Tag: Romance

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Movie Review

Find Me Falling (2024) Movie Review

Find Me Falling – Movie Review

Get ready for a captivating movie experience with 'Find Me Falling'. Follow the story of rock star John Allman and his encounters on a dreamy Mediterranean island.

Director: Stelana Kliris

Writer: Stelana Kliris (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: After a failed comeback album, rock star John Allman escapes to a dreamy Mediterranean island, only to discover that his new cliffside home has an unfortunate notoriety that attracts unwanted visitors and an old flame.

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Find Me Falling starts when washed-up rock star John Allman (Connick Jr) moves to Cyprus to escape the busy life. He wants a quiet life and runs into a lost love Sia (Scott) who has had her own life as a doctor on the island. However, things get confusing when John has been getting help from her daughter Melina (Whitney).

The two must decide what they want from the future, after realizing they gave up so many years ago. However, it means they must change and move out of the spotlight once and for all.

Verdict on Find Me Falling

Find Me Falling is a romance movie following a washed-up rock star who wants a quiet life. He moves to Cyprus and ends up meeting an old love and learning more about his past. However, it complicates things when he learns about the life, he never knew he could have had.

This movie shows that life can go in a range of directions. It shows that fame can change people, but cause problems for real happiness. This might follow a more traditional concept, but it gets everything right and keeps the story heartfelt. The performances are great and if you want a nice enjoyable romance movie with beautiful scenary, this checks all the boxes.

Where to Watch

Find Me Falling is available on Netflix now.

Final Thoughts – Find Me Falling is a nice enjoyable romance movie.

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Movie Review

The Last Letter From your Lover (2021) Movie Review

The Last Letter From Your Lover – ABC Film Challenge – Female Director – L – The Last Letter From your Love – Movie Review

Last Letter From your Lover

Director: Augustine Frizzell

Writer: Nick Payne, Esta Spalding, Jojo Moyes (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A pair of interwoven stories set in the past and present follow an ambitious journalist determined to solve the mystery of a forbidden love affair at the center of a trove of secret love letters from 1965.

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Last Letter From Your Lover starts when an ambitious journalist Ellie Haworth (Jones) is looking for her latest story. She learns of a series of secret letters from Jennifer Stirling (Woodley) in 1965. The more Ellie dives into the letters, the more secrets about this famous married woman she learns of.

When Ellie learns of the secret affair with Anthony O’Hare (Turner) she wants to learn more. This leads her down a rabbit hole of more letters, where she can put together a story of their love together.

Verdict on The Last Letter From Your Lover

The Last Letter From Your Lover is a romantic drama following a journalist trying to learn more about a secret love of a famous person. She gets access to her secret letters and starts looking for a new story, all while finding love herself.

This is a movie that gets to explore the fascination with forbidden love and wanting the perfect love. It shows us how the characters get caught up in the middle of trying to find a story. There isn’t too much to go on with the fact it was meant to be a private affair that leads into the bigger love story. It feels like Ellie is just filling her empty life with a love story between two wealthy people.

Final Thoughts – The Last Letter From Your Lover is more focused on the fantasy of love than understanding it.

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Movie Review

Lily Darling (2023) Movie Review

Lily Darling – Movie Review

Read our review of Lily Darling, a captivating movie about the rebellious Darling and her transformative journey of self-discovery.

Director: Stefanie Hubbard

Writer: Stefanie Hubbard (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Reilly Rose
  • Jake Blakeslee
  • Nate Flynn
  • Shanel Cheatham (Out of Breath)
  • Adaline Gomez

Plot: It’s 2006, and the most important things in Darling’s life are skinny jeans, black eyeliner, and punk rock music. When the shy and mysterious Ollie catches her eye at a bus stop, the two teens form a bond that makes Darling question her rocky relationship with a troublesome older boy.

Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Lily Darling starts when the punk rock-loving Darling (Rose) meets a stranger Ollie (Blakeslee) at the bus stop, and they bond over their love of punk music. However, Darling is in a relationship with a controlling older guy Coal (Flynn). It leads to Darling finding a moment of each day to be extra happy.

The two start spending time together with Ollie sharing his feelings and giving Darling her nickname, Lily. It leads to Darling questioning her relationship and discovering she enjoys more time with Ollie and understanding what teen punk rock romance is all about.

Verdict on Lily Darling

Lily Darling is a teen romance movie following a punk rock-loving teenager who falls in love with a stranger. However, her controlling relationship makes their friendship difficult as feelings start taking over.

