Resort to Love movie review & film summary (2021)

Tsuchida’s visual direction and Greg Gardiner’s cinematography seem to have a bit less fun with the premise of “Resort to Love” than its cast. The movie has the bland aesthetic of a cookie cutter movie, complete with lifeless drone shots and filler montages. Some of the movie looks like it’s lit within an inch of its life, giving it a kind of TV movie look. A few shots look so green screened, it’s as if our stars were posing for cheesy vacation photos on a cruise, but it’s actually a part of the movie. It just looks like it was done as cheaply and quickly as possible. “Resort to Love” may be an all-inclusive package offering a cute love story starring attractive leads, but it has the look and feel of a vacation on a budget: it’s not the greatest filmmaking and uses a story padded out with tropes and stock characters. At least the movie does feature a few solid performances to make it a worthwhile diversion for some viewers. Others less inclined to easily resolved romances may want to book some other excursion.

Like an all-inclusive vacation package, you basically know what’s in store for a romantic comedy like “Resort to Love.” A cutesy storyline, some endearing performances, a few laughs, and by the credits’ roll, a whole lotta love. Some vacationers and viewers may find comfort in the predictability and safety in this routine. It’s the kind of format that won’t let them down or jolt them out of the ordinary. Others may find this regimen lacks any sort of thrill or surprises, missing that kind of spontaneity that’s only found in the unknown and unplanned. 

Director Steven K. Tsuchida’s “Resort to Love” finds its heroine Erica (Christina Milian) at a rough time in her life. Still reeling from the break-up of her engagement, she sticks around in New York City to try to launch her music career—only to watch her hopes dashed when her collaboration with a popular tempestuous male artist (think Kanye West on a bad day) destroys their collaboration onstage at a listening party. Erica’s best friend intervenes to break her out of her funk after back-to-back personal and professional setbacks, and finds her a gig as a singer for a lush Caribbean resort. Still working through her feelings, Erica runs into the man she least wanted to meet: her ex, Jason (Jay Pharoah), and his new bride-to-be. Of course, the encounter brings up leftover feelings for both Erica and Jason, but things get complicated when Jason’s dashing brother Caleb (Sinqua Walls) also shows an interest in Erica and Jason’s fiancé insists on including Erica in her wedding party without knowing her history with Jason.