Love Again – A Somewhat Charming Romcom

Romcoms are one of the bread and butter genres of the film industry, so much so that audiences can count on at least a few of them sprinkled in over any given year either in theatres, on demand, or streaming. They keep being made because they continue to find an audience to support them wherever they are released. While not for everyone, the genre, if done right, delivers easily watchable escapism and often lighter fare that many would consider cinematic comfort food. Love Again is yet another story putting two beautiful people on a collision course for one another, hoping they strike up an engaging romance following a series of predictable hurdles and other challenges. Ultimately banking on the charm of its two leads to make it all work, romcoms live or die based on that charm or lack thereof. When it comes to this film, it may not bring all that new to the table but its premise is cause for promise only for it to abandon it and its deeper themes in favor for those usual story beats. In the end, though it may not be near the best that the genre has to offer, it survives on the collective charm of Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan. Meanwhile, Céline Dion shines in her first major film role (and also wrote 5 original songs for the film).

Love Again tells the story of a grieving children’s book author/artist named Mira Ray (Chopra Jonas) deal with the loss of her fiancé John (Arinzé Kene) by continuing to send text messages to his old phone number as a way to stay connected to him. Little did she know, that number had since been transferred to the work phone of journalist Rob Burns (Heughan). Initially confused and then fascinated by the vulnerability displayed in Mira’s texts, he started to fall for her despite never having met her in person. Building up the courage to once again put himself out there after a tough breakup, he just needed a push by Céline Dion (playing herself). Assigned to write a profile of her, his focus shifted as their dynamic saw her essentially become a romcom sidekick with the added distinction of her being Céline Dion. Speaking of putting one’s self out there, Mira was pushed to do the same by her sister Suzy (Sofia Barclay), now 2 years after John’s tragic death. As much as she tried, the spirit of John still loomed large.

Unbeknownst to Mira, Rob was so enamored with her that he tracked her down. Armed with the insight from her texts to John, the two quickly hit it off and were very cute to watch together. However, he would eventually have to tell the truth about the circumstances that led to their meeting. Within their relationship, those false pretenses loomed just as large, threatening it before it had the chance to truly get started. Though if ever Mira and Rob were to go anywhere, she needed to learn to move on from John and love again as the title suggested, a task that proved to be difficult for her. That being said, moving on from John did not mean forgetting him altogether but rather finding a way to move forward and still honor his memory. While the end result was never in question, the charm of Mira and Rob still allowed for a somewhat satisfying conclusion of their respective journeys.

Now one would be remissed without mentioning the many contributions of Céline Dion in Love Again. As much as it is a romcom, the film is also a tribute to her and her music. With so many of her songs dealing with the complex matters of love, they fit in and set the tone nicely as part of the soundtrack through a series of impactful needle drops. Dion’s many classics, as mentioned, are also joined by 5 original songs for which she wrote for the film. Not only did she provide songs, she also played a prominent role in the story. Offering more than a mere cameo, she was a consummate scene-stealer, playing herself and also served as Rob’s romantic sidekick. Dion was easily the best part of the film but the decent chemistry and charm of Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan. They kept the film afloat and were entertaining to watch together, however, some may be left wanting more.

At the end of the day, Love Again may not move the needle in terms of the romcom genre but those who love it will really love it and those who don’t will have skipped it. Most audiences are likely to find themselves somewhere in the middle.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.