Romance Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Romance

Two people performing on stage, one woman singing into a microphone and one man holding a microphone, against a backdrop of neon lights.
Review

It Ends With Us review – struggles to grapple with its heavy themes

by Anna McKibbin

Lit­er­ary behe­moth Colleen Hoover makes her cin­e­mat­ic debut, with this mean­der­ing, shal­low exam­i­na­tion of domes­tic abuse.

2
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A woman with dark hair wearing a brown leather jacket, leaning against a wooden wall.
Review

The Nature of Love review – cinematic and exuberant

by Josh Slater-Williams

A uni­ver­si­ty pro­fes­sor’s life is turned upside down when she falls in love with a con­struc­tion work­er in Monia Chokri’s under­stat­ed roman­tic comedy.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two individuals in formal attire, a woman with curly hair in a green dress and a man in a tuxedo, standing together.
Review

The Beast review – a mind-boggling, sprawling romantic epic

by Hannah Strong

Across three time­lines, a pair of lovers find each oth­er again and again in Bertrand Bonel­lo’s ambi­tious, genre-defy­ing latest.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two people, a man and a woman, engaged in conversation in a dimly lit room.
Review

The Idea of You review – a sultry unexpectedly entertaining romance

by Hannah Strong

Anne Hath­away plays a 40-year-old sin­gle moth­er who embarks on a tor­rid love affair with a 24-year-old pop star in Michael Showal­ter’s schmaltzy but not with­out charm rom-com.

2
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Three women in period costumes stand in a rustic kitchen, preparing food on a wooden table.
Review

The Taste of Things review – every frame is delectable

by David Jenkins

Juli­ette Binoche and Benoît Mag­imel play late 19th cen­tu­ry gourmets in Tran Ahn Hung’s scin­til­lat­ing epic of pro­to-food­ie passions.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Three men in a lift, wearing casual clothing.
Review

All of Us Strangers review – a supernova of a film

by Hannah Strong

Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are elec­tric in Andrew Haigh’s twist on the mod­ern ghost sto­ry, adapt­ed from Taichi Yamada’s cult novel.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
A person with long dark hair wearing a yellow shawl, facing a person wearing a brown jacket in a wooded area.
Review

Poor Things review – Lanthimos at his most playful and comedic

by Savina Petkova

Emma Stone gives a career-defin­ing per­for­mance in Yor­gos Lan­thi­mos’ opu­lent provo­ca­tion about the human body as a nexus for plea­sure and pain.

5
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Two people, a woman with red hair and a man, conversing in a dimly lit room.
Review

Fingernails review – lightly effective despite a flawed premise

by David Jenkins

The bar­room love-tester is God in this gen­tle sci-fi com­e­dy with Riz Ahmed and Jessie Buck­ley as work­ing stiffs at a sci­en­tif­ic insti­tute for love.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Three people, two women and one man, seated on a boat, looking out over water.
Review

Past Lives review – unravels as a marvel

by Rafa Sales Ross

Celine Song’s fea­ture debut is a ten­der explo­ration of mul­ti­eth­nic romance, com­pli­ment­ed by nuanced per­for­mances from Gre­ta Lee and John Magaro.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two figures intimately embracing, gazing into each other's eyes against a blurred blue background.
Review

Passages review – a tantalising romantic car-crash

by David Jenkins

Ira Sachs returns with an inti­mate, intense three-han­der about a Fass­binder-like film direc­tor played by the great Franz Rogowski.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect