Love on Iceland (2020 TV Movie) User Reviews

Iceland is the star, forget the story

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 20 January 2020]

Take the story outline of 100, no 1000, no even more than that, other Hallmark movies and flip around some details and set it in a most beautiful winter wonderland. I can't emphasize enough how overused the general story line is, from start to end.

As I've said before, when the story is not a factor, at least not a positive one, then look to the relationship building. Meh. Doubleday and Donell were OK together, but not that great either. There was a secondary romance which piqued a little interest but it was definitely secondary. The acting was OK also.

In this movie, it was the places they went featuring great scenery and some background and history behind those places.

Iceland was the most interesting part

[cadpig1979 · 5/10 · 20 January 2020]

Unfortunately it was a disappointment. The storyline was weak, the acting was not great and there was chemistry whatsoever between the two main characters. Thankfully, Iceland is beautiful. Cause it was all that was worth from this one.

Icelandic beauty

[thbryn · 6/10 · 20 January 2020]

I was hoping for more from this new Hallmark. The story was ok as was the acting. That's it. What I was focused in on was the shots of Iceland which I expected to be much darker and more stark in its appearance. So I would recommend this film just to view this island country in the North Atlantic with its small population, cool climate, and high standard of living. The story was pleasant enough but visually there was a lot to look at.

Watch it for the scenery

[Pryderi · 6/10 · 24 January 2020]

The story is nothing special and the chemistry between the leads is weak. But the locations are beautiful, rescuing what would otherwise be a well below-average Hallmark movie.

One elephant in the closet is never mentioned, the shortness of winter days in Iceland. If it's supposed to be January (it's winter but the actual month is never mentioned) in southern Iceland (where all the locations are), there would only be 4.5 hours of daylight at the beginning of the month and 7 at the end. (The days would be even shorter in northern Iceland.) They spend far too much time doing daytime activities outdoors for the time of year.

Saved by the Splendor of Iceland

[bmiller59 · 6/10 · 25 January 2020]

Was hoping this would be a great movie. The scenery saved it. Writing was uninspiring, chemistry of the actors was flat...but not terrible. I caught myself doing other things. But as I said in my title, the views of Iceland saved this movie.

Missed opportunity for a tour guide romance.

[savethewatchmaker · 7/10 · 28 February 2020]

Iceland does a TREMENDOUS JOB making up for an otherwise mundane love story. If you don't already yearn for a trip to Iceland, this movie will change your mind with all of its stunning shots of Icelandic nature and architecture. I give Hallmark kudos for hiring real Icelandic actors (this would seem like a given but you never know with Hallmark) and giving a genuine effort to show off Icelandic food and culture. I would LOVE to see more movies taking place overseas instead of just the usual procedure of shooting in Canada but pretending to be somewhere in the US. (That being said, Iceland would never have this much daylight during the winter.)

Outside of the incredible scenery, however, this movie is nothing special. Its boring love story in which two exes reunite on a trip is saved purely by the setting. What is infinitely more romantic than rekindling love with an ex in Iceland? Falling in love with a sweet tour guide in Iceland. The fact that this fantasy fulfillment was completely thrown aside in favor of the blander option is borderline baffling. Johann the unbelievably thoughtful and handsome tour guide instead gets romance with another character, which is a side story that quickly gets much more interesting than the romance between the leads. (Falling in love with a kind and good-looking native while on vacation is the plot that makes the Hallmark movie "Paris, Wine, and Romance" so good.)

Not only does the main couple lack chemistry, but their story falls flat, made worse by the overused trope of "character A overhears character B saying something that leads to a horrible misunderstanding" (which is completely pushed under the rug without explanation by the end of the movie). This misunderstanding leads to the male lead running off to accept a job across the world, but ultimately changing his mind before he leaves. This extremely unprofessional behavior is completely unnecessary; as pointed out by another reviewer, surely he could've finished a job that would've taken a few days of work at most and then returned to confess his love?

Regardless of its faults, the bland love story still survives because of the beautiful country it's told in. Worth a watch just to see Iceland.

