Movie Review - Sylvie's Love

Eugene Ashe's film felt like the kind of film that hasn't been in abundance or at least in the mainstream since the late 1990's and early 2000's. It's a simple, straight-forward, romantic drama, featuring African-Americans in the lead roles. It reminded me of the now classic example of Love Jones (1997). That film was set contemporaneously to the late 90's. This film is like Love Jones of the 1950's. In a weird way, this is the film that I wish La La Land (2016) was, meaning it's a romance that follows a more believable Jazz artist.

Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok and Creed) stars as Sylvie, a young Black woman who aspires to work in television and possibly be a producer of her own TV program. She lives in New York City, 1957, and the idea of a Black woman or any Black person being a TV producer seems impossible, but she still efforts to do it. She currently works at her father's record shop where she knows all about music.

Nnamdi Asomugha (Crown Heights and Hello, My Name Is Doris) co-stars as Robert Halloway, a saxophone player who is part of the Dickie Brewster Quartet, a jazz band that plays at a nightclub in New York. He's considered to be the next John Coltrane. He sees Sylvie working at the record shop and becomes smitten with her, which is similar to a scene in Love Jones. He sees a "Help Wanted" sign in the window and decides to apply for the job to get closer to Sylvie, which he does.

The first wrinkle is that Sylvie is engaged to be married. Her mother is a very prim and proper woman who introduced Sylvie to her future fiancé at a debutante ball. She's engaged to be married to this man, not because she necessarily loves him, but because he's a doctor and can provide her with a financially stable life.

Alano Miller (Cherish the Day and Underground) also co-stars as Lacy Parker, the man who ultimately does marry Sylvie. He isn't the aforementioned doctor. He's another guy that she marries after her relationship with Robert goes awry. I find it funny that Miller is in this film, given that he was just in the OWN series, Cherish the Day, a series that is a modern-day version of this film and a more contemporaneous version of Love Jones.

Yes, this film does echo some themes from Cherish the Day. One theme in particular is about choosing career over love. At different points throughout the film, the characters are offered the choice of forgoing advancing their career for staying with or capitulating to a romantic partner. In each of those choices, sexism or racism is a factor in how the choice is either set up or how it plays out. In one example, nepotism even plays a part. Some soap opera or telenovela-like twists are tossed into the fray, but Ashe's script and direction navigate through them in natural and non-histrionic ways, which was appreciated.

It culminates in a great line, which I took note. At one point, Sylvie says to a character, "I can't be the woman of your dreams, while also trying to be the woman of my own." Yes, while racism and nepotism are invoked here. Sexism is an overriding theme, particularly the struggle of women in the workplace. That quote though put that theme into context and perspective brilliantly. It was very well-written.

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and smoking.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 56 mins.

Available on Amazon Prime.