In a time when all movies seem to have a dark edge this was a cute fun time for a Saturday night alone.
114 Reviews
Fun and hopeful
taylormmorris14 March 2021
Charming, if familiar.
benjaminskylerhill11 September 2020
The Broken Hearts Gallery is the cinematic equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; it doesn't have a lot of substance and it's nothing you haven't tasted before, but it's good, it's comforting, and it's sweet.
The two lead actors have a lot of fun chemistry and they bounce off each other very nicely. The plot is full of overused tropes and conveniences but everything is executed in such a way that it's still a great deal of fun to watch.
This film takes familiar ingredients and mixes them together to create something that's just above-average and is never dull. The line delivery and jokes are sharp and witty and this is an entertaining, if slightly forgettable, film that I'd say is worth a watch if you're into the rom-com genre.
The two lead actors have a lot of fun chemistry and they bounce off each other very nicely. The plot is full of overused tropes and conveniences but everything is executed in such a way that it's still a great deal of fun to watch.
This film takes familiar ingredients and mixes them together to create something that's just above-average and is never dull. The line delivery and jokes are sharp and witty and this is an entertaining, if slightly forgettable, film that I'd say is worth a watch if you're into the rom-com genre.
This is Devi in the future (if you get the reference)
Zi_Reviews_Movies10 September 2021
The reviews are very mixed, so I guess it's a hit or miss and you can just get that from the trailer. To me, the movie wasn't bad but it's also not something I'd watch again. I liked the concept, it was unique and the little things they held back to reveal later were good too but the chemistry was just off. At some points, the connection felt forced. The supporting characters did a better job than the lead here. The movie has a lot of representation and is very New York-esque, and they just naturally fit it (the best part).
The character Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) is not relatable or even something you can pass off as lovable, she's ditzy in the annoying kind of way and Nick (Dacre Montgomery) looks like he had a gun to his temple to shoot this. With different characters playing the lead, the movie would have turned out so much better. It's not an OMG kind of funny, it's an eye-roll kind of funny.
The character Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) is not relatable or even something you can pass off as lovable, she's ditzy in the annoying kind of way and Nick (Dacre Montgomery) looks like he had a gun to his temple to shoot this. With different characters playing the lead, the movie would have turned out so much better. It's not an OMG kind of funny, it's an eye-roll kind of funny.
An Old School Sweet Romance
ThomasDrufke11 May 2021
This could easily be the type of rom-com that 15 years from now people look back at and try to understand why it didn't get the credit it deserved. The pandemic certainly didn't help but if this film would have dropped on Netflix instead, I imagine it having the sort of pop up publicity that Set it Up did a few years back over the course of a few weeks. It's unique and heartwarming, that's all I look for in romance films these days.
7.4/10.
7.4/10.
Relatable, likable rom-com, with appealing cast and non-cloying script
lotekguy-111 September 2020
Perhaps I've seen too many rom-coms for too many years, but my threshold for sustained engagement has become higher and harder to cross. That's why my praise for this one may mean more than from younger, more impressionable viewers.
As always, the right casting is essential for a grabber. Some couples just don't click on-screen; others are picked for box office draw, making them too attractive to be credible or relatable in their situations du jour. This offering from writer/director Natalie Krinsky is enhanced by a lower budget and the casting of young men and women who are appealing, without being too high on the eye-candy scale to detract from the desired reflection of reality. The central character played by Geraldine Viswanathan has a perfect blend of looks, intelligence, insecurities and vulnerability to sell her relationships with men, gal pals and career fluctuations. We like her; we really like her.
Next comes the daunting task of a screenplay. The premise of a depressed "dumpee" setting up a gallery displaying memorabilia from lamented lost loves is fresh and clever. In this genre, we almost always know who will, or at least should, wind up together loooong before the couple(s) figure things out, eliminating suspense from the equation. Here's where many lose my empathy. By the time most couples go through more mistakes and misunderstandings than seem reasonable (I hope Judd Apatow, the best comedy writer with the worst sense of running time, sees this), I no longer care whether they reach that "aha" moment. Actually, I often hope they don't, rather than have them breed another generation of similarly clueless progeny. Krinsky juggles enough players and subplots to make the inevitable honey glaze of helpful people and perceptions seem relatively suitable. And it turns out to be heartwarming without cloying. That's another delicate balance many can't pull off. Overall, it surpassed my moderate expectations by a wide margin.
