Tag Archives: Romance

Apr 2 2021

The Drifters (2019) Movie Review

The Drifters – Nice Finding Yourself Movie

Director: Ben Bond

Writer: Ben Bond (Screenplay)

Starring: Jonathan Ajayi, Lucie Bourdeu, Tia Bannon, Ariyon Bakare

Plot: Koffee, an African migrant, and Fanny, a French waitress, are two lost souls who attempt to find home in one another and escape the labels that inevitably leave them homeless. A sun-drenched romance about identity.

Runtime: 1 Hour 31 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Drifters starts as we meet a French waitress Fanny (Bourdeu) and an African migrant Koffee (Ajayi) who are both studying English in London who meet and after Koffee needs to go on the run from his past, the two look to go on their own adventure around the country, with plans to reach America.

As their adventure continues they get closer and learn that the lost souls might well have finally found a place for themselves in this world.

Thoughts on The Drifters

Thoughts – The Drifters follows two people Koffee and Fanny who are from different backgrounds, that come together to go on their own adventure and learn more about themselves as they search for a place to call their own. They are both dreamers, who have left their homes to take this risk. Jonathan Ajayi and Lucie Bourdeu are both wonderful to watch, as they give us the captivating performances that make us just want to see where they will go next. The negative side of the film comes from the attempted adventure doesn’t seem to go much further than this one location, where they will need to find a way to survive in this world. There are a few scenes which feel like they are all about the fantasy of a better life, the one they have both searched for, for years, which is the most interesting side of the film.

 

The Drifters is a lovely tale of two people that just want their place in the world and finding it with each other.

Visit The Drifters Website Here and check out the film on iTunes Here

Mar 20 2021

ABC Film Challenge – Favourites – T – The Tomorrow Man (2019) Movie Review

The Tomorrow Man – Beautiful Study on Loneliness

Director: Noble Jones

Writer: Noble Jones (Screenplay)

Starring: John Lithgow, Blythe Danner, Derek Cecil, Katie Aselton, Sophie Thatcher, Eve Harlow, Wendy Makkena

Plot: Ed Hemsler spends his life preparing for a disaster that may never come. Ronnie Meisner spends her life shopping for things she may never use. These two people will try to find love.


Tagline – Experience 2019’s First Great Romantic Comedy for Grown-Ups!

Runtime: 1 Hour 34 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Tomorrow Man starts as we meet Ed (Lithgow) a man that has always planned for the worst, believing the world might come to an end the next day, he goes about his day, teaching himself everyday, being nice to everyone around him. He meets Ronnie (Danner) a woman that enjoys spending that seems like she is the opposite to Ed, being more relaxed about life, despite what she has been through.

As the two become closer they learn that they have both been suffering from the same thing, loneliness and give each other a chance to have a friend, partner in the remaining part of their lives, where they could be happy.

Thoughts on The Tomorrow Man

Characters & Performances – Ed is a friendly man, he spends his time prepping for what he believes will be a disaster. While he is friendly, he does keep to himself until he sees Ronnie, believing they are the same, letting someone into his life once again. He does have a strained relationship with his son, which he is always trying to rebuild, but the two argue over the littlest of things. John Lithgow is wonderful in this role, showing the man who is confident, but vulnerable. Ronnie is the lady that Ed meets, he believes she is like him with how she acts with spending, she lets Ed into her life, despite the fact she is dealing with the everlasting pain of losing a child. She lets Ed into her life, liking having somebody around her to make her feel safe for the fist time in a while. Blythe Danner is wonderful too, with the pair giving us a great couple that have the clear signs on loneliness and just want happiness. The supporting characters will bring moments of comedy with Janet the co-worker doing the role reversal teaching Ronnie about relationships despite her young age. Brian is the son of Ed that does clash with him, but you know the two of them do have a deep love between the pair.

Story – The story here follows a couple of older people that are living their lonely lives when they end up meeting and getting on, exposing the truth behind their secrets to competent for their loneliness, as they prepare to enjoy the next years of their lives. This is a perfect look at how difficult life can become for the older generation that is often being left more isolated from family and are falling behind with the modern technologies of the world. We learn that not everyone is doing the same as you, they are putting on a brave face about life and they that people will have pain in their lives from the time before you met them.