She picked wrong, yo

[uberholly · 4/10 · 24 January 2020]

Big fat NOPE. No woman would pick that boring basic bro photographer dude over a tall drink of blue-eyed Icelandic water like Johann.

I watch HMC pics because my dad has dementia and he like/tolerates watching them pretty much all the time. Occasionally I don't hate them. This one had better locations than most.

Cute & Typical...Beautiful scenery!

[sueshixson · 11 March 2020]

Enjoyed Patti Murin & several lines relating to Disney and FROZEN. That was clever. Interesting that she and her real life husband were both in this film. It wasn't the best as these are so predictable. But it was sweet and a less obnoxious way to pass time than some of the crap other shows try to make us feel is normal. We need the happily ever after!

Great one!

[jennyelaine-03685 · 10/10 · 25 January 2020]

I really loved this one. The scenery was gorgeous (I want to go to Iceland now! lol), the actors were great, there was a lot of cute humor, the storyline was enjoyable, and the chemistry between the lead actors was really good. All in all, I really enjoyed it!

Nice travelogue

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 24 January 2020]

Who expects a lot from Hallmark stories will get disappointed. There aren't just that many good stories that are family friendly and not boring. So this is a nice little story with an on location tour of Iceland from the snowy valleys to waterfalls waterways and pretty caves. And finally the Northern Lights. Some food and music and locals along the way. A bunch of college friends reunite for a tour. The couple in the center of the story had dated before but his photography career drove them apart. Colin Donnell and Kaitlyn Doubleday make a pleasant looking couple. Iceland looks cold. One irritating thing can't he do Tokyo then be with her?

Hopefully Hallmark will do more overseas movies.

Even the scenery can't save this

[heather-greg · 2/10 · 26 January 2020]

You expect the less than mediocre acting, the frequent wardrobe changes that somehow pop out of the tiny suitcases and of course the fake snow. But distinct night and day in January? Landing in Reykjavik with a mountainous background? Two things you notice this time of year when you land at the airport. The terrain looks like a flat section of mars and the light is dim. Does Hallmark think so little of its viewers' intelligence? I gave this 2 for the first few minutes of scenery. Then pressed delete.

Beautiful Movie

[pattersonjamie-12079 · 8/10 · 26 January 2020]

This movie got an 8 because the scenery is beautiful, but the story line was a bit slow.

The Icelandic surroundings help raise the film up, but it's still a draggy watch

[r96sk · 6/10 · 12 August 2020]

Very meh.

'Love on Iceland' is mostly what you'd expect from a television film, though does manage to mix things up ever so slightly by taking events over to Iceland - kudos for actually filming there, by the way.

The premise is plain and entirely predictable, though a lot of the camera work is solid - including a decent amount of drone footage - even if a few shots did amusingly feel like Eurovision postcards.

Cast-wise it's basic. Kaitlin Doubleday (Chloe) and Colin Donnell (Charlie) are average, neither terrible nor great. I actually think they missed a trick, Preston Sadleir (Kenneth) and Kate Easton (Erin) seemingly had way more chemistry together - of course difficult to tell if they are lead worthy, but I had more interest in their romance than Chloe and Charlie's.

The Icelandic surroundings help raise the film up, but it's still a draggy watch. 2½*.

Scenery great! Actors, not so much

[LtlHippo · 3/10 · 26 January 2020]

Scenery was beautiful, chemistry between main couple was not there. Was hoping for a better storyline. Who wouldn't check with her to see if she was ok having her ex-boyfriend on the trip? He was so obnoxious.

On with the butter, as the Icelandic saying goes.

[cgvsluis · 6/10 · 23 January 2022]

Chloe reassembles her college travel group for a trip to Iceland to get perspective and help her with ideas for her job...as a podcast producer.

Iceland is a gorgeous snowy backdrop and their tour guide is a handsome local named Johann.

"Preparation is not a crime."-Chloe

The secret lagoon is an interesting place to let your cares drift away. Supposedly kept secret by the locals...but their tour guide takes the foreigners there? I bet the locals in the lagoon didn't appreciate the incessantly talking Americans...and wished it was still a secret.

