Love Again tells the story of two intrepid, lovelorn strangers who find themselves back into the spotlight of love. Mira (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) is a talented children’s author/illustrator who is undergoing a time of grief after the untimely passing of her loving fiancé John (Arinze Kene). She becomes inconsolable that her grief affects her work severely, much to the chagrin of her publisher Gina (Celia Imrie).
Rob (Sam Heughan) is a music journalist who is jilted over her ex-fiancé, who had left him a week before the wedding. His moping and sullen mood has affected his work so much that not only his friends/colleagues Billy (Russell Tovey) and Lisa (Lydia West) are struggling to get him back to the dating game; not even the task of profiling Celine Dion (Celine Dion) can get him out of his slumber.
However, through a magical contrivance, Mira tries to cope with her grief by sending romantic messages to John’s old phone number, which happens to be reconnected to Rob’s new work phone. Unbeknownst to Mira, Rob is drawn to Mira’s heartfelt openness. Not willing to let this chance go, Rob jumps into action to win Mira’s affection as he discovers that his yearning for love is all coming back to him.
Love Again is a remake of the German romantic drama SMS fur Dich, which in of itself is an adaptation of the 2009 novel of the same name. But as you watch the film, it is hard to believe that there is any indication of inspiration in the final product. Love Again is everything one can expect from a romantic comedy – that came out 20 years ago. While that may sound like a blessing in terms of being a throwback, it can also be seen as a curse as it only provides the requisite pleasures without any surprise or invention.
As written and directed by James C. Strouse, all the cliches/tropes in romantic comedies are present in Love Again. Simultaneously charming/creepy premise? Check. The location of New York City featured as a character? Check. Soundtrack featuring songs that highlight the character’s predicaments i.e. All by Myself? Check. Female lead coping with a breakup by gorging on ice cream? Check. Male lead tripping over their own words? Check. Gay/black best friends, supporting the romantic leads? Check. Goofy sibling characters? Check. It is almost impressive to see a movie such as Love Again treat all its tropes and cliches without a sense of irony that you can almost see the film as a laughable pastiche, if not a parody.
That is not to say that it does not walk on its own two feet. Despite the pedestrian material given and the stereotypical roles provided, the actors do a reasonably good job in providing charm, likability, and some much-needed humanity to the proceedings. The chemistry between Chopra and Heughan is more functional rather than sparkling, but they keep the film watchable. While the supporting cast (which amusingly consists mostly of UK actors) of Tovey, West. Oram and Sofia Barclay as Mira’s spirited sister Suzy deliver the requisite comic relief with a good hit rate.
But the tie-breaker is the Queen of Power Ballads herself, Celine Dion. In the role of “Celine Dion”, she essentially plays the role of the angel and provides ample support for our leads as they go through their romantic troubles. On that note, she does a good job lampooning her own image while lending some weight on the sentimentality that her songs are renowned for. With sharp comedic timing and her poignant musings on her deceased husband/manager Rene, her presence elevates the film.
Overall, Love Again does exactly what it says on the tin. Fluffy, cheesy and nary a sense of ingenuity, the film can be seen as a throwback to the plentiful romantic comedies of yore. Or it can be seen as a laughable pastiche with sugar levels so high, it will make your teeth rot. Let the power ballad of the Queen guide you.
TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Love Again is out in cinemas now, courtesy of Sony Pictures Australia.