As always, the right casting is essential for a grabber. Some couples just don't click on-screen; others are picked for box office draw, making them too attractive to be credible or relatable in their situations du jour. This offering from writer/director Natalie Krinsky is enhanced by a lower budget and the casting of young men and women who are appealing, without being too high on the eye-candy scale to detract from the desired reflection of reality. The central character played by Geraldine Viswanathan has a perfect blend of looks, intelligence, insecurities and vulnerability to sell her relationships with men, gal pals and career fluctuations. We like her; we really like her.
Next comes the daunting task of a screenplay. The premise of a depressed "dumpee" setting up a gallery displaying memorabilia from lamented lost loves is fresh and clever. In this genre, we almost always know who will, or at least should, wind up together loooong before the couple(s) figure things out, eliminating suspense from the equation. Here's where many lose my empathy. By the time most couples go through more mistakes and misunderstandings than seem reasonable (I hope Judd Apatow, the best comedy writer with the worst sense of running time, sees this), I no longer care whether they reach that "aha" moment. Actually, I often hope they don't, rather than have them breed another generation of similarly clueless progeny. Krinsky juggles enough players and subplots to make the inevitable honey glaze of helpful people and perceptions seem relatively suitable. And it turns out to be heartwarming without cloying. That's another delicate balance many can't pull off. Overall, it surpassed my moderate expectations by a wide margin.
Solid rom-com
HenryEg13 September 2020
The main character is too annoying
jakethesnake-4200721 March 2021
Great to see a relatable cast and realistic setting
Thynight21 September 2020
For the most part it is just your standard rom com, but it has did something very few movies do. The film makers filled the city of New York with people that could be from New York. There are people of color, LGBTQI people and everyone else. To make it better none of them seemed forced like other movies and shows with just a token put out there.
Yes the plot can be a bit predictable, but all movies seem to be these days. I give it a 10 out of 10 for doing something old in a realistic and charming way.
Yes the plot can be a bit predictable, but all movies seem to be these days. I give it a 10 out of 10 for doing something old in a realistic and charming way.
Not sure why the bad reviews I liked it.
mikemars3812 September 2020
Unfortunately it hasn't happened...
akrep-3187220 June 2021
A lot better than most romcoms with a female protagonist who has an ACTUAL personality
mfonsecamalavasi13 February 2022
I really enjoyed this film and to be honest the romantic aspect was not even the most important aspect of it. Unlike most romcoms, the female lead's passion is actually believable and connected with the plot (most romcoms have a simple line where the lead claims to love fashion design, etc). The actress is incredibly charismatic and reminded me of lots of interesting women I have met in my life. She felt like more than a stereotype. The love for art as a means for healing, expression and specially oddness came through in the film. It felt refreshing and, again, I would have enjoyed this film just as much if it hadn't had a love story. I was really rooting for Lucy to open her gallery and succeed in the artistic world.
The film is quirky, lovable and feels authentic in ways that most romcoms can't accomplish. For a similar type of film, quirky, with strong female friendships and celebrating the very genuine love that young women can feel for art (or music), I recommend Mixtape (on Netflix).
As a woman, both films feel *refreshingly* respectful.
The film is quirky, lovable and feels authentic in ways that most romcoms can't accomplish. For a similar type of film, quirky, with strong female friendships and celebrating the very genuine love that young women can feel for art (or music), I recommend Mixtape (on Netflix).
As a woman, both films feel *refreshingly* respectful.
Funny and warm and has a winning lead performance
Quinoa198424 September 2020
A delightful marshmallow of a movie, with Viwanathan giving her all in a star making turn; she, and a the script which is consistently light and clever but manages to not fall into being stupid ... While also still having some predictable beats and yet balancing it all with some joy and aplomb and making me for the first time in many months wish more than anything I could do karaoke with friends again, is what makes this work. She has such a warm and expressive face (those eyebrows are as crucial to her star power as like Rita Hayworth's hair), but she's a good actress too.
So the key components of this fly enough as a rom com that I can mostly (if not completely) look over two things: much of the soundtrack, with a few exceptions (ie that Billie Eilish song) are unimpressive commercial nonsense, and the performance by Dacre Montgomery didn't click for me. He might be fine in other movies, and he doesn't give an outright bad performance, but he is largely one note for like 75% of this as the "Im too cool for you" dude with it all, and more importantly I didn't buy much in the way of chemistry here with Viswanathan - if anything he comes off like a more steely-eyed and sometimes uncomfortable discount Zac Efron, though I can get why the ladies will find him attractive enough and the director casting him - and that is crippling to this, especially at the end when things have to come to a romantic head (that's not a spoiler, that's just convention).