This movie takes us back to 2006 with the punk rock-themed world. It follows the teenage era of the fans, where it plays into emotions, and you feel every song is important to you. Away from the music scene, we get a first romance and understanding of relationships. This feels like a love letter for anyone who grew up loving punk rock and used it to help understand love. It is an excellent time capsule into life where things felt simpler, and the number of punk rock band references brings back a flood of memories. Reilly Rose and Jake Blakeslee are great together and show excellent chemistry in the leading roles of the movie.

Where to Watch

On UK Digital 1 July from Scatena & Rosner Films

Final Thoughts – Lily Darling is a perfect punk rock love experience.

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Movie Review

Words on Bathroom Walls (2020) Movie Review

Words on Bathroom Walls – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – W – Movie Review 

Words on Bathroom Walls – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – W – Words on Bathroom Walls - Movie Review 

Director: Thor Freudenthal

Writer: Nick Naveda, Julia Walton (Screenplay)

Cast

 

Plot: Diagnosed with a mental illness halfway through his senior year of high school, a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate who inspires him to not be defined by his condition.  

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes  

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review 

Story: Words on Bathroom Walls starts when teenager Adam (Plummer) discovers he has schizophrenia. He hears voices and sees people who aren’t there. Adam gets followed around by Rebecca (Robb), Joaquin (Bostick) and Bodyguard (Sebastian) and his first episode sees him needing to change schools.

When Adam starts his new school, he tries to keep to himself until he meets outside Maya (Russell). She becomes the first person he can connect to, but how long can he keep his condition a secret from everyone else?  

Verdict on Words on Bathroom Walls

Words on Bathroom Walls is a romantic drama following a teenager that struggles with his recently diagnosed schizophrenia. It follows him as he starts to get enjoyment out of his own life, but unaware of what could happen to him.

This does a great job of showing the difficulties of living with a mental illness like schizophrenia and the typical high school dynamics. It also brings to life a young adult concept of romance. However, deep down it has a big heart about understanding how to live with mental illness. Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell are both brilliant in the leading roles. In the supporting roles, everyone is strong and helps the leads shine through with their performances. 

Final Thoughts – Words on Bathroom Walls is a great movie at showing the struggles of living with mental illness.

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Movie Review

The Vow (2012) Movie Review

The Vow – Movie Review

Read our review of 'The Vow', a touching romance where Leo must win back his wife's heart after a car accident erases her memory.

ABC Film Challenge – Romance – V

Director: Michael Sucsy (Every Day)

Writer: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, Jason Katims (Screenplay)

Writer: Stuart Sender (Story)

Cast

Plot: A car accident puts Paige in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo works to win her heart again.

Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Vow starts when Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum) are involved in a car accident. Paige loses her memory and Leo must win her heart again. He dives into his memories of their life before the accident, as he looks to prove his love to her again.

However, Paige’s parents Rita (Lange) and Bill (Neill) have different plans for Paige. It makes Leo’s life more difficult as he fails to connect in the same way he did before. As Paige only remembers her life from the time before they met, with a former fiancé.

Verdict on The Vow

The Vow is a romantic drama following a man trying to help his wife remember their life together. However, she doesn’t remember their life together and the two lives get torn apart. It sees how far he goes but is left to decide what would be best for them both.

This movie shows the challenges a couple have after an accident. It shows the devotion one shows toward the other while trying to help regain her memory. All while proving that life can be difficult and sometimes the right thing is the hardest part. It offers a chance to regain the magic of first love, even if it means risking everything and losing the one you love the most.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – The Vow is a nice story about remembering love.

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Movie Review

Unfaithful (2002) Movie Review

Unfaithful – Movie Review

Read a detailed review of the movie Unfaithful: A gripping story of a suburban couple's marriage that takes a dangerous turn.

ABC Film Challenge – Romance – U

Director: Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction)

Writer: Alvin Sargent, William Broyles Jr (Screenplay)

Writer: Claude Chabrol (Original Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A New York suburban couple’s marriage goes dangerously awry when the wife indulges in an adulterous fling.

Runtime: 2 Hours 4 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Unfaithful starts when a suburban New York family Edward (Gere), Connie (Lane) and son Charlie (Sullivan) show their normal life. However, when Connie heads into the big city she runs into a handsome stranger Paul Martel (Martinez).

Connie gets drawn into an affair, which gives her an extra spark in life. However, she starts to question if it is the right thing to do. As Edward starts investigating what his wife is getting up to while he is working.

Verdict on Unfaithful

Unfaithful is a romantic thriller following a married couple whose relationship is put to the test. It follows the wife getting into a steamy affair with a younger man, which leads her down a dangerous path. While her husband is left with the uncertainty of their future together.

