Betty's Bad Luck in Love (2024 TV Movie) User Reviews

Disappointing

[atlasmb · 6/10 · 21 January 2024]

This Hallmark romance left me a little disappointed. I think the two stars are very watchable, but the story lacked variety.

Betty (Laci J. Mailey) has gone through her adult life under the belief that she was cursed. Consequently, she has seen every romantic relationship fail, and she believes she is better off not getting involved. When a new neighbor moves into her building, she notices his charms, but she wants to keep Alex (Marco Grazzini) at arm's length.

They both feel the attraction, so they dabble in dating. Betty withdraws whenever there is a hint of a problem, but never tells Alex why. This kind of behavior occupies much of the film, effectively undermining the charm of the two stars.

Neurotic

[Jackbv123 · 5/10 · 21 January 2024]

This is a bit of an unusual premise with the curse and all. Some of the adventures are a little quirky too. But what strikes me most is how uncomfortable everything is around Betty. As is often the case, our heroine is just that in her job. Extremely competent at least. But even in that I was holding my breath through much of the movie. By the time I let it out, I should have still been wary. And Betty is so neurotic that it makes me cringe. I just don't see how someone like her who jumps at absolutely everything can hold down a job much less be great at it.

Laci J Mailey and Marco Grazzini were OK together but the story just didn't sell how they reached the point of being in love. The acting was OK and the dialogue was OK, maybe better if you like quirkiness.

There was a nice role reversal in the awkward date scene.

Had Me Laughing

[athompsonblue · 7/10 · 18 April 2024]

It's a fun, fresh idea: A woman who's convinced that she's a bad luck charm for any man she dates. Between this and her job as a risk analyst, she has become a nervous wreck. And it's hilarious!

In real life, would the guy be too scared off to give her any more chances? Probably! But this is one allowance I'll make for a romantic comedy.

Even though I guessed that the movie would go for that late plot twist with Eleni, I'm still glad it did. I think it was the only mature direction to take the story.

My only big complaint: Isn't men and women playing rugby together a huge no-no? I mean, it's a full contact sport. And men are bigger and physically stronger than women. That's just a fact.

The problem with this movie...

[IdaSlapter · 7/10 · 26 January 2024]

...was they didn't set up the main character's history where they SHOWED some of her former boyfriend's mishaps. They showed one, which wasn't funny or dangerous, and that was it.

Cut to her talking and talking and talking endlessly about the problem, instead of showing WHY she freaks out so easily.

The rest of the script could've used some more structure, and that nerd potential 'boyfriend' subplot was a cliche 40 years ago.

This is unfortunate because it wasted an overall good cast. The leads, especially Marco Grazzini is so effortlessly charming, he -- and Lacey J. Mailey deserved much better.

Interesting curse premise with two attractive leads, whose chemistry makes this a recommendation.

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 27 January 2024]

This was a cute romantic comedy mainly because of the two romantic leads and their great chemistry. Both Laci J Mailey and Marco Grazzini are young and attractive and even though the script wasn't perfect they made it work and I enjoyed seeing these two together.

The story starts when Betty is in high school. Spurred by her friend Mya she gets up the courage to talk to her crush...only to have a curse put on her by another girl who liked him...fastforward to today when Betty actually crunches statistics for a living doing risk management. Every time she has gotten close to a boyfriend something has happened to him or she has called it off before it can. She has a new neighbor move in, a high risk taking traveling photographer...who doesn't seem daunted by what could happen to him. He even plays rugby!

I loved the banter between our two leads and I have to say that the character of Alex was almost too perfect and I loved his apartment's aesthetic! I think most guys would have run from Betty, good thing she is beautiful.

I was tat all sure of the premise and not the hallmark go to actors

[hypzrkunt · 7/10 · 26 January 2024]

I liked the movie. Premise didn't seem great and hadn't seen luci in anything butChesapeake Shores, but she played her part well. I think the blue contacts are too blue but her face sparkles and shows emotion. She did a really good job and probably needs more chances as hallmark needs new leading ladies. Marco was always okay but he was great here and it worked. They had chemistry , the other characters worked somewhat. I watched it twice already and say it's really good for hallmark and not bad for a regular non hallmark watch.

I don't get the review lengthrequirement from IMDb at the large number. I prefer shorter reads as most people do especially when I do t post spoilers.

Horrible

[cailbreezeu · 1/10 · 22 January 2024]

If someone was at the level of risk avoidance, they would have to be entered into a psychiatric hospital. The constant freaking out got really annoying and draining to watch. In the real world, someone like the main character Alex, wouldn't be with her ever. I felt the movie dragged on. It would have been nice if there was some more character development on the female lead roles part. If it's a rainy day with nothing to do, feel free to watch but if you want an enjoyable Hallmark movie for the night, this wasn't it for me. I saw 6.9 rating and was excited to watch it, but everyone has their own cup of tea for movies I guess.

