A decent addition to the romantic comedy genre
Rom-com “Love in the Villa”, now streaming on Netflix, centers on Julie, a Shakespeare admirer and a hopeless romantic, who, following a failed relationship, embarks on her ideal holiday to Verona in Italy.
Julie, who works as a kindergarten teacher, is getting ready for her long-awaited trip to Verona too. Julie is fascinated with the Italian town, which just so happens to be the setting for William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Sadly, after her boyfriend Brandon abruptly ends his relationship with her, Julie’s enthusiasm for her vacation is dulled. Julie must therefore travel alone, however she’s eager to explore the local culture all the same.
When she arrives at her reserved villa, Julie discovers that it has been double-booked, forcing her to share both her villa and her holiday with Charlie, a cynical but good-looking British man who is a wine expert in the home of Romeo and Juliet. After an argument akin to that seen between the Montagues and Capulets, the pair are forced to reside in the same villa and spend time together. As they get to know one another better in the picturesque city, they end up falling in love.
The storyline here is pretty straightforward. Due to a mistake in the rental process, two people who appear to have completely different personalities and worldviews are trapped together in the same villa. They must work out a way to get along.
This rom-com doesn’t offer anything new or unique, but that wasn’t exactly what was anticipated either. What is desired from the movie is certainly here – a few giggles, laughter, and entertainment at the circumstances, followed by excitement at the idea of the two protagonists simply getting together.
A rom-com is presumed to have a dispute so that the lead characters can further fall for one another while it is happening, and this movie certainly succeeds in presenting this. In order to make the storytelling feel grounded and prevent it from dragging, the banter seen between the two leads includes goofy and interesting sequences that are juxtaposed with more mellow and emotional sequences.
The two main characters’ antics aren’t malicious; instead, the jokes they play on one another are amusing and generally mild, but they’ll make you smile nonetheless.
The protagonists’ conflict, which comes at a point when their budding relationship encounters a potential problem, is relatively brief and not particularly stretched out.
Italy serves as the backdrop for the storyline, and we see visuals of both the city and the countryside. By setting the action in Verona, the movie injects fresh life into the fundamental idea. The movie explores the romance between Julie and Charlie through Veronese culture and makes several aesthetic allusions to Shakespeare’s play.
The city is both an integral part of the narrative and a distinct character, highlighting the city’s various tourist sites, cuisine, and customs. The majority of the cinematography centers on the villa that the central characters live in or a courtyard, one with a fabled balcony that is modelled after (yep, you guessed it!) Romeo and Juliet.
Julie, a big admirer of Romeo and Juliet, is displayed as being a little highly critical and clinging to power in every situation, however she does soften as the story progresses.
Charlie, the male protagonist, is intended to be Julie’s complete antithesis. He is expected to come off as easy-going and less uptight. He also had excellent timing, and his sarcasm serves the plot well.
Love in the Villa is not going to blow you away but it’s a decent addition to the romantic comedy genre all the same. The witty and genuine performances by Tom Hopper and Kat Graham certainly carry this one forward. It offers a few laughs, two likable leads, and a plot that doesn’t linger too long. You should find enough to enjoy here.
Read More: Love In The Villa Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10