Sylvie's Love - Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film

Country: united_states

Year: 2020

Running time: 114

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9827834/reference

Michael says: “Sylvie works at her father’s record store to kill time waiting for her fiancee to come back home from the Korean War in 1957, but all she really wants to do is break into TV. That is until she meets Robert, the talented saxophone player from Detroit spending the summer booked at a New York jazz club under a band leaders that’s not as talented as he is. Robert spies Sylvie and wheedles his way into a job alongside her, and eventually fate is sealed. SYLVIE’S LOVE is a throwback to the melodramatic romances that Douglas Sirk made for white housewives, but puts things in the hands of a pair of black leads and lets them run with the story in all its magical, fantasia, vaguely referencing racism and sexism, but keeping the focus squarely on their love and the obstacles it must overcome. Surprisingly, after years apart, and a dying man’s last breath dragging the truth to the fore, it turns out the thing that they most need to overcome is themselves, as Sylvie’s drive to become a successful TV producer gets in the way of happiness when Robert realizes that jazz is about to give way to that phenomenon of Motown.

“Under the eyes of director Eugene Ashe (on his second feature after 2012’s HOMECOMING) and talented cinematographer Declan Quinn (HAMILTON, IN AMERICA, MONSOON WEDDING, FLAWLESS, VANYA ON 42ND STREET), the sumptuous, saturated colors, and sweeping camera angles recreate those 50’s classic romances beautifully, ably abetted by the gorgeous period costumes by Phoenix Mellow (BLACK PANTHER) and production design by Mayne Berke. Foerm All-Pro NFL defensive back turned actor, Nnambdi Asomugha is certainly swoon-worthy as Robert, but his slightly wooden portrayal is in stark contrast to the work being done all around him. Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King, and Jemima Kirke, as Robert’s band-leader’s fiery Latina wife, Sylvie’s man-crazy-turned-civil rights activist best friend, and mysterious manager/mover and shaker respectively, all bring quite a bit of pop to the supporting cast. But its Tessa Thompson (LITTLE WOODS, THOR: RAGNAROK, MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL) who owns this show, as any leading lady of a romantic melodrama should. As the smart as a whip, beautiful, righteous, proud young woman who won’t stop until she claims her dream Tessa’s Sylvie brings us on a tour of the latter half of the 20th century, skimming over the bad spots, but showing how perseverance and love will win the day. So it’s not deep or thought-provoking, it sure is fun, and beautifully constructed. 3.5 cats“

Sylvie’s Love

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