I'm a big fan of Hallmark movies and Lacey Chabert is one of my favorites, but this film just didn't grab me. The best aspect of Love on Safari is the absolutely gorgeous location and scenery, and I appreciate the underlying messages about conservation, honoring the past, and being a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. The overall story however is mediocre and not terribly compelling. Lacey is worth watching, and the other actors are competent, but the romance between the lead characters lacks chemistry and just isn't convincing. I gave it 7 stars only because of the beautiful location and photography. Worth the time for the stunning scenery, but not much else.
45 Reviews
good location
SnoopyStyle6 July 2019
Kira Slater (Lacey Chabert) is busy making websites from a Chicago office. She goes to South Africa to the reading of his beloved uncle's will although she hadn't seen him for a long while. To the shock of everybody, he left his safari reserve to her even though she hadn't been there since childhood. Tom Anderson is the head ranger and Ally Botsman is a ranger. Lwazi is the manager. Kira immediately gets an offer from a cookie cutter resort corporation. Tom is desperate to keep Kira from selling and decides to make her fall in love with him. It doesn't help that she has a boyfriend back in Chicago and she only wants to go home.
The only cool thing is the location. The scheme is very high school. The romance is nothing special. I love Lacey but the guy is a dud. He's more background actor than leading man. There is no heat and it fails in all the rom-com tropes. I don't understand the advantage of holding back the stepsiblings relationship. This movie is best on safari. I want the animals. I want more animals. I want the actors with the animals although they don't get much interactions. It's great to see the safari although it's not the level of a modern nature film. The romance isn't much. This is location, location, location.
The only cool thing is the location. The scheme is very high school. The romance is nothing special. I love Lacey but the guy is a dud. He's more background actor than leading man. There is no heat and it fails in all the rom-com tropes. I don't understand the advantage of holding back the stepsiblings relationship. This movie is best on safari. I want the animals. I want more animals. I want the actors with the animals although they don't get much interactions. It's great to see the safari although it's not the level of a modern nature film. The romance isn't much. This is location, location, location.
Safari??? Yes, please!
ginasharp1 September 2020
I will watch any Hallmark film with Lacey Chabert in it! It is always guaranteed to be a keeper. :) I really enjoyed the scenery which surprisingly (or not, lol) over-shadowed the storyline because it was so beautiful. The animals were so cool to see too! The storyline was cute, as I have said in my other Hallmark reviews, I prefer the storylines where two people meet for the first time versus old flames. This was an adventurous ride. It is best watched with a soft blankie (preferably with an animal print) a roaring fire (or video on your Ipad of said fire), and a lovely cup of iced lemonade! *Get it: heat because of safari but lemonade for cooling off! Enjoy :)
A transpiring experience but didn't see them fall in love
phd_travel17 September 2018
The on location filming in Africa is the best part of this movie. Hallmark is transporting people all over nowadays.
The story is typical save the place and fall in love thing and give up your old life. Lacey needs to vary her speech patterns a little. Sounds a bit chirpy. Didn't notice a real romance develop probably less than in other Hallmark movies.
OK for
Romance?
susan509619 January 2019
The story was thin but that's not rare for Hallmark movies. The lead male actor was neither attractive nor a good actor and that was the main problem for me. There was no romantic energy in this film at all and I've seen Chabert strike sparks with a plethora of male leads. That bit of poor casting really cost this film.
The animals, the scenery, and the South African cast were wonderful. In fact.
The animals, the scenery, and the South African cast were wonderful. In fact.
Enjoyed this movie
comalley494 April 2020
Beautiful location, gorgeous shots of animals and vistas, gentle romantic storyline with well casted main characters and the most wonderful singing by Cape Town youth choir as a finale. Would love to have the sountrack.
Discrepancy
virginiacorcoran15 April 2020
An African Adventure of Love
alaskabeth31 July 2018
Love on Safari
JoBloTheMovieCritic20 July 2019
Love on Safari
studioAT11 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Lacey Chabert is one of the more reliable Hallmark leading ladies, and has appeared in more good than bad films for the channel (though I remember 'Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe' not being great), but unfortunately she really comes unstuck in this dire outing.
From the very very far-fetched premise (and this is saying something for a Hallmark film) and a storyline that drags all the way through.
I thought the chemistry between her and the leading man was pretty much non-existent, with the love story element feeling very much tacked on at the end. This is a long than average Hallmark film by about three minutes, and that extra time felt like it was spent trying to cram all of the romantic set-up and conclusion, because there'd been none of this prior.
