Falling Inn Love is a 2019 American romantic comedy film directed by Roger Kumble, an American film director, screenwriter, and playwright, from a screenplay by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy. It stars Christina Milian and Adam Demos. The film was released on August 29, 2019, by Netflix.
Plot
Gabriela Diaz, who already feels underappreciated in her San Francisco design firm, suddenly finds herself out of a job when it folds. Simultaneously it's the week of her break-up with her non-committed boyfriend Dean, who after over two years together leaves nothing in her place.
Frustrated with weeks of work rejections, one evening after drinking copious amounts of wine, Gabriela enters an on-line contest to "Win an Inn" in the New Zealand countryside and actually wins it. Thousands of airline miles later, she discovers the remote and neglected Bellbird Valley Farm boasts a crumbling facade, a floorboard-treading goat, a local meddling neighbor and innkeeper who covets the space, and a 1960s Land Rover.
Charlotte, the owner of the town's only B&B, visits Gabriela and reveals that the previous owner's great-grandson entered the house in the "Win an Inn" contest to get rid of it. Her first day she finds she has a plumbing problem in the kitchen, so she drives into town.
Initially Gabriela asks Norm at the hardware store if he knows of any contractors, he mentions Jake. They had already butted heads twice, so she immediately rejects this idea. After studying the blueprints, Gabriela decides to do an eco-renovation to restore the Inn.
Charlotte invites Gabriela to her inn for tea, mostly to ask her about the restoration. She makes her an offer on the house, explaining that she hopes to have a monopoly on the inns in the town but was cheated out of it.
Gabriela soon finds she's been befriended by the café owners, Shelly at the garden center and Dr. Corey as well as Jake Taylor. They come en masse to help her when the rumor of her cold spreads amongst them. Gabriela slowly warms to Jake, and over several conversations finds out he's the nearby town's only restoration expert, bereaved since his long-term girlfriend's death three years ago and chief volunteer firefighter.
Gabriela and Jake work on the project as a 50-50 partnership, and in the process spend a day together that includes a kiss. However, in the evening she gets a call with a job offer. Jake leaves upset when Gabriela says she's considering it.
Once the final fixtures are hung, Gabriela's hesitant to leave. Her connections with Jake, the inn, and the inviting community that nurtured her creative side make her seriously reconsider moving on. Gabriela starts to talk to Jake about her doubts when Dean shows up unexpectedly.
Dean came all the way from the US after Charlotte invited him via text using Gabriela's phone. An attractive financial offer to buy the Inn is organized by him with a Melbourne, Australia investment company. This shocks Charlotte who planned to buy the Bellbird Valley Farm herself, thinking that Dean's sudden appearance would push Gabriela to sell the farm and return to her city life.
As Gabriela and Jake do a walk through with the interested buyers at the Open House, they explain the inn's eco-friendly details, both pointing out the other's contribution. It is deemed a labor of love. The Australian firm make them a high offer, which Dean pushes them to accept. Doing so, Jake leaves with Shelly following.
Shelly convinces Jake to talk to Gabriela about his feelings. However before he can, a fire at Charlotte's B&B deploys half the town as volunteer firefighters. Jake has a near-death experience saving a guest. Gabriela forsakes her San Francisco life to remain in the community to run the inn with Jake. The movie ends with a drone-shot sequence over the restored property.
The film was released on Netflix on August 29, 2019.[3]
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 67% based on 21 reviews, and an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Warm and welcoming, Falling Inn Love doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it will give those looking for a cozy new romantic comedy a nice place to lay their heads."[4]
