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“Heartbreak is the loneliest feeling in the world. And the truth is it happens to all of us."
Going into The Broken Hearts Gallery, I was a woman with high expectations. I don’t think I’ve ever said before here that I love rom-coms. It’s something I’ve shied away from admitting in the past, in fear that I wouldn’t be considered a ‘good feminist’ since women enjoying the light films have previously been a source of ridicule. The double standard of women enjoying romantic comedies vs men enjoying action films is a discussion for another day though.. Back to the review.
Written and directed by Natalie Krinsky, the broken heart’s
gallery follows the conventional rom-com idea we expect going into a screening,
but what film these days doesn’t in some way start with boy meets girl? The
classic formula of an early-on messy break up, supportive yet hilarious best
friends and a dashing male who arrives at just the right time even if he is
just a friend… At face value if treated like most reviewers treat all other non-Ephron
written romantic comedies, Broken Heart’s Gallery could easily be
written off. To do so based upon this, I believe the potential viewer would be
making a big mistake. Krinsky’s script brings so much more to the formula
though, creating life in what has been considered to be a rather dying genre. Crammed
with both smart-relatable witticisms, it’s hard not to fall in love with main
character Lucy and the journey she forges throughout the film. I entered with
high hopes, thinking this would be one of the films I’d adore this year, not at
all expecting it to bring me to tears at points.
The film opens on a ‘perfect’
relationship that quickly turns south in what is one of the cringiest break ups
I’ve seen in recent years. (A viral moment that indicates how Krinsky has ensured
the film is based in ‘our time’) Lucy is a 26-year old gallery assistant who
dreams of one day being curator, but who is so consumed by past relationships
that she hoards mementos from every one of them. Her room is the source of many
jokes by her friends Nadine and Amanda, with its décor ranging from a plastic
piggy bank to bags of shoe laces and a monopoly thimble. It’s all essentially
crap, but it means something to her. Following the split, her friends urge her
to throw away the ex memorabilia and move on; all leading to Lucy bumping into
Nick (Dacre Montgomery) who is conveniently setting up a boutique hotel where
she begins a shrine to love lost, where the broken-hearted can leave behind mementoes
of beloved exes so that they can finally move on.
The Broken Heart’s gallery does not re-invent the rom-com,
but does it amazingly well and brings it into an overall more relatable modern
era. The idea of a broken hearts gallery reframes the romance of the film, it
challenges how we look at our own break ups and how we even understand heart
break to begin with. The notion is a poignant
one and gives the film even more depth when we do eventually find out the
reason for Lucy’s hoard of belongings. The level of depth this creates for the film
though is only made possible by the casting of the film.
Geraldine Viswanathan stars as Lucy, playing the woman as
funny, and unfiltered; the rom-com heroine we’ve been longing for who actually
seems somewhat relatable. The performance is full of such life that it’s easy
to relate to Lucy out the film, bringing much needed dimension and diversity to
the usually self-deprecating twenty something living in New York. The chemistry
between the two leads is natural, barbs bouncing easily between Viswanathan and
Montgomery. There is something almost delightful about the way they spar with
one another which creates a courtship built on a genuine friendship,
establishing the will-they-won’t-they I find your happy as a viewer to end in
either friendship or romance. I will also say it’s refreshing to see Montgomery
without the mullet he sported as Billy in Stranger things, looking every part the
dashing yet brooding love interest to match his brilliant performance. The supporting
cast of Philippa Soo, yes Eliza from Hamilton, and Molly Gordon are great fun
adding witty support to main character Lucy throughout the film. Overall a
great watch and just a fun break from life at the moment.
One last mention goes to Cineworld for their precautions in the cinema, online
booking is easy to use and I felt safe the entire time I was there. There were
only four of us in the screening so social distancing was easy, but the one way
system was easy to navigate making me feel safe for the entire time I was
there.
Favourite quotes:
“My vibrator will never break my heart.” – Never have more true words been
uttered, the vibrator is every modern woman’s best friend in heart break
“Men. You run the planet, you start wars, you killed the bees!!” – The most
entertaining rant I’ve seen about the patriarchal history of the world
“You fucked more Russian models than a tech billionaire.”- The jokes around
Nadine’s romantic endeavours were a firm favourite for me. A lesbian who could
be poisoned by Putin for her vagina, what’s not to love?
Star rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
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