Written and directed by Natalie Krinsky, “The Broken Hearts Gallery” is a rom-com pulling together Geraldine Viswanathan (Kayla in 2018’s “Blockers”), Dacre Montgomery (Billy Hargrove in “Stranger Things”), Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton from “Hamilton” on Broadway) and Molly Gordon (Mary Arena in “Ithaca”).
The film centers around an art gallery assistant named Lucy. After facing heartbreak, she stumbles upon the idea of collecting peoples’ memories of heartbreak and creating a gallery revolving around it.
Major themes involve healing from and coping with failed relationships, as well as the value of friendship. That might sound cheesy, but the film does not by any means present itself in a heavy-handed way.
And to be honest, this movie is generally funny throughout thanks to well delivered dialogue, but not to an extreme extent. Some might interpret the written dialogue as cheesy, but the way in which the main trio of actresses — Lucy, Nadine and Amanda — delivered their lines continuously felt relatable.
Not only that, but the three actresses bounced off one another and gave the movie the personality and life it needed.
Every scene with the trio was fantastic and genuinely enjoyable to watch. In fact, there’s only one scene they show up in that didn’t hold up, but it was a writing issue, not acting.
The biggest issue that plagued the film was the contrivance the plot would need to keep working. Nick, played by Dacre Montgomery, would often pop into scenes despite it being unrealistic for him to be there, or would show up inside of the girls’ house unannounced, not requiring a key, nor knocking — that’s the aforementioned scene, by the way.
While that was annoying, it didn’t make the movie bad, per say. The narrative was decent all things considered, and it didn’t play out in the cliché way you’d expect of it. The film even features a few twists that were handled very well.
Another aspect of the film that deserves praise is its progressive elements. There were plenty of moments where Krinsky made appreciated writing choices. On top of that, such scenes were well written, blending with the film’s comedic style, tone, and presentation flawlessly.
There are many points within the film where one off lines will go unnoticed and return with importance later, and even moments where the audience would need to read between the lines to realize what had happened.
That’s not to say the film is particularly smart. It isn’t, but after this showing it’s clear Krinsky has talent. Yet, that’s also why it’s odd she’d rely on contrivances at times, especially because all of them are easy fixes that could have been caught during revision.
Also, you get what you see with this one. There aren’t any deeper meanings behind it, hidden behind a second or a third watching. The cinematography wasn’t special or arty in any way either.
“The Broken Hearts Gallery” is a fun, light-hearted and humorous film to be sure, though. Give it’s a chance when convenient. It’s not the block buster hit to make a night at the cinema out of, but it’s worth a recommendation as far as a rental or streaming service is concerned.
3/5 Torches
The Link LonkSeptember 09, 2020 at 03:05AM
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'The Broken Hearts Gallery' review: Funny, yet contrived - UT Daily Beacon
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Funny
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