My expectations were low for this Netflix rom-com, but I was getting pretty fed up around the halfway point - the film was just too saccharine and predictable, though the lush setting and cultural sites elevated the experience and kept me going. Once a little tension was added to the situation, the film became more watchable, and I especially enjoyed the ending. I really like Rachel Leigh Cook and she has made several charming rom-coms since she matured a bit (I highly recommend Love, Guaranteed). Scott Ly is suitably hunky and soulful as the local love interest, and Ben Feldman is always great. The respectful presentation of Vietnam earned the movie an extra star, as did the completely casual and normalized inclusion of a Black lesbian couple. I was interested to read that the story is loosely based on the screenwriter's actual experience of an unexpected breakup before a trip to Vietnam, where she met a free spirit who she realized suited her best. (I wish I had known this before I watched - I might have been a bit more patient with the film.)
Review of A Tourist's Guide to Love