I dont know how many will go see this in theaters, where it is right now, but come video this will be a swell and often pretty funny addition to any sensible couple's genre rotation (I had one big laugh and I won't say exactly what but it involved an ex president and that's all I will say, and how can you not smile when right after a breakup the bff-roommates swadle the main character and put a dvd of Eternal Sunshine in her arms). I hope we get more from this filmmaker.
So the key components of this fly enough as a rom com that I can mostly (if not completely) look over two things: much of the soundtrack, with a few exceptions (ie that Billie Eilish song) are unimpressive commercial nonsense, and the performance by Dacre Montgomery didn't click for me. He might be fine in other movies, and he doesn't give an outright bad performance, but he is largely one note for like 75% of this as the "Im too cool for you" dude with it all, and more importantly I didn't buy much in the way of chemistry here with Viswanathan - if anything he comes off like a more steely-eyed and sometimes uncomfortable discount Zac Efron, though I can get why the ladies will find him attractive enough and the director casting him - and that is crippling to this, especially at the end when things have to come to a romantic head (that's not a spoiler, that's just convention).
I dont know how many will go see this in theaters, where it is right now, but come video this will be a swell and often pretty funny addition to any sensible couple's genre rotation (I had one big laugh and I won't say exactly what but it involved an ex president and that's all I will say, and how can you not smile when right after a breakup the bff-roommates swadle the main character and put a dvd of Eternal Sunshine in her arms). I hope we get more from this filmmaker.
what's with all these good reviews?
ahmadasifxo11 November 2020
The film is truly obnoxious. my biggest problem was it wasn't funny, at all. the leads have no chemistry, and the main character isn't very likable. save your $20, and more importantly your time. i am seeing all these good reviews for it, and i am questioning if we even watched the same film.
A quirky, witty and fun romcom!
nidhunmoviebuff28 March 2021
Thank you Natalie Krinsky for an altogether different yet heartwarming romantic comedy watch after a long time!
The Broken Hearts Gallery starts off a bit rough with the lead character of Lucy (played by Indian-origin actress Geraldine Viswanathan), starting off as an unrelatable, pining, emotional mess who dreams to open her own art gallery someday.
But the director weaves her magic with every progressive scene, adding layers and layers until you are completely sold on her motivations and her quest for romantic fulfilment.
Dacre Montgomery is a delight as the male lead, Nick, an aspiring hotel owner and every scene between the lead couple is full of sparkling chemistry and genuine, quirky wit.
Special mention must be made for the lead's BFFs, played by Molly Gordon and Philipa Soo, who steal every scene they are in.
Spectacular writing, backed by affable performances and razor-sharp direction.
Highly recommended. This might just be the rom-com of the year
#MovieReview #BrokenHeartsGallery #AmazonPrime #Hollywood.
The Broken Hearts Gallery starts off a bit rough with the lead character of Lucy (played by Indian-origin actress Geraldine Viswanathan), starting off as an unrelatable, pining, emotional mess who dreams to open her own art gallery someday.
But the director weaves her magic with every progressive scene, adding layers and layers until you are completely sold on her motivations and her quest for romantic fulfilment.
Dacre Montgomery is a delight as the male lead, Nick, an aspiring hotel owner and every scene between the lead couple is full of sparkling chemistry and genuine, quirky wit.
Special mention must be made for the lead's BFFs, played by Molly Gordon and Philipa Soo, who steal every scene they are in.
Spectacular writing, backed by affable performances and razor-sharp direction.
Highly recommended. This might just be the rom-com of the year
#MovieReview #BrokenHeartsGallery #AmazonPrime #Hollywood.