Overprotective girlfriend

[MickyG333 · 8/10 · 11 February 2024]

7.7 stars.

The film begins on two middle schooler best friends named Betty and Mya eating lunch. Betty has a crush on an athletic boy and in her own shy way asks him out. Miraculously, he agrees (with a little help from her offering him cookies). Another girl who has a crush on the same boy places a hex on her swearing that disaster will befall her and every future boyfriend.

We jump forward 20 years, Betty has a successful career as a "number cruncher", or an actuarial analyst for a corporation. She calculates extremely important data for her CEO to make informed decisions on major acquisitions. Her best friend Mya is engaged. Betty and Mya still do everything together. Betty is still under the curse, so every relationship she's had, she feels has been doomed. She has ended them abruptly for fear of disaster happening to each guy.

She finally meets the right man, his name is Alex. He has recently moved into her apartment building. She wishes for this relationship to succeed above all others, because he could be the one. How can she make this work under the shadow of the curse?

There is a total dork at her office who has been hitting on her for a while. He's very similar to her in that he loves to solve equations and talk about probability and statistics and all that, but he's not her type. To the audience, he certainly is a full dweeb. He's short, wears a tie that's 6 inches too short and is out of style, he's very thin, and has a creepy mustache. Their interactions are somewhat humorous.

Her mother calls often attempting to set up Betty on dates with men. She is concerned about Betty's continuing anxiety about this curse. Betty has grown tired of her mom's meddling, but they still have a good relationship. She tells her mom about Alex and so mom's interference ceases for the time being.

Betty continues to fear that the curse will cause Alex's demise. It doesn't help that his job entails some dangerous situations, not to mention he enjoys rugby and camping. She is always citing him statistics about all the risky activities he enjoys, and after while her overprotectiveness becomes a problem. She becomes a bit too overprotective and this only serves to push him away.

I enjoyed the film for its many entertaining qualities, whether it's because the dialogue is humorous and witty, or because I also like to analyze stuff and crunch numbers (probably the latter is more indicative). I do fathom why many people dislike the movie. She does seem neurotic, but it's fascinating nonetheless, and she's adorable, so I wear rose colored glasses for 'Betty's Bad Luck in Love'.

Bad Luck Movie - Creepy

[elizabethjeanhampton · 2/10 · 21 January 2024]

Betty's Bad Luck in Love shows the story of a woman who believes her love life is doomed after a curse is put on her earlier in her life. This movie goes into detail on two woman who are self-centered and focused on their predicaments. While I think the movie's theme is to remind viewers not to take ourselves to seriously all the time, the plot seems to reinforce their inward focus and selfish point of view.

While most Hallmark movies have unrealistic plots and storylines, most have some interesting characters and unique situations to explore. However, Betty's Bad Luck in Love is movie which is doomed - not just her love life. My wife and I made it halfway through this creepy drivel before we switched to watching something more interesting.

A Really Entertaining Movie

[mfreburg-946-137541 · 9/10 · 7 April 2024]

"Betty's Bad Luck in Love" (2024) Hallmark

I had not seen Laci J Mailey in a movie before this one, I'd only seen her in "Chesapeake Shores." I'm a fan of hers from that, and I really liked her here too. I had seen Marco Grazzini in "Right in Front of Me," where he costarred with Janel Parrish. I really liked that movie, and he didn't disappoint in this film either.

I read other reviews where people psychoanalyzed Mailey's character and tried to compare a Hallmark fantasy romance with real life. I don't do that. I tend to watch movies, especially romance movies, for entertainment. I found "Betty's..." to be a lot of fun. The curse thing just added to the fun. Whoever thought of that and wrote it into the script came up with a new twist for a Hallmark story. There were a lot of fun and admittedly goofy--but entertaining--scenes in this movie.

I'm not going to spoil the story, so I'll just say that if you are looking for a fun romance that will take your mind off real life--if you let it--here is another one from Hallmark that should do the trick.

A Hallmark disaster.

[Avidviewer-02847 · 2/10 · 25 January 2024]

I had to double check, I thought it might have been a Reel One Entertainment movie or a Nicely movie, but no it's a Hallmark movie. This is one of the worst Hallmark movies I've ever seen. The script is rubbish and the dialog is terrible. It drags on and on with boring subplots. I think the writer must have been tripping when they wrote this script.

The actors aren't totally bad, but even they couldn't salvage a disastrous script. Curses are a cliched plot and add to it the fact that the lead is a risk manager and it was all downhill. I fast forwarded through boring scenes and repetitious dialog.

I liked Marco Grazzini and some of the support staff.

