As a film fanatic, nothing brings me more joy than accidentally stumbling upon an amazing movie with no background knowledge or warning. That sums up my feelings when I recently watched Love of Your Life. I knew nothing about this film before seeing it, and the excerpt provided by Amazon didn’t do much to give anything away. So, when I tell you heartbreak was the last thing I was expecting, I mean it.
Released exclusively on Amazon Prime on Oct. 14, the film has quickly risen to the top of Prime’s charts for most-watched movies in Canada. The movie follows Maya (Margaret Qualley), a young nurse who has a chance encounter with a man called Charlie (Gabriel Basso). The pair go on to have the most extraordinary, ordinary love story that could rival any cinematic couple—simultaneously inspiring viewers that maybe one day they too could find such love.
Taking place over the course of six years, the story follows Maya as she struggles with her relationship, her job, and her friendships. Beginning in Boston, the narrative travels to Portugal, London, Tokyo, and New Orleans. We watch Maya as she grapples with unexpected life events, forced to come to terms with her own attachment issues.
Besides Qualley’s and the other actors’ genuine and raw acting talent, the cinematography is blatantly stunning throughout the film. Maya constantly finds herself drawn back to the water, the colour blue continuously framing her throughout the story, making Qualley’s bright eyes shine and adding another layer of dimension to her portrayal of Maya’s character. The array of locations also makes the movie just visually so appealing as I found myself unable to take my eyes off the screen. As someone who loves the Mediterranean landscape, the setting transported me to memories of a warm summer day spent by the sea, and I instantly felt happier.
Another thing that I was so pleased by was the movie’s amazing soundtrack. There were some original songs crafted for the film by Dustin O’Halloran. In addition, there was a collection of indie pop, soft rock, and classic hits accompanying this visual feast of a film. Some standout songs include “Seventeen” by Sharon Van Etten, “Wildflower” by Beach House, “Ophelia” by The Lumineers, “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode, and “Apocalypse” by Cigarettes After Sex.
This movie is aesthetically wonderful, but also offers a beautiful reflection on some of the most humanistic experiences imaginable: love, family, grief, purpose, friendship, guilt, and forgiveness, both for others and for yourself. No matter who you are or what background you come from, this movie has the potential to reach everyone. That being said, I’m not sure I’ll be rewatching this movie anytime soon, as it left me feeling simultaneously heart-warmed and hollow.