Would've been better with another female lead
rg7991219 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I liked the premise of this from the trailer and I didn't entirely hate the story line, but it had some real character problems that ruined it. I really couldn't stand the female lead at all. She tried so hard to be excessively quirky and adorable and it came off completely fake and full on crazy, controlling, manipulative, rude, bossy, highly opinionated, and extremely unlikeable. The actress was so over the top with everything, from her acting to her dancing and she was just so incredibly cringe. The male lead was quite good though. He carried the film for the most part because his character was sweet, calm, sane, likeable and the actor did a good job acting wise. The character I enjoyed the most though was the male lead's best friend. He was entirely likeable and provided the laughs in this movie, at least for me. I loved his character's humor and goodness with his wife. I also enjoyed his wife's character for the brief time she had on screen. I disliked the best friends greatly, especially the one fixated on murder, she was not believable and tried too hard to be woke or whatever she was going for.. Now onto the flaws in this script, how is it ok for the female lead to be so willfully ignorant and controlling to think that someone should just sacrifice a large space of their business for her to turn into a dump? It was unbelievable the way she railroaded the male lead time and again. It was sweet that he fell for her, but all I could think was, "Dude, run, fast. Go now." I see no happy future for this guy and she's going to sue him some day (when he wises up and ends things for his own sanity) for business losses or something ridiculous and she'll probably end up with the entire hotel. This could've been such a good movie though, had they used a good actress for the lead and made her character someone we could root for.
A watchable romantic comedy.
robertscraig-473802 October 2020
This movie had two interesting leads with Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery. Geraldine plays a character called Lucy Gulliver and her friends Amanda and Nadine are played by Molly Gordon and Phillipa Soo. Lucy Gulliver gets dumped and fired from her job at an art gallery by her boyfriend Max Vora who is played by Utkarsh Ambudkar. Amanda and Nadine console her and wipe away her tears. Lucy comes up with an idea to create a lonely hearts gallery with things saved from her past relationships with men. She meets Nick who has a hotel that he is opening in Manhattan and he lets Lucy put her 'Broken Hearts Gallery' there.
I can not say more but it is a movie worth viewing. It is a romantic comedy but it is not totally predictable plot wise.
Lifetime film
luna49316 September 2020
I dunno, It's Just Really Entertaining! 🎥🃏
DoNotComeToTheCinemaDepressed25 September 2020
This was a Really fun watch at the Cinema this Night. It was very good and had a really Good Vibe about it.
Things I liked
° The main Character Geraldine Viswanathan was So good in the Movie. She is so Charismatic with Great energy and she is the Brightest Spark of all the Cast in this Movie.
° The Setting in New York City was Great. Some Beautiful scenes and shots.
° All of the Other Characters did really well and really added to the whole vibe of the Movie.
° The Plot and the surrounding Stories were Great to Watch.
Minor Criticism
° Some of the Jokes don't land but for some reason it doesn't even matter when they don't. I Think it has something to do with The Great Energy and Vibe the Movie is Laced with.
Overall, Proper Good Entertainment.
Things I liked
° The main Character Geraldine Viswanathan was So good in the Movie. She is so Charismatic with Great energy and she is the Brightest Spark of all the Cast in this Movie.
° The Setting in New York City was Great. Some Beautiful scenes and shots.
° All of the Other Characters did really well and really added to the whole vibe of the Movie.
° The Plot and the surrounding Stories were Great to Watch.
Minor Criticism
° Some of the Jokes don't land but for some reason it doesn't even matter when they don't. I Think it has something to do with The Great Energy and Vibe the Movie is Laced with.
Overall, Proper Good Entertainment.
If you don't mind some clichés and cheesy dialogue, this works pretty fine! [+59%]
arungeorge1321 October 2020
The familiar rom-com beats are too hard to ignore in The Broken Hearts Gallery, but what holds it all together is a spunky little (lead) performance from Geraldine Viswanathan (who plays Lucy, an art gallery assistant). With a plot that's tailor-made for a romantic comedy (it has got a lot to do with Lucy's heartbreaks and the souvenirs she keeps from those broken relationships), The Broken Hearts Gallery makes the city of New York look like a standout character. Darc Montgomery plays Nick, the owner of a work-in-progress hotel, who bumps into Lucy in a rather unusual meet-cute. Their second (chance) encounter felt contrived as hell though.
When the duo decides to convert part of the hotel space into a gallery for exhibiting souvenirs from relationships that fell through, the film picks up speed, charm, and some romantic vibes. I didn't expect many surprises in the screenplay (which occasionally descends into downright cheesiness) but what bothered me was the distinct lack of humor. Here and there, we get a chuckle or two, courtesy of the largely silent Jeff (Nathan Dales), Eva Woolf (a spirited Bernadette Peters), and Marcos (Arturo Castro). The Broken Hearts Gallery wholly rides on Geraldine's star-making role and the chemistry she shares with Dacre (which was fine in parts, yes!).