Absolutely Ridiculous

[kjc-32205 · 1/10 · 27 January 2024]

From start to finish, this movie is a disaster (no pun intended). The interaction between the high school characters was bizarre and not realistic. The messages in the storyline are disturbing especially the stalking aspect. There is nothing romantic or justifiable in stalking. It's just weird and disturbing behavior for anyone. The paying for a jinx cure - bad human behavior. The "my wedding is falling apart I'll take my bff's money." Bad behavior. The rescue scene made no sense at all. The main character just showing up was looney. Did she have a teleportation machine? First she's in the office. Then magically she's at the scene of the fire. Then miraculously she's back in the office. The dancing down the hall to falling down the stairs scene. Foolish. The realization conversation about the curse with the adult version of the teen who hexed the main character. Really? Either Hallmark is just trying to churn out as many new movies as possible or that vetting team needs to be fired because they are sleeping on the job. Even the wedding scene was beyond silly and childish. Who wrote this - a thirteen year old?

Fear of a curse or fear of commitment

[stampmyart · 4/10 · 22 January 2024]

Acting was decent, but the story-line needs some revamping.

This starts off cute enough, I mean what 6th-8th grader wouldn't want to think they had enough power over someone to completely change their behavior. Even more so that the person actually believes it was true for long into adulthood, ha, that's funny! But, really 20 years later and this ditz is still believing in this stuff!? Ugh, life happens. We grow up. We learn that not everything has a reason, sometimes stuff just is...but to keep dumping boyfriend after boyfriend for no reason other than this mysterious curse and claim it's because she doesn't want the person to get hurt?! Seriously, that's just an EXCUSE to "fear commitment"! The fact this new person keeps putting up with her ridiculous constant breaking up with him is baffling. I get it, he's in love with her, but why? Nothing showed any substance of why he should be so head-over-heals in love with this woman that he would put up with this BS. He's more than good looking, so it's not that unless he's that super insecure, but his character doesn't give off that vibe. This would have been better as a fantasy romance and change it to she didn't believe until all these things started happening to her and the schoolmate really was a witch and they had to undo the curse. As it stands the reaction is a normal reaction by an adult years later forgetting the way they treated the other person and having no idea what the blazes was going on... Curse ad nauseam much! Ugh! By the end I was glad my curse of choosing to watch this was over.

Overall, the acting was decent, but the story was lacking, the characters reasons for staying together is weak considering her previous abandonment, I mean if it's from love and not commitment issues, why would this one be any different????

Attractive stars undermined by an irritating story

[MichaelByTheSea · 4/10 · 6 February 2024]

I really appreciate how Hallmark tries to come up with new and different variations of their successful romance formula. But this story (about a bad luck childhood curse) was just annoying. It reminded me of "Just My Luck" with Lindsay Lohan, and that's not a good thing.

Laci J Mailey (from "Chesapeake Shores") and Marco Grazzini (from "Virgin River") are good looking and engaging leads. Grazzini had the easy aasignment of being smooth and charming and then understandably befuddled by Mailey's character. But Mailey was given the thankless task of being completely neurotic and unhinged throughout much of the movie "... because all the men in her life will have horrible things happen to them if they get too close."

I just didn't like the premise. I kept hoping she'd realize the curse was nonsense. But, instead, poor Mailey is constantly forced to act like her character is having a series of panic attacks (in an elevator, at a rugby match, on a camping trip, at a fire, etc.). And they're played for laughs that weren't funny.

I also wasn't amused by the MANY scenes involving Felix, the well meaning but socially inept and frankly intrusive office nerd. Fortunately, Mailey's character wasn't unkind, but the moviemakers clearly intended viewers to see him as an object of derision.

I was also appalled at the multiple loud talking scenes during yoga classes. It was extremely disrespectful behavior that did not reflect well on the characters.

Perhaps the biggest problem with this "love story" is the lack of focus on the love story itself. The lovers were kept apart from each other throughout because of Betty's fear that harm would come to Alex if they were together. Instead of watching these two spend time together and fall in love, we are constantly bombarded with Betty saying she can't be with him.

Ugh. I'd like to see the two leads in a different and better movie.

Great actors, lame storyline

[mjking-17200 · 5/10 · 22 April 2024]

I've got to start off by saying that I absolutely adore the two leads. They are great actors and I've loved them in other movies I've seen. BUT their acting skills and chemistry were wasted on this storyline. Not a fan of this trend I'm seeing in hallmark to throw in a witch or psychic with some lame curse or creepy prediction and call that a storyline. We need an actual premise please. Saw this again in another hallmark movie The Marry Me Pact. Again two good actors doing their best with a subpar "the psychic said" nonsense storyline that fell flat. I say my love of the actors made me stick it out but it won't be on a favorites list.