Especially the many underwater scenes.

Still, if there's a line that shows up in more Hallmark movies than any other it might be "I haven't seen him this happy in a long time." It's a legitimate observation, but it is just soooooooo overused.

I liked this exchange though:

Jared's friend: "He's been a bit adrift" Rae: "Like the wandering shipwreck." Jared's friend: "And just like it, Jared has a heart of gold."

As for that shipwreck, well, a blind sailor could probably have found it.

My final quibble is, in fairness, about an annoying trope that shows up in most Hallmark movies: the 4th quarter conflict that is based on a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up in 30 seconds if anyone had made the slightest effort.

But this was such a visually appealing movie (including the gorgeous Jocelyn Hudon) that I gave it a relatively high (and probably undeserved) 8 stars.

If this has been filmed in Vancouver, as usual, and without Hudon, I doubt I would have given it more than a 5.

No chemistry, not great acting, too many inconsistencies

[lorriehoagland · 6/10 · 8 May 2023]

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.

Great scenery

[muse-48720 · 5/10 · 5 November 2023]

If you're watching a hallmark movie for original content then you're going to be terribly disappointed. It's a well known joke that all the plots are pretty much the same. You can almost clock the pace of the story right down to the conflict with about 15 minutes to go. A conflict that could've been avoided with simple communication.

That said it is what it is. But I'm glad that they are branching out with the locations - we have enough snowy small towns, pumpkin patches, made up European countries with a Prince or Princess. And it's nice to see different faces and a wee bit more diversity with the supporting casts. As a long time watcher, it's been the same 10 actors for about a decade.

I'm chuckling at the comments about the frosted hair on the male lead. Seriously '90s boy bands called and want their look back.

What can I say. It's a hallmark movie. Enjoy the scenery.

Good movie, fantastic scenery

[jenrn-09722 · 8/10 · 2 April 2023]

The movie was good, while it was a plot that was done before, the scenery definitely made it worth watching. Good chemistry with the actors, the supporting cast was wonderful. I loved the hotel - and if that's a real place - I want to go there. Sleeping and dining under the ocean looks amazing. The movie had its moments - they more than dive in the ocean, they got to know each other. They talked and there was relationship progression, that advanced the story. They could have done without the obviously CGI turtle swimming around at the end of the movie, but it was a well-done story and a lot of great scenery. Would recommend as a fun watch to get ready for summer..

Two attractive people in bathing suits

[MickyG333 · 7/10 · 16 April 2023]

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.

Something fishy

[sjh-21202 · 5/10 · 5 April 2023]

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.

Seems like two movie plots

[hallmarkmov · 6/10 · 4 April 2023]

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.

"I don't think I want to be alone anymore"

[evening1 · 6/10 · 24 March 2024]

Here's a first -- a movie in which the best part is the protagonist's hotel room.

I'm not faulting the film -- "Love in the Maldives" is perfectly fine escapist fare, spotlighting travel writer Rae's amazing resort in the archipelago off the coast of India.

Her underwater, glass-walled suite enables her to see fish of the Indian Ocean right from her bed, couch, or dining table. And, more amazing yet, a check of the internet reveals that this was no film set -- such a resort actually exists!

From the moment the viewer spots buff resort "experience director" Jared (Jake Manley), she knows that sparks will fly between him and Rae (Jocelyn Hudon). But the plot here is not as predictable as one might expect, involving a journalistic ethical dilemma that could actually happen in the real world.

Ms. Hudon and Manley enjoy good chemistry, which shouldn't be a surprise, since a check of Wikipedia reveals they're married in real life.

Rae drew me in as a character when she states early in the movie that "travel teaches you to trust your intuition -- that applies to sketchy street food, getting directions, and even trying new languages."

I have always been a language lover, and, as I get older, I see that when I travel to a foreign land one of the best parts for me is to study the language beforehand and use it while I'm there. I can't remember ever before seeing this espoused in a film.

I also enjoyed Rae's interactions with Debra (Lucy Newman-Williams), a widow treating herself to an exquisite vacation, and the reporter's home-cooked dinner with a local couple -- what tourist wouldn't jump at such an invitation?

The Maldives, reputedly the world's lowest-lying country, has made the news recently due to concerns about global warming and rising sea levels. According to Wikipedia, no point in the 1,200 islands is more than about eight feet above ground. (None of this is mentioned in the film.)

The movie left me curious about the logistics of getting to the Maldives. The trip takes two days from New York, with at least one layover, and the flight ain't cheap. Can't imagine the awe-inspiring digs are, either.

