February 4, 2023
FILM: SHE IS LOVE
DIRECTED BY: JAMIE ADAMS
STARRING: HALEY BENNETT, SAM RILEY, MARISA ABELA
RATING: 2 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
She is Love is a frustrating new film from writer/director Jamie Adams. The issue is that it takes much too long to get to the real substance of what she is ultimately attempting to express. The narrative concerns Patricia, played by Haley Bennett, who gets booked into an Airbnb-type of home only to discover that her ex-husband Idris and current spouse Louise are living in the same house.
This may sound like the makings for a Hallmark movie and it certainly seems that way for much of the film’s 82 minutes. The first third features Patricia engaging in some crazy antics to avoid talking to Idris. She annoyingly throws a tennis ball against the house where several windows are present and drinks all of her milk in a very childish manner. Music lends a whimsical mood so we know we’re supposed to be enjoying this but it all comes across as quite immature for someone who is seemingly in her thirties. Likewise, Idris, played by Sam Riley, still dresses like a teenager as he plays DJ for some unknown audience. This is all very long and uncomfortable.
It takes a third of the film for the two characters to finally have a real conversation. We still don’t know what the issues are between them and they spend the next third of the film making light conversation, playing songs and cards, and dancing as if ready for a romantic comedy trailer. Meanwhile Louise is rehearsing scenes for a play and generally remains removed from the other two characters in the house. It’s not clear why she’s necessary to the story or what purpose her scenes are.
So, with two thirds of the film complete, Adams finally reveals the true emotions and past between Patricia and Idris. It’s part of a very good scene where they fight with each other using a bit of the same gusto as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? What happened in the past makes for an interesting moral and philosophical discussion. Was this one mistake within a seemingly playful and loving couple worth all of the childish behavior that came later? As good as this section of the film is, Adams lets us down with a questionable ending that might satisfy some but perplex others.
There are some good elements to this film though. The actors are generally fine given what they are asked to convey. However, I can’t help but thinking what a better film this would be if what we find out and see happening late in the film arrived much earlier. There is real meat to the story it just comes too late. I don’t know if Adams was trying to fit this into a cutesy Hallmark type of narrative but she shortchanges herself and the audience.
She is Love is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime.
FILM: SHE IS LOVE
DIRECTED BY: JAMIE ADAMS
STARRING: HALEY BENNETT, SAM RILEY, MARISA ABELA
RATING: 2 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
She is Love is a frustrating new film from writer/director Jamie Adams. The issue is that it takes much too long to get to the real substance of what she is ultimately attempting to express. The narrative concerns Patricia, played by Haley Bennett, who gets booked into an Airbnb-type of home only to discover that her ex-husband Idris and current spouse Louise are living in the same house.
This may sound like the makings for a Hallmark movie and it certainly seems that way for much of the film’s 82 minutes. The first third features Patricia engaging in some crazy antics to avoid talking to Idris. She annoyingly throws a tennis ball against the house where several windows are present and drinks all of her milk in a very childish manner. Music lends a whimsical mood so we know we’re supposed to be enjoying this but it all comes across as quite immature for someone who is seemingly in her thirties. Likewise, Idris, played by Sam Riley, still dresses like a teenager as he plays DJ for some unknown audience. This is all very long and uncomfortable.
It takes a third of the film for the two characters to finally have a real conversation. We still don’t know what the issues are between them and they spend the next third of the film making light conversation, playing songs and cards, and dancing as if ready for a romantic comedy trailer. Meanwhile Louise is rehearsing scenes for a play and generally remains removed from the other two characters in the house. It’s not clear why she’s necessary to the story or what purpose her scenes are.
So, with two thirds of the film complete, Adams finally reveals the true emotions and past between Patricia and Idris. It’s part of a very good scene where they fight with each other using a bit of the same gusto as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? What happened in the past makes for an interesting moral and philosophical discussion. Was this one mistake within a seemingly playful and loving couple worth all of the childish behavior that came later? As good as this section of the film is, Adams lets us down with a questionable ending that might satisfy some but perplex others.
There are some good elements to this film though. The actors are generally fine given what they are asked to convey. However, I can’t help but thinking what a better film this would be if what we find out and see happening late in the film arrived much earlier. There is real meat to the story it just comes too late. I don’t know if Adams was trying to fit this into a cutesy Hallmark type of narrative but she shortchanges herself and the audience.
She is Love is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime.