Love Under the Olive Tree

Posted August 29, 2020 by karenbaron in Hallmark T.V. Movie, Movie Review, Romance / 0 Comments

Format: T.V. Movie

Love Under the Olive Tree

Network: Hallmark

Director: Peter DeLuise

Written by: Samantha Herman

Production Credit: Vector Film Services and Bar None Productions

Plot Summary:

Nicole has plans to expand her family’s Northern California olive oil business until childhood crush Jake Brandini, heir apparent to the neighboring ranch and her most significant competitor, discovers the land where Nicole wants to build on may belong to his family, stemming from a decades-long feud since their grandfathers ended their partnership. When a local judge decides to resolve the dispute by awarding it to the winner of the upcoming olive oil competition, the flames are further fanned between the families. Still, Nicole and Jake begin to find common ground, and a romance develops as the big competition looms.

Cast:

Tori Anderson (Nicole Cabella)
Benjamin Hollingsworth (Jake Brandini)
Gardiner Millar (Grandpa Frank)
Hrothgar Matthews (Tom)
Laura Drummond (Gloria)
Jerry Wasserman (Grandpa Raphael)
Barry Levy (Maxwell)
Robyn Bradley (Eleanor)
Shawn Roberts (Adam Caulfield)
Andrew Dunbar (Billy Stevens)
Amanda May (Julie)
June B. Wilde (Judge Monroe)
Marc-Anthony Massiah (Principal Evans)
Karen Holness (Mayor Evans)
Isis Wright (Tourist)
Kyle Toy (Choreographer)

My Rating:

My Thoughts:

Love Under the Olive Tree has finally aired on Hallmark. I have been waiting for this movie since last year when it was supposed to have premiered during Fall Harvest. It is still an autumn movie, and I wished that it had aired last fall. The feud between the Cabellas and Brandini’s is pretty hilarious and reminds me of a bit of a Romeo and Juliet angle that they were going for with these two. Well, without everything that Romeo and Juliet went through.

Characters

Tori Anderson is our main female character, and she played Nicole Cabella. Tori did such an excellent job on this character, and she brought her to life. Tori made me believe that Nicole was raised on that olive tree farm. I love her dedication to getting the perfect recipe for their olive oil entry. Nicole is such a great character, and she knows her faults, which makes it all that much better when she realizes it.

Benjamin Hollingsworth is our main male character, and he played Jake Brandini. Benjamin did a fantastic job on this character as well. I loved how he went from not wanting to work on the farm to working it so that he could get the feel of the family’s business. Jake cares a lot about Nicole, and it shows as they spend more time together and how he wants her to succeed.

Good Job

Tori and Benjamin’s chemistry is pretty apparent in this movie, and I love how it leaps out as soon as they reconnect. The one thing that I would have liked was for Shawn Roberts, who plays Adam Caulfield, and Andrew Dunbar, who plays Billy Stevens, actually showed their feelings or something. They hinted at those two possibly being more than friends that I just wished it shown up in the movie as well. Or even just a bit of handholding to show that something happened with them.