So I’ve decided to review some movies and shows on Netflix! You are welcome. Starting with the wacky romantic comedy, Ibiza.

This is the first of a series so lets get to it…

Firstly I must say that when I say, I, I really mean the very googlable journalist Odette Parfitt. She is one of my very closest friends and has agreed to review some shows and movies on Netflix for JustEllaBella.

Odette and I have this thing we like to do, we watch cheesy movies together (in our individual houses) while commenting on Whatsapp. (In case you wondered what happened to those bookish nerds from school). I think she is insightful and hilarious and am thrilled that she agreed to do this series on my blog…

okay over to Odette:

Ibiza on Netflix

So I have very strong opinions on movies and TV shows. Which is why I’m hoping this will help you decide what to watch in the endless stream of choices on Netflix.

Basically, I’m writing this (mostly spoiler-free) review so you don’t have to spend 45 minutes trying to choose which okay-looking movie you want to play in the background while you check Instagram. (No judgement; we’ve all been there.)

Let’s start with this one:

Ibiza (2018)

Basic plot: Harper, 30-something New Yorker with a crappy job and an even worse boss, gets to go to Spain for a weekend on business and her kooky best friends tag along. Harper meets a hot DJ. I don’t feel like it’s a spoiler to say they all go to Ibiza, ‘cause it’s in the title.

How it was (probably) pitched to the producers: Think Eurotrip if it were written by a 30-something woman who also believes in love at first sight.

Thoughts:

• I’m not sure I’d be on board if my friends bullied their way into a business trip that I’m clearly stressed about, but then again it would have been a short movie if she went on her own.
• The DJ character is actually weirdly charming, but I struggled to forget that he’s a grown-ass man making a living as a DJ. (Hey, to each their own, I just find professional ginger DJs a bit difficult to relate to.)
• For a movie set in Spain/Ibiza, it really could have showed some actual Spain.
• Is this an accurate portrayal of what it’s like to be single in your 30s? (Not a rhetorical question; I expect comments.) If so, it looks painful. Too much trance and not nearly enough sleep.
• I spent most of the movie bracing myself for someone getting stabbed or assaulted, because these women are going to complete strangers’ houses – in a foreign country, no less – way too often for my anxiety levels.

Bottom line: All in all, it’s a pretty fun, light movie. The characters aren’t particularly complex and some of the jokes are a bit cringe-y, but if you’re in the mood to relax your brain, this could be a good idea.

Don’t watch in the vicinity of impressionable children, your middle-aged parents or your dominee.

Will the man in your life like it?

Highly doubtful.

Watch this if you like:

• Irish and Spanish accents
• Realistically awkward conversations between the two romantic leads

The idea of seeing Robb Stark as a successful DJ (sidebar: that is a TV show I’d watch)