Wasted time Maya goes on a business retreat in the Rocky Mountains, where she meets Matt, one of three competitors for a future promotion. When they are forced to undergo tests in a pair, between these two quite unexpectedly a romantic relationship.
Usually, the films from Hallmark are romantic, sincere and life-affirming stories. But not this time. The main problem of “Romantics of stormy water” (in the Russian box office – “The Thresholds of Love”) is an absolutely unnatural game of actors. Almost everyone. These constant curves, overplays, inappropriate emotions just kill all interest from what is happening. Add to this the constant empty dialogue, which give their unnaturalness, and to watch the film to the end will be quite difficult. And yet I did. Mainly because I decided to write a review.
The plot is very predictable. Like all Hallmark tapes. Watching the constant corporate competitions in the rocky mountains: when crossing a rough river, surviving in the wild forest, foraging for food, protection from the bear, I remembered the reality show “The Last Hero” – the same thing that was very popular on the Russian channel in the early 2000s, gathering millions of viewers at the screen. This movie is just a pale copy of something like that. Most of the trials not only seem idiotic and completely inappropriate, given the circumstances, but also lost in guesses – why did the head of the corporation Allegra Adams arrange them, given the specifics of their work. The explanations that the viewer receives at the very beginning do not suit at all.
Cindy Busby does not appear in this film at all, displaying her dramatic talent as an actress. It seems that she came to the project to hang out, have fun, sometimes remembering that actually there is a film. It’s as if the idea of a reality show that the participants came to closer to the end started at the very beginning. This is strange, given her extensive experience, including in romantic films from the same studio. Her Maya is in many ways similar to Amy from Love Falls (2021) – the same cheerful, life-affirming, loving photos, waterfalls and nature in general.
Ben Hollingsworth looks a little better on her background, although he also does not try very hard. It turned out some cardboard template character that always comes on time, just as soon as Maya gets into trouble, but invariably causes that alienation. So, when rebirth occurs, it is not clear what exactly causes it, except to finally introduce a turn into a protracted failure scenario. The latter, it seems, was invented during the filming itself, as it seems raw and in many moments unworked. Interestingly, both actors have already played in a pair in the projects “Christmas Hope: Destined to Love” (2019), “Lucky in Love” (2014).
In general, “The Thresholds of Love” is devoid of any obvious idea, which is usually in any film, even those meaningless one-time projects “for rest” and unloading. Whether it is a choice between work and personal life (usually the most popular option), public fame and simplicity of relationships, fear and the opportunity to finally overcome it, etc. Many of the problems shown in the film seem completely unnatural and insignificant, so it’s fun to watch the characters try to overcome them. The film is for one time, although even then I would not recommend it. You'd better look at something more worthwhile.
4 out of 10