LOVE AGAIN

US, 2023, 104 minutes, Colour.

Pryanka Chopra Jones, Sam Heughan, Celine Dion, Sofia Barclay, Russell Tovey, Lydia West, Steve Oram, Omid Djalili, Nick Jonas, Celia Imre, Arinze Kene.

Directed by Jim Strouse.

Definitely a date film – and the film whose plot is dating.

So, this, again definitely, is a film for Romantics Anonymous (and this reviewer realising that he should be making applications for meetings and whatever 12 steps are necessary). But, of course, it is a film for those who are proud and unashamed of their love for romance stories. There will be a lot of smiles as we watch Love Again – and, perhaps an alert, probably a tear or two.

Which means that this is not a film for the cynical, those who are prone to label this kind of story as predictable, sentimental. But, once again a reminder that W Somerset Maugham said that sentimentality is only sentiment that we don’t approve of!

The first few minutes are definitely sweetness and light, Mira who draws sketches for her children’s books, Johnny who has an engagement ring and intends to propose to her – and suddenly killed in a hit run. There will be a lot of sweetness and light throughout the film but there will also be a pervasive grief.

Then two years later… Mira is played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, an actress in India, educated in the United States, a prolific career in Indian Cinema but who moved to the US in 2017 and who is having a prolific career there. Many audiences will realise that she is married to Nick Jonas and we will enjoy the sequence in the middle of the film where Mira is set up by her sister for a first date to break through her grief. She meets Joel, weightlifter and gym enthusiast who talks about having a brain but has sex only on it, a spoof of apps and dates – and, in fact, he is played by her husband, Nick Jonas.

Then to the other side of the romance to be, a Scotsman in America with the perhaps-homage name, Rob Burns. He is played by Sam Heughan, who has appeared in several films but is best known for 87 episodes of televisions Outlander. While there are some Brits in the supporting cast, Russell Tovey, Celia Imre, Sam Oram, Omid Djalili (filming began in the UK in Covid times), they are asked to play with American accents but Sam Heughan keeps his own British/Scots accent.

Romantic stories sometimes need an audience suspension of disbelief, especially how the lovers will actually meet – and here, based on a German film about texting, this is a device to bring the two together, plus some coincidences, Gluck’s opera, Orpheus and Euridyce, basketball, cheeseburgers…

Perhaps Celine Dion should have been introduced in this reviewer earlier. In fact, she is a producer, contributes six new songs as well as singing some favourites, and appears as herself, the singer that she is, memories of her husband and family, her experiences of love as expressed in her lyrics. So, a treat for Celine Dion fans. And, what is she doing in a love story? – Something of a fairy godmother as well as a marriage counsellor, and singing her songs

“What the world needs now is love sweet love” and here is a 2020s version.

1. The title? The focus on love? Second possibilities? But the permeation of grief?
2. An American story, a British lead, initial filming in the UK, the British supporting cast?
3. New York City, the views, the atmosphere, cafes and restaurants, newspaper offices, apartments? The Park? The Opera? The musical score?
4. Celine Dion, producer, Acting, the creation of her persona, her old songs, the original songs? The tour, the interviews, the reaction of the press, her intervening in people’s lives? The touch of the fairy godmother for Mira, for Rob, marriage counsellor? The appeal to her fans?
5. The setting, Mira, her books, her sketches, her love for John, phone and texts, his presence, the intention of proposing, having the ring, the suddenness of his death? The impact for Mira, for the audience?
6. Two years passing, Mira, her grief, seclusion, counselling, her relationship with her sister, her sister being a tough case, pushing Mira? Continuing her books, their themes, for children, writer’s block? Trying to deal with her grief, the suggestion that she talked to John with the glass of wine? Her alternate, texting him? The details of the texts, her emotions, her love, and the encounter with Rob?
7. Rob, Scots background, his name, in New York, interactions with his boss, the commissioned to write on Celine Dion, his unwillingness, the press conference, the interruption, his question, Celine Dion suggesting that he grow up? His later encounters with her, standing up straight, the conversation, her counselling and support? The discussion about Mira, the poster for her tour, Mira getting the commission?
8. Rob, his colleagues in the office, their banter, the texts, Rob thinking it was Lisa? Her being put off? Discussions with Billy, going to the restaurant, Billy and the pickup? Their working in the office, working with Rob, bouncing ideas and reactions? The boss, his demands, his reaction to Rob’s article, liking it, but the angry tantrum for show?
9. Mirror, going on the date, meeting with Joel, his talk about exercise and brains, pushing him out of the cab? Her memories of John, their predominating, the texts? Her sister forcing her to open John’s box after two years, the ring? Her love for the Opera, Orpheus and Your idiocy, the visit to the opera, the chance passings by Rob?
10. Rob, intrigued, receiving the texts, going to the restaurant, alert to Mira? Going to the opera, many times, the encounter with her? The bonding, the meetings, the meal and his being late, the burgers? The night, walking, the Park, the accordion player? Continuing, the night together, the discovery about the texts, his delay in telling her the truth, the consequences?
11. Mira, upset, imagining John in talking with him, his telling her to let go?
12. Rob, the article, personal, Celine Dion liking it?
13. Mira, the meeting with Celine Dion, Celine Dion not liking the poster, wanting something brighter, knowing Mira’s books? The final poster?
14. Mira relenting, the message from Ron, the meeting set up, his going to the park with flowers, her not being there, his realisation about the opera, the winter scene, the reconciliation? Love again?