Themes – The Tomorrow Man is a romantic drama that shows us just how life could bring someone into your life, and they could change everything that has been happening, helping you fix the wrongs in your life. The small town setting shows helps by showing us how Ed has got to know everyone, being welcomed in the neighbourhood.

The Tomorrow Man is a lovely drama that shows you can find love at any stage of your life.

Mar 8 2021

ABC Film Challenge – Favourites – H – Hampstead (2017) Movie Review

Director: Joel Hopkins

Writer: Robert Festinger (Screenplay)

Starring: Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson, James Norton, Lesley Manville, Simon Callow

Plot: An American widow finds unexpected love with a man living wild on Hampstead Heath when they take on the developers who want to destroy his home.


Tagline – See love from a new perspective

Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Great Drama

Story: Hampstead starts as widowed American Emily (Keaton) is starting to see her funds dry up with her charity shop job not helping make her life easier, her son is looking to move away and her, with the leader of her apartment Fiona (Manville) trying to force Emily into different mindset, which includes the destruction of the old hospital across the road from them.

Emily learns of a hermit Donald (Gleeson) peacefully living on the land and the two hit it off, learning that life is worth enjoying, not destroying, which sees Emily finding a cause to fight for, as she starts to find love once again.

Thoughts on Hampstead

Characters – Emily is a widow who has been getting on with her life, not taking life too seriously after her husband’s death, working in a charity shop, listening to people that have bigger plans, just going along with them. Her son is looking to move away leaving her alone, until she learns of a hermit living across the road from her flat, one that she wants to help keep his home, that has been planned for destruction for a new flat. Her kind nature is what makes her special, she doesn’t want to use the position her husband left her in to look down on people. Donald is the hermit living in the heath, he has done for years now, he keeps to himself, while having a connection to the locals, who respect the work he does for them, where he never bothers anyone in life, he must learn to accept help with Emily trying to help him keep his home, the one people want to take away from him, meaning he must hide his aggressive side, which could cause more problems. Philip is Emily’s son that has stay around longer than he would have liked to, where he is going to be living away soon. Fiona runs the flat, trying to keep everyone together in decisions regarding the flat, using the position of power to keep everyone away from the lower classes.

Performances – Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson in the leading roles are fantastic, they bring to life these two characters with ease, being enjoyable to watch throughout. Lesley Manville does bring the closest side to a villain to life, being the rich person looking down on people.

Story – The story here follows a widow that befriends a hermit as they fall in love in the fight to keep his shack from destruction from developers who want to put a new flat structure there. This is a story that shows that people need to learn other people’s stories in life before deciding they are causing problems, open up to life and learn more about the people around you. It shows that even after losing loved ones, you could find love in the last place you look and that if something is worth fighting for, you can help people. This is told in the sweetest way without needing to become too in your face either.

Comedy/Romance – The comedy in the film comes from see how the unlikely duo come together in life, with the romance playing into that showing us that life isn’t always what you expect it to be.

Settings – The film uses the settings very well, we see the luxury like flats that Emily lives in, along with peace and quiet that Donald lives in, even in the big city.


Scene of the Movie – Court case.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – How the rich act.

Final Thoughts – This is an enjoyable romantic comedy that shows that you can find happiness in the strangest places in life, carried by excellent performances.

Overall: Enjoyable.

Mar 5 2021

Heavy Duty Lovers (2021) Movie Review

Heavy Duty Lovers – Fun Rom Com

Director: Luis Estrada, Lou Pizarro

Writer: Luis Estrada, Lou Pizarro, Peter Fernandez (Screenplay)

Starring: Lou Pizarro, Lucia Blok, Leni Rico, Zamara Jimenez, Eric Roberts, David Plascencia

Plot: L.A. attorney finds himself with a broken heart and thinks his life is over until he meets his soulmate from a different country, who has just experienced the same heart broken experience from her evil spouse. They are about to realize that the one thing that cost their spouses to abandoned them is also the one thing that will bring them together, “food”.

Runtime: 1 Hour 46 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Heavy Duty Lovers starts as we meet Lou (Pizarro) a LA attorney that is excellent at his job, but he does enjoy his food, with his wife, boss Mr Peters (Roberts) and co-workers questioning his weight. Elena (Blok) is a tour guide in Mexico who is also suffering from the same pressure that Lou does, with both seeing their relationships falling apart.

