A film from 2010 doesn’t feel dated to me, especially considering I still have vivid memories of going through the most drastic life changes back then—ones that would forever alter the way I speak and think. It took me a long time since to fully comprehend the choices that were made then.
★★★☆☆
review
The movie subtly hints at its era through its timeline and iconic cultural markers, like Alice in Wonderland, Gossip Girl uniforms, subways, and taxis. It’s a romance steeped in cool Twilight-era filters, shifting into beigey yellows depending on whether a peripheral tragic death is mentioned or love is in the air. Dealing with their own broken family dynamics, Tyler, the male lead, drifts into nihilism, while Ally, the love interest, navigates an overprotective father whose rigid habits she has to unteach.
The plot revolves around two college students falling in love quickly and, through a series of familial events, coming to terms with their respective fractured relationships with their fathers. As a viewer, I felt a wave of relief when they finally forgave each other for their past friction, right before losing it all again. To give credit to the ending, it does serve as a stark reminder to forgive and move forward, because we never truly know when a random day might be our last.
As for the romance itself, I really appreciated the buildup and didn’t mind how quickly they took a liking to each other. The most intimate scenes took place in Tyler’s messy apartment, where the tension through the screen was palpable. There is a moment beneath the doorframe when the two stare at each other, bodies trembling slightly with passion and uncertainty. It captures that exact tension between two passionate people in the early stages of love.
I’d even argue that the grimy kitchen where the playful water fight took place, or the cracked bathroom where they first made out, showcased a raw, youthful love that transcended all material needs. They were practically breathing into each other’s souls; in those moments, nothing in the real world mattered, and we could feel it right through the screen!! Eeeekkkk! Sure, it taps into the classic broken boy meets girl next door trope that I can’t help falling for, but we also see how deeply loving Tyler is through his adoration for his little sister. That mucky apartment was a temporary reflection of the mental space he was stuck in and if only we got to see how Ally would change him for the better…
Ps. I came into this with no hint of the setting or plot, but wanting to hear young Robert Pattinson’s voice.