Even the lovely location couldn't save it...

[donnamontague-13844 · 3/10 · 5 April 2023]

I'm a little surprised at the amount of reviewers that scored this movie higher due to the location. Yes it was lovely but location alone does not make a movie.

I struggled with this movie and found myself multi-tasking during the not-so-interesting moments of which there were quite a few. Then there was the bad acting and overdone storyline - writer is sent to a location to write a story, meets a guy, there is an ex involved, her boss wants the story changed to something more 'interesting' which would involve compromising a secret location - sound familiar? Yes, it's been done before, many many times.

The female lead over-acted and the male needs more acting lessons. I was surprised to learn that this isn't her first movie as they both came across as amateurs to me. Good looks alone are not sufficient to carry a movie, even the beautiful scenery couldn't save this one.

Love in the Maldives

[allmoviesfan · 8/10 · 6 May 2023]

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.

Left out the best of Maldives

[firescuba · 3/10 · 16 April 2023]

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.

Amazing Location!

[robby77777 · 10/10 · 2 April 2023]

Thinking this would be a run of the mill Hallmark movie, I was very pleasantly surprised by how gorgeous the location was. Jocelyn was not only really good in this, she was simply gorgeous. And, for those who do not know, this was her husband, Jake Manley. It was funny how many people commented how good their chemistry was without realizing they were married in real life. This Hallmark movie was a breath of fresh air in a world were everything is negative. I really hope Hallmark signs her to a long term contract as she is wonderful. I think it is time to give her a leading role in a Hallmark Christmas movie!

The Scenery

[therusticapothecary · 2/10 · 14 April 2023]

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.

below average

[sarajimi · 5/10 · 24 April 2023]

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.

Good Hallmark romance

[mchristi-156-169140 · 9/10 · 2 December 2023]

I enjoyed this quite a lot. It's probably the best Hallmark show I've seen. It feels fresh. It lacks the cringe factor (bad acting, etc.) in a lot of these shows. The characters are interesting and contemporary. The location is attractive.

A lot of people rate down romance stories like this due to predictability. But for us romantics that's the whole point - the enjoyment of seeing two people grow and find love together. This movie does that well. I didn't mark this as a spoiler because that's what this genre is - the two getting together.

I did wish the cinematography was better. It didn't capture the vibrant colors that I imagine are in this location. But watching this show was still a wonderful, beautiful escape.

Just a wondering and curious message

[country-82329 · 10/10 · 5 January 2024]

I'm not here to give a bad review and I'm not going to give any low rate on the stars but I just want to know why can't anyone watch this movie on like Prime video or on Netflix Hulu YouTube or the cinema app yes you have it on the cinema app and only 2 servers come up I would appreciate if more working servers where coming up on it and not 2 HD AZ movies doodplay servers that don't work at all I love this movie do much and it is such a shame that I can't watch at anytime and i don't want to just watch it on the hallmark channel or I don't want to pay to watch it because anyone who love this movie would like to watch it free and they don't have the money to pay to watch it it isn't fair to anyone who can't you only make it fair for anyone who can pay for it I'm so very much disappointed upset mad annoyed agitated irritated that I can't watch this movie anytime that i want to I'm not being mean or rude I'm stating the facts that's all i'm trying to get my point across I'm a fan of this movie.

Rather simple story but set and filmed in the beautiful Maldives.

[TxMike · 30 November 2023]

Jocelyn Hudon is journalist Rae Parker based in New York. She writes features about exploring exotic areas alone and has just returned from an adventure in the jungle. Jungles, mountains, that is her thing. But her boss wants her to do something different, she is sending her on assignment to The Maldives. Rae goes somewhat reluctantly and also is afraid she might lose her job unless she hits a home run.

At the resort she meets events planner, scuba diver, and yoga instructor Jared, played by Jake Manley. It is clear from the beginning that Rae and Jared are attracted to each other. Being a Hallmark movie we pretty well know what the story arc will be. But how will they get there? Will they find the lost treasure ship?

Only after the movie did I find out that Hudon and Manley are wife and husband in real life. Which surprised me a bit because as I watched the movie I didn't get a strong impression of real "chemistry" there. Shows how good my judgement is! :-)

Really the story is pleasant but doesn't have much, if any, novelty about it. For my wife and me the scenery in a place we've never visited was the best part of the movie. We enjoyed it, at home streaming on Peacock.