When Lou’s daughter and Elena’s friend set up accounts on the dating website Heavy Duty Lovers, the pair reluctantly agree to talk and get to know each other, falling in love over their fondness of food.

Thoughts on Heavy Duty Lovers

Thoughts – Heavy Duty Lovers follows two people who enjoy their food that have seen their lives suffer because of the people around them, be it partners, co-workers or even boss, despite having a friend around them that will support their kind-nature. They need to find love, like anyone, which will see them turning to a dating site, that will offer them a chance to fall in love with a like-minded people. The characters that are mean towards the pair, are the type of people they don’t need in their lives, because they are good people that just want a good life. The performances from the two leads are strong throughout, but when we get into the supporting roles, some of them don’t hit the same standards as the leading pair. It does have an important message about treating people equal no matter what they look like. The twin locations show us the busy life in LA compared to the more relaxed life in Mexico, even though it is a tourist style visit. The film does use film references that will play into the comedy, as the quotes are ones we are all meant to know.

 

Heavy Duty Lovers is a fun romantic comedy that will get the laughs and carries a big heart.

Mar 3 2021

My Secret Billionaire (2021) Movie Review

My Secret Billionaire – Charming Romantic Comedy

Director: Fraydun Manocherian

Writer: Fraydun Manocherian (Screenplay)

Starring: Victor Alfieri, Lone Skye, Sarah Steele, Talia Shire

Plot: To satisfy his father’s wish, a handsome and powerful billionaire travels alone, without money, and without using his real name to New York City. When the former playboy meets an attractive and down-to-earth real estate agent, the reason behind his father’s wish becomes apparent and they both discover that true love is something that money just can’t buy.


Tagline – Love is something money can’t buy

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: My Secret Billionaire starts when playboy billionaire Ferro Olivetti (Alfieri) learns the tragic news about his father being left with very little time to live, which will see him return to Italy for one last visit. Ferro is asked to complete one final request by his father, to travel to somewhere without using his identity to meet someone new, without his wealth being a factor in their relationship.

Ferro adopts the name of Claude and travels around New York looking for a job, home and he uses his good nature to meet Mr Curtis, a strict businessman who never gives anyone a chance a role as a chauffeur. In this role he gets to meet real estate agent Diane (Skye) who has been suffering with her own nightmares, something Ferro can help her solve.

Thoughts on My Secret Billionaire

Characters & Performances – Ferro Olivetti is a successful businessman from a traditional family, his company is on the verge of making him a billionaire. He has always followed in his family traditions, which means when his father takes a turn for the worse, he is given one last task, live one month like a normal person, hide his identity and try to make a living and meet somebody who will fall for him, not his money. Ferro has a patient nature that will give him time to get to know people, being one of the most kind-natured people in the world. Victor Alfieri is great in this leading role, he brings the opening nature of his confidence to make this character one of the nicest you will see this year. Diane is the shy, struggling real state agent that has been trying to put her life back together. She meets Ferro who helps her feel happy for the first time in a long time, seeing her take extra chances in her life. Lone Skye does bring us a more grounded damaged character that has been through a lot that is fragile at this moment in her life.

Story – The story here follows a billionaire who wants to honour his father’s dying wish to spend a month away from his fortune, being an everyday person, looking to find a job and love, in a place where nobody knows his true identity. This is a story that we might well have seen before with a person needing to find love without the people around them knowing the truth. It gets the important message about treating people well and the right thing will come together in life, showing respect to anyone who offers honesty in life. When it comes to the romantic side of the story, it does show us how people can fall in love quickly, without planning anything in life, love can just come around and hit hard.

Themes – My Secret Billionaire does bring us a romantic story that shows how love can hit suddenly without any planning, showing it will make people think again suddenly in life. The comedy does come from the supporting roles, which will get the laughs without taking away from the bigger picture. The New York backdrop is always going to help a romantic comedy shine, as it will give you a chance to meet people who might help you in life.

 

My Secret Billionaire is an enjoyable rom com that will get the big message about treating people right in life.