LIKE LOVE (2020)
Starring: Lily Yasuda, Joseph Bricker, Kelly Barber
Writer: Lily Yasuda
Director: Michael Wolfe
When waitress Harper (Yasuda) breaks up with boyfriend Jude after discovering he's slept with one of her friends and colleagues, she also has to find a new place to live. Finding a perfect place to relocate in the home of Jackson (Bricker), she's offered a room at a ridiculously low rental price despite her semi-unintentional efforts to embarrass Jackson into throwing her out.
Over the next few weeks, the friendship between Jackson and Harper blossoms. Jackson has thoughts of taking things to the next level but Harper isn't particularly interested in a relationship, may never have been previously, and may never will. How could this situation possibly work itself out? You may think you know where this is going but just hold on a moment...
Like Love may position itself as a next gen "When Harry Met Sally", right down to the video interviews with other partnerships at regular intervals, but it has a wit and charm all of its own. This doesn't fall over itself attempting to engineer zingers, allowing the laughs to develop more naturally and not constantly checking its gags per minute ratio. This is a comedy that is confident enough to know it doesn't need to make its audience roll in the aisles all the time.
As for its protagonist, I would suggest that Harper is adorable but if that character were looking over my shoulder as I type this she would be advising me, in no uncertain terms, to delete that description. She is, though. And yet, even though you'll be siding with her instantly because of the situation with her cheating boyfriend, the plot lets you know pretty soon afterwards that your heroine is probably not the easiest person to be around, especially in a relationship. She's drifted into the whole situation as a matter of convenience and now she's kicking out at everything about it - and, by extension, Jude - that irritates her.
It's surprising that she doesn't throw Jackson through a window too because she discovers that he's one of "the love people", a man who believes in soulmates and all of that idiotic, idealistic crap. However, their shared sense of fun, despite and maybe because of their differences, is what brings them together. Of course, these are exactly the same things that could tear them apart.
Lily Yasuda is perfect as Harper, exactly the sort of person you would love to have as a friend. She's strong, smart, hilarious, modest and can shoot a world-class withering look. She's also the kind of buddy you could suddenly find yourself falling in love with at the drop of a hat, which is her new housemate's issue almost from the get-go.
Bricker is an excellent foil as Jackson, allowing Yasuda to bag most of the choice lines but still carving out an engaging character of his own. Jackson may have the well-to-do parents which afford him his chilled, leisurely lifestyle but he's a nice guy. Even when he's causing the largest amount of strife for Harper, it's still because he's trying to be a nice guy.
The screenplay, also by Yasuda, opts for a steady stream of lower-key chuckles than going for the overblown, ridiculous and highly improbable set pieces which many romantic comedies can't resist throwing in just to establish its wacky credentials. It's all the better for it and allows for nicely-timed shifts into the dramatic without it ever feeling like that point you reach in more mainstream efforts where you can check your watch and think "Getting near the end, it's going to have to get serious now".
Yes, there are lessons, and characters do learn, but no one is totally transformed at the end of this one. Life is often messy and this film offers no magical solution to its thorny relationship problems. Its refusal to tie up many of the story's loose ends might frustrate but if you've been following the previous seventy-odd minutes then the ending should come as no surprise. You can't reach the end of Like Love and say "Well, that wouldn't have happened".
This may not turn those romcom tropes on their heads completely but it certainly gives them a more than noticeable tilt. Of course, most viewers will be looking for a happy ending but as the story plays out, you'll be questioning more as more what actually would constitute one of those. This is down to the clever writing and playing, Lily Yasuda dominating the film with her striking but resolutely unshowy performance. Whatever she appears in next, take my money, I want to see it.
Love Life is very much like its main character; sharp, witty, spiky on the outside but with a surprisingly sweet centre. For all of you out there looking at those folks in relationships and thinking "Just what is the point?", you have a new champion and her name is Harper. I think you'll enjoy spending time with her as much as I did and you should definitely make the necessary commitment.
No comments:
Post a Comment