This movie plays into the secret affairs members of a married couple could have. It shows how they can get out of control leading to dangerous consequences. This shows us how normal life can get to people and thinking about what is outside the box could bring somebody to life. It is also a movie that would struggle to have the same impact in a more modern society of things going on.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – Unfaithful is a steamy romantic mystery.

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Movie Review

Ticket to Paradise (2022) Movie Review

Ticket to Paradise – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – T – Ticket to Paradise – Movie Review

Ticket to Paradise

Director: Ol Parker

Writer: Ol Parker, Daniel Pipski (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.

Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Ticket to Paradise starts when bitterly divorced couple David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts) must put their difference aside. They can’t stand being in the same room together, but when their daughter Lily (Dever) graduates, she makes a new decision. However, things get worse when Lily meets a man Gede (Bouttier) and decides to get married.

Now, David and Georgia must travel to Bali for the wedding with a plan to stop it happening. They believe she is making a terrible mistake after spending her time in law school. David and Georgia decide to put their differences aside to stop their daughter make what they believe to be the biggest mistake of her life.

Verdict on Ticket to Paradise

Ticket to Paradise is a romantic comedy following a pair of divorcees that must put aside their differences to hopefully stop their daughter from getting married. They believe it has been too quick and that she is throwing away everything she has worked for. However, they find themselves getting caught up in a bigger problem they never realized, she might actually be happy.

While this comedy is filled with bickering between Julia Roberts and George Clooney, that gets most of the laughs. The deeper meaning behind what they want makes perfect sense. It is more about how they go through the process. On paper, it would be considered madness to marry someone after 37 days; even if their parents weren’t split, they would have the same concerns. Clooney and Roberts are great and get plenty of laughs along the way. The location is beautiful showing how easily Lily could have fallen in love with the area.

Final Thoughts – Ticket to Paradise is a fun romantic comedy filled with laughs.

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Movie Review

Monday (2020) Movie Review

Monday – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – M – Monday – Movie Review

Monday Poster

Director: Argyris Papadimitropoulos

Writer: Argyris Papadimitropoulos, Rob Hayes (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A spark on a Friday can lead to a sizzling weekend fling (Sebastian Stan and Denise Gough as Mickey and Chloe), but what happens when you get to the inevitable Monday?

Runtime: 1 Hour 57 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Monday starts as an American lawyer Chloe (Gough) meets English DJ Mickey (Stan) in Greece. The pair have a steamy night leading to them starting a relationship. As the two get closer, their lives start to unfold and they look at what happens in their relationship.

Verdict on Monday

Monday is a drama following two strangers that meet and fall in love over the course of a steaming weekend. It follows how they start thinking it is a fling before getting into their more serious relationship. This shows how unprepared for a serious relationship both are leading to a string of obstacles they must overcome.

This movie is very slow and wants to put more focus on an intimate relationship. It has a couple of serious subject matters that are only glossed over and by the end, you will be left wondering what you just saw.

Final Thoughts – Monday is a slow movie not getting much time to shine.

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Movie Review

Learning to Drive (2014) Movie Review

Learning to Drive – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – L – Learning to Drive – Movie Review

Learning to Drive – ABC Film Challenge – Romance – L – Learning to Drive - Movie Review

Director: Isabel Coixet

Writer: Sarah Kernochan (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: As her marriage dissolves, a Manhattan writer takes driving lessons from a Sikh instructor with his own marriage troubles. In each other’s company they find the courage to get back on the road and the strength to take the wheel.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Learning to Drive starts when Wendy (Clarkson) learns her husband Ted (Weber) wants to leave her. She is left in shock by the situation as she needs to figure out what to do with her life now. Her daughter Tasha (Gummer) has suggested she come to stay with her. However, Wendy isn’t ready to give up her life in New York.

When Wendy has a chance meeting with driving instructor Darwan (Kingsley), she takes the first steps in learning a new skill. Meanwhile, Darwan is dealing with his own problems with a new wedding planned for him. The unlikely new friendship shows the positives in moving outside of your own comfort zone.

Verdict on Learning to Drive

Learning to Drive is a romantic comedy following two lost souls in New York City. One is facing a divorce, while the other struggles to deal with an arranged marriage. As the two become friends, they learn to help each other with their problems to help them live better futures.

This is a nice movie that gets to show you that you can always find a new path in life. It is about the people around you that change you, showing you things, you never imagined seeing. There is plenty of heart in the story and the performances from Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley only make the movie even more entertaining.

Final Thoughts – Learning to Drive is an entertaining treat about finding passion in life.