I was bored throughout, and don't think this really was the best example of Lacey Chabert's work for the channel.
From the very very far-fetched premise (and this is saying something for a Hallmark film) and a storyline that drags all the way through.
I thought the chemistry between her and the leading man was pretty much non-existent, with the love story element feeling very much tacked on at the end. This is a long than average Hallmark film by about three minutes, and that extra time felt like it was spent trying to cram all of the romantic set-up and conclusion, because there'd been none of this prior.
I was bored throughout, and don't think this really was the best example of Lacey Chabert's work for the channel.
Love on Safari
allmoviesfan22 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This one works.
Granted, the basic Hallmark plot is here: girl meets boy, falls in love, something adverse happens, they reconcile and there's a happy ever after moment. But, the key point of difference - other than the presence of Lacey Chabert and Jon Cor as the romantic leads, who mesh well together - is the setting. The bulk of Love on Safari takes place on a South African game preserve, which means lots of stunning wildlife and landscape shots. The location and how the director wove in the animals and countryside so seamlessly into the movie makes this Hallmark romance stand out from the very large pack.
Chabert plays Kira, who travels to South Africa to find that she has inherited the preserve she spent time on as a kid. Now a website developer in Chicago, she doesn't have the time or the inclination to run it. Enter rugged ranger Tom, who sets out to convince Kira to not sell the preserve to a resort conglomerate. And, of course, they fall in love. Cliched? Yes? Predictable? Also, yes. But enjoyable thanks largely to the locations and, of course, the gorgeous Lacey Chabert.
Granted, the basic Hallmark plot is here: girl meets boy, falls in love, something adverse happens, they reconcile and there's a happy ever after moment. But, the key point of difference - other than the presence of Lacey Chabert and Jon Cor as the romantic leads, who mesh well together - is the setting. The bulk of Love on Safari takes place on a South African game preserve, which means lots of stunning wildlife and landscape shots. The location and how the director wove in the animals and countryside so seamlessly into the movie makes this Hallmark romance stand out from the very large pack.
Chabert plays Kira, who travels to South Africa to find that she has inherited the preserve she spent time on as a kid. Now a website developer in Chicago, she doesn't have the time or the inclination to run it. Enter rugged ranger Tom, who sets out to convince Kira to not sell the preserve to a resort conglomerate. And, of course, they fall in love. Cliched? Yes? Predictable? Also, yes. But enjoyable thanks largely to the locations and, of course, the gorgeous Lacey Chabert.
Not a travel movie
ronbokirk30 July 2018
If this were a travel documentary it would be worthy of all the praise other reviewers have given it. South Africa was wonderful.
Casting was great. I was happy to see Britanny Bristow getting bigger parts. She is really good.
The only problem is this was NOT a travel movie but was supposed to be a Romance. The romantic leads were well paired, but the love scenes
were void of emotion or "fireworks". It had the potential for 10 stars but without the romance it only earned 5.
Pleasant Hallmark movie, filmed in S. Africa.
TxMike29 August 2022
I didn't realize until now the connection Lacey Chaubert and I have - we both have Cajun ancestry. I first saw her in "Party of Five", she was about 12 when it started. She stars in this movie, she was about 35 when it was filmed.
She plays Kira, a website designer living and working in Chicago. He has a relative in S. Africa, she had visited a couple of times as she was growing up but hadn't been there as an adult. Now she gets news he has died, she is in his will, she needs to travel to S. Africa for the reading of the will.
It turns out to be quite a shock, he wanted to keep his wildlife reserve, with elephants, lions, zebras, and other indigenous African animals, in the family so it was willed to Kira. She is a Chicago girl, she knows nothing about reserves and animals and she is certain she will not keep it. So her task is to find a buyer and sell it.
But this being a Hallmark movie, love will play a big role and as the story moves along Kira finds out what her priorities really are. My wife and I enjoyed it at home, streaming on Amazon Prime. Being a Hallmark movie it is clean, pleasant entertainment. Plus the cinematography in S. Africa is splendid!
She plays Kira, a website designer living and working in Chicago. He has a relative in S. Africa, she had visited a couple of times as she was growing up but hadn't been there as an adult. Now she gets news he has died, she is in his will, she needs to travel to S. Africa for the reading of the will.
It turns out to be quite a shock, he wanted to keep his wildlife reserve, with elephants, lions, zebras, and other indigenous African animals, in the family so it was willed to Kira. She is a Chicago girl, she knows nothing about reserves and animals and she is certain she will not keep it. So her task is to find a buyer and sell it.
