Where I Watched it: Netflix

Narration Provided By: international Digital Center

Written By: Kathleen Finn

Narrated By: Sri Gordon

Just in case your immediate reaction following the recent Love and Gelato was that Netflix send yet another American woman to Europe, your prayers are answered. Formulaic doesn’t even begin to describe this Netflix romcom that shamelessly has no qualms about it’s many similarities to Letters To Juliet, including having our lead character, Julie (Kat Graham) actually share the name, as well as going to the actual wall. Later on, Julie finds herself entrenched much the same way Amanda Seyfried was.

But that’s not before she has to lose her poorly written boyfriend, who we later find out is a district attorney, a job that involves intelligence, but is just now figuring out three years into this relationship that his girlfriend really likes to plan things right down to the minute. I don’t think her personality shifted overnight, so the writing here is just lazy, and made worse when the boyfriend resurfaces later.

So, the love part comes when Julie ends up at the titular villa with an insufferable Brit (played by Umbrella Academy’s Tom hopper), who got there one day before, and leaves one day earlier. Double booking must be a thing now, as the just released horror film Barbarian has a plot that hinges on this exact problem.

But, despite being opposites, and literally trying to do everything to try and get the other to leave, including putting each other in actual danger, they fall in love… in the villa. And formulaic romcom takes form when it’s revealed he has a fiancé, and that aforementioned boyfriend both appear to try and end the Love In The Villa. But the power of Juliet is strong, and this movie isn’t smart enough to do anything subversive.

So the good news is that Kat Graham is actually delightful, and really should have had a shot at a career beyond basic films like this. Hopper, for what it’s worth, is also fine. The cast make this extremely obvious film follow its predetermined path in the most entertaining way possible, so even though no one needed this film, for those who choose to watch it, I’ve seen far worse.

With lovely narration from the team listed above, Love In The Villa is one of those great time wasters, a nice Netflix and chill. Netflix has released far worse this year, including the aforementioned Love and Gelato. While Letters To Juliet might perhaps be the better option, if that film isn’t accessible to you, this is a well crafted knock off.

Final Grade: B-