Falling Inn Love (2019 Netflix)
Cast: Adam Demos, Christina Milian, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, & Anna Jullienne
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Synopsis (via Netflix)
When a San Francisco exec wins a New Zealand inn, she ditches city life to remodel and flip the rustic property with help from a handsome contractor.
Thoughts
I had a request to cover some of Netflix’s Lifetimey/Hallmarky TV movies. When I found out that Christina Milian was involved, I couldn’t NOT watch this movie. Somehow I completely missed this movie.
Christina Milian is riding her digital bike and lives in the BIG city and works in TECH. She stops at a coffee kiosk and pays with her phone, she texts and walks, and pets on high tech presentations. While waiting for the dudebros to show up at work at 10:30, she sees an ad on her phone to win an inn online.
The dudebros don’t let her do her presentation for solar panels in houses. Her boyfriend, Dean, also doesn’t let her do things, like eat carbs. Christina Milian isn’t into Dean, but for some reason, her friend convinces her to give him an ultimatum. When her company goes belly up, Christina Milian tells Dean she wants to move in together. (They have been dating for two and a half years.) Dean is not into it, and Christina Milian decides to break up with his ass. (Thankfully! No man should smack your hand when you reach for a bread roll… ever.)
Two bottles of wine in and unemployed, Christina Milian hunkers down and writes her entry to win her dream home in New Zealand. She, of course, wins the Inn. Cue the travel montage and scenery. Christina Milian is dropped off in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception. While distracted holding her cellphone up trying to get service, Christina Milian’s suitcase rolls into the road and causes an accident. The drive is a handsome stranger named Jake. He offers to give her a ride, but she does NOT need saving and walks into town herself.
Christina Milian stops in a coffee shop run by two gay New Zealanders. (Hallmark would never.) They speak in an accent that I can’t really understand, but give her coffee and point her in the direction of her inn…
Once she arrives, Christina Milian is shocked to see the place in shambles. (Stairs falling apart, doors falling off, and goats in the closet.)
Christina Milian tries to make the best of a bad situation and makes herself at home the inn. It is difficult because everything is breaking. After a terrible night’s sleep, Christina Milian drives to a hardware store to try to salvage this money pit she has “won.” As she is checking out, she asks for a contractor in town. The contractor is Jake from the accident.
This movie is quickly turning into the HGTV home renovation show I’ve always wanted, hosted by Christina Milian. She is working on renovating the Inn and is meeting all the people in town. There is Shelley, the plant store owner. Norm the hardware store owner. Gilbert the Goat. Charlotte, the town bitch. Everyone knows everyone’s business and is impressed the American is sticking around to renovate the inn.
Charlotte, the bitchy stuck up girl, invites Christina Milian over to her fancy (but stuffy) inn. The most successful (and currently only, B&B in town.) Charlotte was promised the inn and is a bit salty that it went to Christina Milian. (Or was ROBBED OF HER DREAM!) She tries to pay Christina Milian off to have the inn.
Jake and Christina Milian keep bumping into one another around town. Turns out that Jake is one of the most eligible bachelors in town. He is also kind of a sad boy because his girlfriend died three years ago. Finally, they have a nice dinner and get to know each other. Then they go for a walk. Christina Milian “sneezes” (terrible acting sneeze) because she is sick.
The townsfolk all show up to cure her cold. They drop off tea and take care of her because they are a completely unearned family! While Christina Milian rests, Jake fixes her faucet, and she is now in love with him.
Feeling better, Christina Milian goes to find Jake. After the dunks him in a dunking booth, she gets him to agree to be her business partner working on the inn. 50/50 split! They shake on it. He is all about tradition, and she wants everything to be modern with solar panels. While sledgehammering a wall together and denying their sexual tension, they find love letters. Later, they get their grout on. (I’ve never wanted to own a home more!)
Singing in the car together happens. It is cute. (Should have been Dip it Low.) Things get real, and Jake opens up about his previous relationship. Christina Milian does not return the favor, and it will probably come back to bite her. They almost kiss but are interrupted by the goat.
Jake is finally shirtless, and Christina Milian is as appreciative of his bod as I am. She literally says, “Wow!” She should be saying “WOW!” when Charlotte steals her phone and texts Dean as Christina Milian. She tells him to win her back by flying into town to prove he loves her…. (This bitch!)
Jake and Christina Milian go tramping. (It is not what you think!) They are basically like a picnic? They eat food that I don’t know and read the love letters to one another while lying on a blanket. Then they kiss on the blanket and run into the ocean. The romance lasts only one scene because they immediately get into a fight. Christina Milian is offered a job back in the USA, and Jake is mad she is considering going… back to the country that she is from. She is there on a temporary visa for crying out loud!
With the inn finished and a grand opening party, Christina Milian and Jake’s work is done. Dean shows up, much to Charlotte’s delight. Dean has a real estate agent to buy the inn, so Charlotte is only temporarily happy. Christina Milian shows off the smart home features all run from her iPad! She also has everything eco-friendly, and the place looks nice, if not a little generic. The real estate agent makes an offer, and Jake accepts.
It seems like the movie is over until everyone’s text starts going off. Charlotte’s B&B is on fire, and she rushes inside to get her dolls. Jake gears up and rushes in, and slow-motion saves someone… I have no idea who.
Christina Milian sends Dean on his way because he is not her person. At the bank, Christina Milian and Jake bring the deed to be signed. Charlotte storms in and confesses that she texted Dean and makes a speech about community and home. Then offers to buy the inn with her fire insurance money. Christina Milian decides that she isn’t selling and will be staying in her dream home. (She also quickly forgives Charlotte, Jake is not so quick to forgive Christina Milian.)
Jake shows up at the inn with his own love letter. Christina Milian reads it and is touched. They kiss and are interrupted by that damn goat! I didn’t hate this movie, WTF is wrong with me? Haha?
Side Note
Minority Report: Christina Milian, Dean, indigenous people in the dance.
MarVista Entertainment Film.
Woof. The “comedy” in this movie way pretty NOT funny.
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Overall rating
❤️❤️ (2 Hearts)
🍷🍷🍷🍷 (4 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2019 Netflix
I really loved this movie and your review. Haha. I’m now in the mood to watch it again this weekend!!
It was a cute movie!