So, on Sunday I met Rachael Leigh Cook… again! That’s why I was gone for the entire day. I’ll explain more later but this finally felt like the time to check out this Netflix movie. For years now she’s done these sorts of romantic/Hallmark films which to be frank aren’t in my wheelhouse so that’s why those haven’t been viewed even though yes, I’m a fan of hers.
Her character Amanda works in the travel industry, she breaks up with her dope boyfriend, she goes undercover for a tour in Vietnam as her company wishes to buy that Vietnamese company, the tour leader is a handsome Vietnamese man, you can guess the rest.
Yeah, the comedic moments, the lovely sights of the country, the exotic setting itself, and the onslaught of facts concerning Vietnam (a secondary purpose did seem to present this like an advertisement to visit the Southeast Asian country… thankfully it’s not pushy in the messaging) were of more interest to me than the romance elements… your mileage my vary. The other people on the tour include a Black lesbian couple w/ a teen daughter-you won’t see that in a Hallmark movie!-who starts to become romantic w/ Andrew Barth Feldman, who I understand the Broadway people would know but I’m not a Broadway guy either.
As for how I was able to meet Ms. Cook both times, both of course were at comic-cons in the Miami suburbs, necessitating road trips of a few hours each. I explained in 2018 (when I had a fraction of the followers I do now) that the first meeting in ’18 wasn’t the best… solely due to me. I did left out the detail that a panic attack occurred before the meeting—that’s why I came off like a buffoon & I’ll leave it at that. Don’t worry, on Sunday I did not freak out beforehand so that interaction went much better. Both times, she was a VERY nice lady, a fact others have stated for a long time.
I won’t share what Sunday’s conversation entailed, except that I finally did explain to her why the first meeting was a debacle… well, that was her term for it! I shouldn’t have been too surprised that she recalled meeting a truly unique, one-of-a-kind individual like myself, but she also remembered that first encounter! Yeah, it WAS a debacle (plus, it’s a great word) so I couldn’t be chuffed at that comment. Thank heavens Sunday wasn’t a disaster this time and I had that second chance.
As for the film… yes it’s predictable and easy to nitpick; plus, especially today I won’t be unbiased towards a picture where the star was also a producer. Not that large a percentage of my Letterboxd mutuals are even that interested in “romcoms” but hopefully those that are would not disagree w/ my opinion if they ever do give this a shot in the future. Cook and leading man Scott Ly are at least a charming couple. Also, Missi Pyle appears in a few scenes, for those that remember her fondly as well.
I can give the highest recommendation if she’s ever at a con that you attend. Even with a socially awkward, eccentric fellow like myself, she was great. Who knows when or even if a third meeting will happen. Viewing more of her movies and doing new reviews of previously-discussed movies that have brief reviews should occur more often.
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