A Tourist's Guide to Love - A Netflix Movie Review

Traveling is a step out of one’s comfort zone.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love flew onto Netflix in 2023. After going through an unexpected breakup, an executive accepts an assignment to travel to Vietnam to learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. Samantha learns more about herself on this trip than she anticipated from her travel guide.

You know you’re enjoying a movie when it’s over in the blink of an eye. A Tourist’s Guide to Love is what most rom-com films deliver, but this film incorporates new themes and promotes travel to Vietnam. Taking viewers on a charming journey through picturesque destinations in Vietnam, the film also explores the complexities of relationships.

Rachael Leigh Cook and Scott Ly were magnificent. They had tender interactions. Samantha is on this trip for a completely different reason but finds the trip more glorifying, changing her views on her life. Traveling is a must to explore the world and ourselves.

Scott Ly was my favorite performance. His character is sincere and always looking for an adventure. Sinh is a walking book of positive insight, remarking helpful advice to Samantha. You learn a lot about yourself on travels.

As for their relationship, the actors were stiff in making this relationship believable. Cook and Ly didn’t have the best chemistry, but it didn’t ruin my watch. They were still having fun making this film.

The characters are so unique and relatable. Some fall under the typical cliche characters seen in most rom-com or vacation films, but they were written with depth. There are several different characters in the movie. You certainly meet several different faces from unique lifestyles, backgrounds, and generations on your travels.

Credits include Ben Feldman, Missi Pyle, Glynn Sweet, Alexa Povah, Jacqueline Correa, Nondumiso Tembe, Morgan Dudley, and Andrew Barth Feldman. Characters get a chance to shine like Robin (Dudley) flirting with Alex (Feldman) as her mothers watch and make comments from afar. The cast created wholesome and realistic relationships.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love is the first original Netflix to shoot in Vietnam. Would you ever think that Vietnam was a travel destination? When I think about Vietnam, all that comes to mind is war. Vietnam is so much more than that. Aside from people, countries grow and change too.

Steven K. Tsuchida made the right choice to have Vietnam as the film’s main setting. A Tourist’s Guide to Love gives Vietnam a new makeover. It’s worth traveling to Vietnam to visit the culture, learn history, and meet new people. Exploring is necessary, especially for all the different shop's character's visits.

The storyline is refreshing. This is not your typical rom-com. What sets the movie apart from learning about Vietnam’s culture is that it tackles love and relationships. It’s a beautiful reminder that love can be found in unexpected places. Adventures are worth it for the memories.

One of my favorite quotes from the film is finding a new you in your travels. When I think about it, whenever I have traveled, I’ve learned something new about myself. Traveling is an achievement to test your abilities and conquer new goals.

I thought A Tourist’s Guide to Love would be a cheesy movie, but it is so much more than that. The characters face real-life struggles. As the story progresses, each character overcomes their predicaments because of what this vacation taught them. It may be a predictable movie, however, it is worth it to experience the adventure unfolding.

Put A Tourist’s Guide to Love on your watch list. This is a movie I’d watch again for its feel-good messages.