Netflix's 'A Tourist's Guide to Love' Review: A classic rom-com that pulls at the heartstrings
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Romance genre is a popular category for all cinephiles out there who consistently want streaming services to churns out good rom-coms. While creating good rom-coms isn't rocket science, a good love story goes a long way. Earlier today, Netflix added another title to their list of corny rom-coms with 'A Tourist's Guide to Love'.
The plot of the story is set in Vietnam. There is a joy to finding love when you're out in the world trying to find yourself. There is a joy in someone noticing us for our internal progress and loving us despite of it all. The plot of 'A Tourist’s Guide to Love' comes close to this. It is washed up, but also balances the level of cringe with good acting. The cast includes Scott Ly as Sinh, Rachael Leigh Cook as Amanda and Missi Pyle as Mona, Amanda's boss at Tourista World Travel and close friend.
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Familiar workings of a standard vacation rom-com
As the film starts and we get to know each character and what they bring to the plot, we understand that Amanda works for a high-end agency called Tourista World Travel. And for some reason, she is a "by the book" kind of person, who likes schedules and hates derailed plans. One day, her boss Mona gives her a hint that her boyfriend John (Ben Feldman) will propose to her. So, to be ready and have the perfect engagement moment with perfect manicured hands, she goes to a manicurist and like every typical rom-com movie, she starts to tell her manicurist about her boyfriend and their relationship.
However, upon visiting John, Amanda realizes that John was actually moving away and wasn't asking her hand in marraige but a nod to take a break from the relationship. Heartbroken, Amanda decides to go on an adventure to another country to rejuvenate and refresh her mind. To also bring business to her company, she goes undercover as a regular tourist.
Amanda plans to go to Vietnam and immediately connects with a goofy but sensitive tour guide, Scott Ly's Sinh who is the exact diversion she is looking for. But, the tour guide isn't just a tour guide, but a curious person who tries to understand Amanda and brings her to meet him halfway to understand life, while showing her the beauty of Vietnam.
A classic rom-com trope
There are slow motion shots of Scott Ly's Sinh emerging from water, and bike riders are seen everywhere as the production had to make the audience believe that the cast was in actual Vietnam. The whole story seems like a washed up version of every romantic film in the book. The plot of the movie begins with a clear direction but eventually gets lost in the shuffle of Amanda's many endeavors: falling in love, securing a client for her tour company, and reminiscing about her grandmother, all at once.
Romantic movies are all about the emotions they evoke, rather than the intricacies of their plots. While 'A Tourist’s Guide to Love' successfully manages to create those giddy, lovey-dovey feelings, it may not be enough to satisfy the more critical cinephiles who are looking for something more substantial in terms of story.
'A Tourist’s Guide to Love' now available to stream on Netflix.