Falling for Figaro – Pure Lightweight Entertainment (Early Review)

Some films just aim to crowd-please which is something we as audiences could definitely use more of these days. There are films that leave a pleasant feeling though without a whole lot to elaborate over, not because they may be lacking but rather for how they don’t leave much to talk about beneath the surface. Whether or not that constitutes as failure is ultimately up to individual audiences.

Falling for Figaro focuses on Millie (Macdonald), a promising businesswoman who is very passionate about opera and dreams of becoming an opera singer. Eventually she decides to set her sights on this particular, seemingly impossible dream. Under the tutelage of the domineering and tyrannical opera coach Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Lumley), Millie perspires in spite of the odds, also finding an unlikely friendship with the coarse Max (Skinner), though this complicates her relationship with her significant other Charlie (Shazad Latif).

When it comes to this film, there’s not much here that audiences haven’t seen before. It can be hard to even summarize aspects that are so cliched. On one hand, one can appreciate the low stakes and easy-going nature. This is the sort of film where one can sit back and throw on to de-stress to. It hits every story beat familiarly well, and with warmth and deft.

Falling for Figaro also has strong performances going for it. Macdonald makes her protagonist an appealingly unpretentious underdog who will stop at nothing to achieve her dreams of becoming an opera singer, even going through the torture of her coach. She adds a certain sass to some of her line delivery as Millie, adding some spice in key moments, and she has believable chemistry with Skinner’s Max who does fairly well with the role of the boorish male counterpart who has already undergone the cruelty of Geoffrey-Bishop. Speaking of which, Lumley is arguably the film’s MVP. She’s cold, cutting, humorous, and conveys a rigid conviction that what she is doing, no matter how cruel, is the right way and for the best.

The main selling point of course would have to be the opera sequences, and they’re probably the best part of the film. Even for audiences who are not into opera, Lewin does a good job staging them, creating an immersive crowd experience. And he is also smart to show the contrast in performance style between Millie and Max. If there’s a sticking point, however, it would have to be the its love triangle. Charlie as a character feels completely needless within this story. The character could have easily been cut with the film focusing on the romance between Millie and Max, and not much would’ve changed.

In a way, Falling for Figaro is reminiscent of The Farmer’s Daughter: It’s the perfect sort of fluffy romantic comedy to have on and just relax do, maybe do a light chore while it’s on in the background. Is it going to change anyone’s world? Not a chance. But it doesn’t need to either. Sometimes lightweight entertainment is what the doctor ordered. Or in this case, the coach…

still courtesy of Photon Films

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd.

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Gabe Guarin

letterboxd.com/misterhulot/