REVIEW: ‘Love, Brooklyn’ Rests on Pretty

There have been countless attempts to capture the messy, frustrating, and tumultuous experience of modern dating. Romance, when done well, is a timeless means of escapist bliss that siphons away dreary day-to-day worries by offering something sincere. Love Brooklyn, from first-time feature director Rachael Abigail Holder, promotes a veneer of romance—sweeping shots and chemistry between gorgeous leads. But the film is almost too meditative for its own good, forgoing the need to investigate the inner lives of these characters in favor of observing the beauty of brownstones. 

Perhaps usurpingly, Love Brooklyn is more in love with the city and what it offers than the characters themselves. That even seems to be Roger’s (André Holland) main issue. He’s so wrapped up in the ever-changing dissatisfaction of modern-day city life and a melancholy adoration for days of yore that he’s missing out on two potential connections. Or, not so much missing out but being contemptuous in the face of all they offer. 

Love Brooklyn follows Roger, a journalist who spends his time riding his bike through the city streets, griping about the constant flow of life and the change that accompanies it, and visiting his new potential partner, Nicole (DeWanda Wise), and his ex, Casey (Nicole Beharie). 

Love Brooklyn struggles with a surface-level plot. 

Nicole is a single mom who lives with her daughter, Ally, and both are still grappling with the loss of their husband/father. As she gently eases Roger into the fabric of their lives, Roger is finding increasing reasons to spend time with Casey, the owner of an art gallery who seems to indulge in Roger’s more self-destructive instincts. The two drink and smoke, surround themselves with art and art people who talk about the world and culture with no genuine warmth.

Things change, authenticity is a fleeting commodity, and Love Brooklyn tries to find something that’s real but struggles. Although the film is undoubtedly gorgeous to look at, it lacks depth. Despite the crux of the story and Roger’s plight to write something timely and reflective, the film barely says anything at all.

The best moments are when the actors simply act against one another, their easy chemistry burning a hole through the screen. Wise and Holland share a natural, easy warmth in their scenes together. While the characters are still defining the limitations of their relationship, their chemistry feels lived in and familiar. 

André Holland and Nicole Beharie share a palpable, sizzling chemistry. 

But it’s the energy between Holland and Beharie that crackles and lights up the screen, delivering one of the best on-screen kisses of the year. The give and take is layered with a shared history, and whenever they’re on screen together, the film comes alive with possibilities.

They might not be the right choices for each other, but it’s hard not to root for them when they possess such staggering chemistry. At the very least, we must hope they share the screen again in some future project. 

Beharie is a wonderfully subtle yet expressive performer, able to convey a multitude of emotions while her character struggles to vocalize her inner pains. It’s the stop-and-go nature as we watch words get caught in her throat, her eyes begging for guidance. Possessing grace and some unexpected mischievousness, she’s an absolute delight. Casey is the most interesting character in Love Brooklyn, so much so that it’s hard not to wish the film had centered on her story instead.

The film leans into style over substance. 

Instead, it’s Roger’s tale. However, despite his eagerness to seek out new and interesting stories and elements about his city, his character’s perspective doesn’t allow us anything greater than snapshots. The film operates as a montage for handsome sets and the subtly bourgeois hipster-chic aesthetic of artists. Even Roger’s apartment, with its exposed brick and crowded bookshelves, is covetable. 

There’s no doubt that Holder and cinematographer Martim Vian have an eye for natural beauty and lush settings. The film just needed to make it feel less like flipping through the pages of a home and lifestyle catalogue and more like a lived-in world. 

More than anything, Love Brooklyn is a promising start for a talented filmmaker. With a sleepy pace and a thin narrative, Abigail Holder fails to engage on a story level. However, with a talented trio of actors maintaining emotional tension, the film showcases a strong visual vision that simply needed something more to say. 

Love Brooklyn is out now in theaters.