The Skyr story of how Anna met her husband is very sweet...they made the perfect compliment to each other's products.

The accents and the drizzled in Icelandic words...along with a few myths and legends was fun and maybe make this worth watching...but this ends up being a second chance romance between a rule follower and a risk taker who has trouble not wandering off on his own way.

Iceland

[kris_love_slavi · 7/10 · 8 January 2021]

Iceland so beautiful ! Really looking magical. Movie is sweet . Actors are sweet too, expecally these who played Charle and Cloue, only ending I think must be little better..Its happy ending of course and sweet, but i think little more scenes wouldn't be wrong

A nice trip with friends!

[flo-00496 · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

A film that has me rather more overall (I saw much worse at Hallmark). What I appreciate is that we are immediately put in the bath from the first minute. Obviously everything is romanticized, all beautiful, and simple.... It is difficult in real life to go to Iceland in 24 hours and organized a tourist tour ^^.

In short, the fact that the troupe leave with friends my well pack. (who wouldn't like to take this kind of trip)?? The scenes follow one another, this quite dynamic. For my part I find that the alchemy of the actors is present, on the other hand the kiss was very late .... Obviously and fortunately the environment and location plays a lot.

The production is correct, except for the scenes in the cave (green background) and its false pieces of ice that we find at the end of the film during the scenes of the Northern Lights.

I would also like to see a lot more about Finland

Not much love in Iceland

[TheLittleSongbird · 4/10 · 25 February 2020]

There is not an awful lot else to add to what has been said already and very well, though unfortunately it was very difficult to be so generous towards 'Love on Iceland'. Love Christmas, love Christmas films but there are numerous humbugs amongst the numerous crackers. While my festive film quest was interesting, there were some surprising crackers (not enough though) but a fair share of humbugs or at least ones that came close.

'Love on Iceland' is closer to being one of the humbugs. Not one of the worst festive films seen ever or of the ones seen recently as part of the quest, but it's closer to that distinction than being one of the best or the surprisingly good efforts. It takes me absolutely no pleasure being critical of 'Love on Iceland', being such a fan of Christmas and being somebody who has always tried to be encouraging and honest without being brutal when reviewing, but there are just too many problems that stopped me from enjoying it.

Absolutely agree about the scenery being stunning and at its best magical. Actually think of the films from the recent festive film quest, 'Love on Iceland' is easily one of the best looking, with the photography complementing it beautifully. The music evokes the spirit of the holiday affectionately and it didn't have a "bombarded constantly" feel, or to me it didn't.

While the acting on the whole was not good at all, Colin Dunnell and Patti Murin try their best and their efforts are game.

Everybody else flounders. Most of the acting is stiff, but on the other side of the spectrum there is the very affected acting of Kaitlin Doubleday as one of the most irritating female leads seen in quite some time for any film. Sparks certainly do not fly in the chemistry between her and Dunnell, didn't detect any and actually the chemistry between the whole cast seemed disconnected. None of the characters are that interesting or worth rooting for properly.

Moreover, the script lacks any flow or life. Much of it is pretty pedestrian and there is a lot of cheese. Worst of all is the near-non existent (when there is any it's very predictable), barely coherent and very dully paced story.

In summation, lacklustre but the scenery saves it from being worse. 4/10

"Áfram með Smjörið"- Let's get on with it!

[evening1 · 8/10 · 11 June 2020]

This lovely film stars my favorite foreign country. As someone who visits Iceland every winter, I'd say it does a great job spotlighting a treasure on Earth.

Here we follow the travels of American podcast producer Chloe (Kaitlin Doubleday) and friends as local guide Johann (Joel Saemundsson) shows them wonders of the Land of Fire and Ice.

This film, whose cinematographer Tomas Orn Tomasson is Icelandic himself, shows the country in its glittering glory -- places like the steamy Secret Lagoon, an ice cave, Diamond Beach, Viking Village and stretches of coastline featuring the wonderful Saebraut, Gardskagi, and Akranesviti lighthouses.

