She is critical love

On paper, the opening work of writer-director Jamie Adams she is love it fits the formula of any number of made-for-TV cheap romantic comedies. Patricia (a redhead Haley Bennett, last seen in the Joe Wright film) cyranus) is driven along the Cornish backroads, reluctantly hearing a voicemail from her boyfriend at his New York home wishing her good luck on her big reunion. She’s wearing the wrong shoes for the beach and isn’t impressed with the boutique hotel she’s booked into: a historic home with no freight elevator. Typical. She looks set to find romance with a handsome local man, leave the high-speed rush of New York behind, and settle into the quiet Cornish life. But the man with whom the sparks really fly is her ex-husband and former rocker Idris (Sam Riley), who’s staying at the hotel for the weekend with his goofy new girlfriend Louise (Marisa Abela).

What unfolds is a tonal mishmash of intense trendy indie drama blue valentine’s day, silly humor, and even a musical number, all through the trappings of bizarre rom-coms circa 2008, especially a boring soundtrack. Jamie Adams’ signature style is loose and improvisational, and the film was reportedly shot in just six days. Unfortunately it shows. Poor execution and shapeless storytelling rob the characters of any real interiority, and despite the strong performances from the central trio, Patricia and Idris never seem to feel like real human beings, even when a drinking binge brings up old affections and resentments.

Funniest are the scenes where Bennett and Riley can let each other’s musical talents shine, whether it’s a silly song about their failed marriage or a really drunk “Danny Boy” duet. “I like you now that you’re dead,” Patricia says to Idris as they cover themselves in ghost white paint, but she is love it never comes to life.