Hallmark meets HGTV in the new Netflix original movie “Falling Inn Love.” Everything seems to fail for Gabriela, and the last of her joy is put into entering a contest to win an inn. But when the last thing she would expect to happen actually happens, Gabriela puts all her energy into this new project. 

Gabriela flies to New Zealand to see her dream inn, but the inn is not as pristine as she was led to believe. Her contagious spirit helps her to prevail. Gabriela has nothing to lose, and she’s learned that there might be more to help her continue the DIY project of the inn.

Gabriela is the type of friend everyone wants. She brings the party with her and the people in the small rural town fall in love with her. She’s able to bond with everyone. One person Gabriela meets, Jake, gets under her skin, but the relationship ends up becoming playful and meaningful. Gabriela realizes Jake is being helpful by not overstepping his boundaries.

Another character who stands out is Charlotte, who owns the only other inn in town. Although she is greedy and causes a problem, later on, she isn’t the typical villain seen in romance movies either. Charlotte is already married, so the trope of fighting over a guy is diminished. In the end, Charlotte wants what is best for the town and eventually becomes friends with Gabriela.

The characters and plot were beyond my expectations for a Netflix original. There are movies that can be cringey and cliche, but “Falling Inn Love” flipped my expectations. The script was written well. The humor in “Falling Inn Love” is extremely enjoyable. Part of the reason for this is Gabriela’s character. She doesn’t fall into the cliche female character typically seen in romance movies.  

The plot is entertaining as the audience watches Gabriella struggle with renovating, but the climax is a bit underwhelming. The climax does not raise the stakes, and the climax in “Falling Inn Love” doesn’t persuade my feelings to swing a certain way. Gabriela’s ex-boyfriend visits her in New Zealand, but I’m not worried about his impact. I’d rather see her go back to Seattle with him, then see Gabriela decide right away what she wants.

“Falling Inn Love” creates a desire in me to travel to New Zealand. I would not have put it on my list of places to travel without watching the movie. Plus, New Zealand does not have any native snake populations. The landscapes are breathtaking, and I can only hope there is a Gilbert the goat wherever I travel to. The DIY aspect in the movie is satisfying. Gabriella’s process of renovating the inn is humorous and rewarding. Overall, the movie is entertaining. It’s not one of those movies that will turn out being a favorite, but it’s a good and smart choice to waste time with.