Along with the beyond-charming Saemundsson, the movie features a handful of Icelandic actors, a sprinkling of Icelandic phrases -- i.e., we often hear the good-day greeting "goðan daginn" -- and an introduction to Icelandic food specialties including vinarterta (a layer cake) and rugbraud (a dense bread baked underground beside thermal springs).

In contrast with past reviewers, I think the movie's story line is perfectly fine. We don't expect profundity in a story about a vacation and finding inspiration. "Why choose the next adventure when everything I want is right here?" concludes Charlie (Colin Donnell), Chloe's erstwhile boyfriend, in a quiet lesson for us all. In the best tradition of the Bard -- yes, Shakespeare -- the movie ends with all of the characters happily pairing up.

My only quibble with this film, and it is a minor one, is its geographical incorrectness. The tourists hopscotch across the Icelandic map during their week-long adventure. In real time, it would take longer to reach by SUV. I find it intriguing that this film entirely skips some of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland, including the Blue Lagoon thermal pool and Geysir, namesake of all of the world's other geysers. In addition, the tourists never see a sheep or a fishing trawler -- lifeblood of Icelanders since the time of the Vikings -- stop at an iconic Reykjavik hot-dog stand famously visited by Bill Clinton years ago, or get a glimpse of Hofid, the stately Reykjavik mansion in which a meeting between Reagan and Gorbachev presaged the end of the Cold War.

The movie ends as the sky fills with the dancing Northern Lights. In my own experience, this spectacle of nature typically makes its appearance less suddenly and its performance gradually grows in splendor with less-rich hues. Such points are minor. As for me, after seeing this film, I immediately wrote my travel agent to see if she is still up and operating, given the coronavirus. I cannot wait to return!

Amazing Scenery

[marsmii · 6/10 · 27 January 2020]

Wanted to love this movie as I really liked Colin Donnell and Patti Murin from Chicago Med. They were great and I did enjoy them. But the lead actress, Kaitlin Doubleday, turned me off from the get go! She came across as a spoiled, egocentric! She had no warmth to her! To get up and walk out because her ex joined them, tells exactly who she is, self centred & rude! If he was part of their college gang, why would she not have invited him in the first place--again rude! She just overacted and it took away from the group of friends! And if Kenneth arranged for the tour guide which she knew nothing about, why did she feel it was her place to introduce the group--it should have been Kenneth! Rude again! Sorry, but Charlie was too good for Chloe! She didn't deserve him!

Scenery great ... movie poor!

[jds01-803-90597 · 5/10 · 3 March 2020]

This was worth watching for the scenery, but not the story!

I like it !

[Kirpianuscus · 9 October 2021]

It is very, very rare to write I like it ! About a Hallmark film. But this film deserves that. Not for ingredients , basic ones, but for...the spices. First, the location. Second - the dialogues about love stories as contain of the podcasts. Not the last, the love story between Icelandic guide and the shy American lady. And the cover/ illustrations of Norse legends and Myths. Sure, the predictability is the basic trait. But it is a charming film and that just matters.

Great movie

[dianamarinelli · 9/10 · 4 January 2021]

What a great movie the scenery was beautiful makes me want to go to Iceland and the story was what you expected from hallmark

Worth watching

[jewelch · 6/10 · 9 June 2021]

We like Hallmark films for for delivering a romantic story and this one is quite good. The plot is familiar, but the dialog and chemistry between the leads makes up for that, plus the surrounding cast is strong. And the dramatic Icelandic backgrounds will make you want to travel there. Yes it is worth watching. James Welch Henderson Arkansas 6/4/21.

really wanted to like this one

[kauling · 4/10 · 28 January 2020]

I was looking forward to this movie, character leads I have enjoyed in other movies/series along with filming in Iceland, but this thing fell flat. The story line was beyond weak, made little sense, lack of chemistry between the lead characters (blame that on the lame script). No doubt the location shots sold this movie.