Love in the Villa is a standard romcom. Netflix is getting adept and churning these out with almost the same speed as the Hallmark Channel. This one is distinguished by being filmed in Verona, Italy in the piazza where letters to Juliet (as in Romeo and Juliet) arrive by the thousands.
In Love in the Villa, two different people book the same week in a villa. When they realize the mistake they begin by trying to be annoying enough to make the other one leave. Since this is a romcom, that plan doesn’t last long. Soon they are strolling Verona eating gelato and telling each other about themselves.
Kat Graham plays Julie, a 3rd grade teacher from Minneapolis. Her boyfriend back home, Brandon (Raymond Ablack) was supposed to come on the trip with her. He dumped her right before the trip. She went anyway.
Tom Hopper plays Charlie, a wine buyer from London. He and his girlfriend, Cassie (Laura Hopper) are currently not together but not exactly broken up.
We see every aspect of the piazza dedicated to love letters and Shakespeare’s Juliet. Perhaps you remember Letters to Juliet with Amanda Seyfried from 2010. The location is a favorite tourist destination in Verona, as you can imagine. It was actually the thought of getting a nice look at some Italian sites that made me decide to watch this film. There’s plenty to see.
Kat Graham and Tom Hopper are good together, their chemistry is perfect both when they are fighting and when they are not. The twists and tropes you expect in a romcom are all there with a nice dash of Italian architecture, food, and wine.
If you’re in the mood for a nice romance with a happy ending, Love in the Villa will do the trick for you. It’s on Netflix. Check out the trailer on YouTube.