Review: ‘F Valentines Day’ Has Gorgeous Setting, Capable Cast, But No Real Spark

Synopsis: Gina hates her Valentine’s Day birthday and travels to Greece to prevent her boyfriend’s proposal. With help from vacationers Johnny and his sister Mickey, she schemes to delay it – while questioning her relationship.
Director: Mark Gantt
Stars: Virginia Gardner, Skyler Askin, Marisa Tomei, Jame Cannavale

Valentine’s Day tries to position itself as a cheeky, modern romantic comedy, but despite a capable cast and a sunny setting, it struggles to give audiences characters worth investing in. In a genre that relies heavily on emotional connection and romantic chemistry, that’s a pretty big problem.

The film centres on Gina, played by Virginia Gardner, a woman who has always hated Valentine’s Day because it also happens to be her birthday. Instead of embracing the holiday, she decides to escape it altogether by travelling to Greece in an effort to avoid what she believes will be an inevitable marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Andrew, played by Skylar Astin. Once abroad, Gina meets a handful of new acquaintances, including Johnny (Jake Cannavale) and Mickey (Sabrina Bartlett), who become tangled up in her increasingly complicated attempt to delay the proposal and sort out her feelings about her relationship.

On paper, that premise sounds like fertile ground for a breezy romantic comedy. Exotic locations, relationship anxieties, and a cast of quirky supporting characters should make for a fun ride. Unfortunately, the movie never really gives its characters the depth needed to make their stories engaging.

Gardner does what she can with Gina, but the character never feels fully realized. We’re told she hates Valentine’s Day and is unsure about her relationship, yet the film doesn’t spend enough time exploring why those feelings matter. As a result, her emotional journey feels thin. It becomes difficult to root for her choices because we never fully understand what she truly wants.

The same issue extends to the rest of the cast. Skylar Astin’s Andrew is meant to be the romantic partner the audience either roots for or against, but he’s written more as a plot device than a person. Likewise, characters played by Sabrina Bartlett and Jake Cannavale drift in and out of the story without leaving much of an impression. Even the presence of a talented actor like Marisa Tomei, who plays Wendy, can’t quite elevate the material when the screenplay gives her so little to work with.

There are occasional moments where the film’s comedic tone works. Supporting players like Lil Rel Howery and Natasha Leggero bring brief flashes of humour that remind you how fun this movie could have been with stronger writing. But those moments are fleeting.

In the end, F Valentine’s Day has the ingredients of a light romantic comedy but never finds its emotional core. Without characters the audience can truly connect with, the film feels more like a collection of situations than a story about love. And for a movie about Valentine’s Day, that’s a missed opportunity.

Grade: C-

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