But this being a Hallmark movie, love will play a big role and as the story moves along Kira finds out what her priorities really are. My wife and I enjoyed it at home, streaming on Amazon Prime. Being a Hallmark movie it is clean, pleasant entertainment. Plus the cinematography in S. Africa is splendid!
Chabert on Safari?
MickyG33326 March 2023
6.9 stars.
Picturesque, full of wonderful wilderness footage and filmed on location...these aspects of "Love on Safari" are worth noting. The plot, characters, and dialogue... not so much. Talk about a most ordinary story and a concoction of the most basic ideas that Hallmark has to offer...
Filming in such a beautiful location with so much potential begs for more excitement, drama and energy. First of all, Chabert, while she is a wonderful Hallmark icon, is not the right choice for the role if Kira. Actually, a better choice would have been Bristow, who is the supporting young blonde, and is literally perfect for the leading role. I bet dollars to donuts she was the first choice, but in 2018 she was not getting lead roles yet. It appears her first leading role was in "Holiday Date" (2019), which was not worse, or better than "Love on Safari". However, she's been female lead in several movies since, and she's great.
Let's look at the male characters. Tom (Cor) does a poor job, and the other male who portrays Kira's boyfriend is simply dreadful. My theory is Hallmark spent too much money on the location and since Chabert probably wanted to do this film, they gave it to her, which meant a bit more money, and they broke the budget. And to think that they miscasted her anyway...Her character is too much of a girly girl, not lithe or athletic, just too clumsy. Chabert cannot do outdoorsy, it's just not in her wheelhouse. Why not choose Reeser, Lenz, or Taylor Cole? Yes, Cole would have been the number one choice for this character, hands down.
There is just about zero chemistry between the actors. The song and dance (literally) of the South African natives was out of sorts and distasteful. If I were to recommend anything it would be the the scenery and atmosphere, but the story is forgettable. I will remember this as that cool safari Hallmark film with a bland plot.
Picturesque, full of wonderful wilderness footage and filmed on location...these aspects of "Love on Safari" are worth noting. The plot, characters, and dialogue... not so much. Talk about a most ordinary story and a concoction of the most basic ideas that Hallmark has to offer...
Filming in such a beautiful location with so much potential begs for more excitement, drama and energy. First of all, Chabert, while she is a wonderful Hallmark icon, is not the right choice for the role if Kira. Actually, a better choice would have been Bristow, who is the supporting young blonde, and is literally perfect for the leading role. I bet dollars to donuts she was the first choice, but in 2018 she was not getting lead roles yet. It appears her first leading role was in "Holiday Date" (2019), which was not worse, or better than "Love on Safari". However, she's been female lead in several movies since, and she's great.
Let's look at the male characters. Tom (Cor) does a poor job, and the other male who portrays Kira's boyfriend is simply dreadful. My theory is Hallmark spent too much money on the location and since Chabert probably wanted to do this film, they gave it to her, which meant a bit more money, and they broke the budget. And to think that they miscasted her anyway...Her character is too much of a girly girl, not lithe or athletic, just too clumsy. Chabert cannot do outdoorsy, it's just not in her wheelhouse. Why not choose Reeser, Lenz, or Taylor Cole? Yes, Cole would have been the number one choice for this character, hands down.
There is just about zero chemistry between the actors. The song and dance (literally) of the South African natives was out of sorts and distasteful. If I were to recommend anything it would be the the scenery and atmosphere, but the story is forgettable. I will remember this as that cool safari Hallmark film with a bland plot.
Adventure
rdysonphotography6 August 2022
Such a wonderful story of adventure and love. It's full of beautiful scenery, animals and spontaneity. Of course, two men are jockeying for her love. I won't tell who wins! It was heartwarming watching her emerge from her shell.
Gorgeous Scenery but That's It
moho-4026029 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I would have given the movie one star but felt it deserved two as it was shot in South Africa and the wildlife and the scenery are breathtaking. But anything redeeming about this movie stops right there. Lacey Chabert seems to be playing the same character over and over again on these Hallmark movies and she can do so much better (one of her standout HM is The Color of Rain--check it out), but lately she seems to be phoning it in and I guess I can't blame her as there are no acting challenges in her movies of late. The storyline is insipid--an old forgotten uncle leaves his only surviving relative--a niece he barely knows, his life's work of a wildlife refuge.
The Hallmark formula ensues--girl meets boy, girl has a boyfriend but falls in love with boy, confusion of feelings, girl leaves boyfriend and falls into the arms of boy. I think all Hallmark fans get the picture.
