'Lovesong', 2017

So far, I’ve had pretty favorable reviews about the queer movies I’ve seen… but ‘Lovesong’ definitely breaks that streak. This film is centered around Sarah, a stay-at-home mom who spends most of her time taking care of her toddler daughter. Her husband travels for work, rarely calls home, and is dismissive of Sarah’s concerns (and her boredom) when he does. So, Sarah calls up her longtime friend Mindy, and the two take Sarah’s daughter on an impromptu road trip together. While on the road trip, their college romance is rekindled, but the two women have different ideas about the encounter and it results in Mindy buying a bus ticket back home. After this, the movie jumps forward to Sarah receiving a wedding invitation from Mindy, after three years of little contact (and Sarah’s separation from her husband).

Some things I didn’t like: Sarah’s husband is an unsupportive and unlikeable character, so I was happy that she could get away from her stagnant life at home and have fun with a longtime friend. But unfortunately, I found Mindy to be equally insufferable! She’s self-centered and domineering, which makes her impulsive side much less appealing. And Sarah is quiet and mild-mannered, and thus incapable (until the very end) of speaking her mind to Mindy. The characters spend a lot of time looking intensely and/or longingly at one another, rather than actually talking. Some indie movies can get away with this, but for ‘Lovesong’ it feels hollow.

Some things I liked: At least by the end of the movie, Sarah was able to stand up for herself and communicate somewhat honestly with Mindy. I think I was supposed to want Sarah to be with Mindy instead of her husband, when really I didn’t want Sarah to be with either of them! And a scene on a ferris wheel just feels cliche at this point (unless it’s ‘Love, Simon’.... I’ll forgive it then). The soundtrack was probably the one aspect of this movie that I enjoyed the most.

The five words I would use to describe this film: mild, hollow, reticent, ultimately unsatisfying

My queer take: There are plenty of other movies with a queer romance (even ones that don’t end happily) that will leave you more satisfied. I didn’t want to root for any of the characters in this movie. It was a surprise to me that 63% of viewers and 83% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave ‘Lovesong’ a favorable review. So the choice is up to you!

Fun fact: The director of ‘Lovesong’ is a Korean-American woman named So Yong Kim, so at least when you’re watching this film, you’re supporting the work of a female filmmaker! She has also directed episodes of ‘Transparent’, which I hope to watch (and review) at some point in the future.