The dialog was awful. Lacey's character said "wow" at least a dozen times in the first hour and toward the end I felt like I was watching an old Rooney/Garland "let's put on a show" movies where the farm is saved (in this case a wildlife refuge) and all ends with a kiss.
I did like the lead actor John Cor. Never heard or saw him before but he does have HM potential. The second female banana played by Brittany Bristow was annoying. She had a silly smile plastered across her face most of the movie and then out of the blue tells the lead male actor he's in love with the Lacey Chabert character. All this after about three days in the wild.
As I have said in my other HM reviews, I really do love HM channel movies, but they are starting to get very long in the tooth and they truly need to mix it up somehow. This was pretty much the same story we've seen in their famous Countdown to Christmas, Valentine's, Spring and June weddings, just a with a few lions, giraffes, and rhinos thrown in.
The Hallmark formula ensues--girl meets boy, girl has a boyfriend but falls in love with boy, confusion of feelings, girl leaves boyfriend and falls into the arms of boy. I think all Hallmark fans get the picture.
The dialog was awful. Lacey's character said "wow" at least a dozen times in the first hour and toward the end I felt like I was watching an old Rooney/Garland "let's put on a show" movies where the farm is saved (in this case a wildlife refuge) and all ends with a kiss.
I did like the lead actor John Cor. Never heard or saw him before but he does have HM potential. The second female banana played by Brittany Bristow was annoying. She had a silly smile plastered across her face most of the movie and then out of the blue tells the lead male actor he's in love with the Lacey Chabert character. All this after about three days in the wild.
As I have said in my other HM reviews, I really do love HM channel movies, but they are starting to get very long in the tooth and they truly need to mix it up somehow. This was pretty much the same story we've seen in their famous Countdown to Christmas, Valentine's, Spring and June weddings, just a with a few lions, giraffes, and rhinos thrown in.
Waaaaaay too long
yehudis-4015012 August 2022
Sitting through this movie was very difficult as it felt extremely long. I've given ten stars cuz it was a fun game of screaming at the tv with my sister trying to get the male love interest (idk his name) to whip off his shirt mid convo.
Film has great scenery and good concept
bobhow-16 July 2019
I was drawn to the storyline and the idea behind this film. It misses on not fully embracing the African people and the wildlife as the main focus. That part of the film needed to be prominent and that part of the film works but it needs to drive the film rather than being an accessory. As a musician reviewing it, I have to say that the film score was mostly dreadful with computer generated synthesized sound and music that detracted from the movie rather than enhancing it. The singing at the end of the film on the film score, however, was excellent and so was the music performed by members of the cast during the film. If these musical elements could have been incorporated more into the film, this would have made a big difference and it would have been nice to hear more real musicians performing on real instruments rather than this dreadful synth instrumental sound. The musical conception for the sound track needed to be more authentic and incorporate African style musical motives.
Nice movie
charlotte-simms-4951716 June 2020
Turn the music down
jinty-reid8 July 2019
Right from the beginning the music was irritating and drowned out the dialogue. Plot lacked depth, predictable,the acting sugary sweet ,overly polite and not real. The scenery was beautiful and the conservation theme meaningful which saved the film.
One of my favorite Hallmarks in a long time!
jml198820 October 2020
This movie completely transported me to South Africa along with it. The whole movie was literally my DREAM! Unfortunately, I don't have any relatives in foreign countries that own cool things to bequeath to me (that I know of). My only gripe is that I wish Keira had had her special moment with Kimba. I kept waiting for that to happen because of her childhood memory but it never did.
Cut the Music Hallmark!!!
uamo4 February 2020
I had to turn this movie off after 10 minutes or I was going to lose it. I am so tired of the background music in these movies being so loud, continuous and completely out of place. None of it fits, it all sounds exactly the same and IT. NEVER. STOPS! I am about to call it quits on Hallmark movies.
Great movie and cast
karenabaker25 September 2018
I LOVED this movie!!!!! Lacey Chabert was great, and truly loved John Cor in this picture! The message of protecting wildlife made it more than just a romance movie. All in all, it was a totally wonderful feel good movie, with lessons along the way about wildlife, and how much your comfort zone can grow when you let it. The scenery was amazing, and I very much agree with her "wow" reaction to a lot of things. This is one of those movies that I hope to eventually find on DVD so that I can add it to my collection of movies to watch time and again. I hope all of the cast makes it into more Hallmark movies.
Thank you for such an enjoyable time.
Thank you for such an enjoyable time.
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