While the inclusion of multi-ethnic (there's Utkarsh Ambudkar playing Max Vora, presumably of Indian origin) and LGBTQ (Philippa Soo plays Nadine, a lesbian) characters is commendable, they often recede conveniently into the background for the central plot to play out. It's not a bad film by any measure (Alar Kivilo's cinematography is a plus); The Broken Hearts Gallery, written and directed by Natalie Krinsky, is certainly one for audiences who savor their romantic comedies with a tolerable dose of clichés and syrupy feels.
When the duo decides to convert part of the hotel space into a gallery for exhibiting souvenirs from relationships that fell through, the film picks up speed, charm, and some romantic vibes. I didn't expect many surprises in the screenplay (which occasionally descends into downright cheesiness) but what bothered me was the distinct lack of humor. Here and there, we get a chuckle or two, courtesy of the largely silent Jeff (Nathan Dales), Eva Woolf (a spirited Bernadette Peters), and Marcos (Arturo Castro). The Broken Hearts Gallery wholly rides on Geraldine's star-making role and the chemistry she shares with Dacre (which was fine in parts, yes!).
While the inclusion of multi-ethnic (there's Utkarsh Ambudkar playing Max Vora, presumably of Indian origin) and LGBTQ (Philippa Soo plays Nadine, a lesbian) characters is commendable, they often recede conveniently into the background for the central plot to play out. It's not a bad film by any measure (Alar Kivilo's cinematography is a plus); The Broken Hearts Gallery, written and directed by Natalie Krinsky, is certainly one for audiences who savor their romantic comedies with a tolerable dose of clichés and syrupy feels.
Overeager and taxing
cruzarts-7394613 September 2020
The two leads are magnetic, but there's no chemistry between them.
Geraldine Viswanathan needed to be dialed down. She rolls her big eyes a lot, and is constantly doing little victory dances with her arms in the air.
Aussie/NZ hunk Dacre Montgomery is matinee-idol dreamy, down to the mustache, goatee and wavy thick dark hair.
The two of them are in different modes: he evokes a smooth, accessible mood; she pulls rubber chickens out of her bra. I'm sure they'd both be fabulous with a better co-star.
A trio of girlfriends could have been trend-setting, except that instead of creating a new mix of individuals, they excude "three mouthy girls" from almost any romantic comedy. What a missed opportunity.
What bothered me most were odd details, such as collecting abandoned velvet-upholstered furniture from the sidewalk. If something like that is curbside, it's probably bedbug infested.
Then there's the vast gallery space. I did a google: Retail space in the Big Apple goes for $75-$2000/square foot, and business build-outs happen in a hurry, because TIME = MONEY.
I just couldn't buy it.
My ultimate measure is whether I'd see it again. Nope.
Geraldine Viswanathan needed to be dialed down. She rolls her big eyes a lot, and is constantly doing little victory dances with her arms in the air.
Aussie/NZ hunk Dacre Montgomery is matinee-idol dreamy, down to the mustache, goatee and wavy thick dark hair.
The two of them are in different modes: he evokes a smooth, accessible mood; she pulls rubber chickens out of her bra. I'm sure they'd both be fabulous with a better co-star.
A trio of girlfriends could have been trend-setting, except that instead of creating a new mix of individuals, they excude "three mouthy girls" from almost any romantic comedy. What a missed opportunity.
What bothered me most were odd details, such as collecting abandoned velvet-upholstered furniture from the sidewalk. If something like that is curbside, it's probably bedbug infested.
Then there's the vast gallery space. I did a google: Retail space in the Big Apple goes for $75-$2000/square foot, and business build-outs happen in a hurry, because TIME = MONEY.
I just couldn't buy it.
My ultimate measure is whether I'd see it again. Nope.
It Had me at Hello... It Had me at Hello!!
mgentalen13 September 2020
I love romantic comedies, I really do. This film, The Broken Hearts Gallery, felt it was made for me. Within the just the opening shot, I knew this would be a classic.
We are introduced to Lucy, a character who can't get rid of small tokens of past relationships, a more of a hoarder. Lucy finally feels the "one" is met with Max . Lucy says some regrettable things while buzzed, then "calls" a Uber. Lucy, then is so buzzed, she is no realizing this isn't Uber, yet, this new guy takes her home. ( AAAHHH Moment #1 :)
Jump forward, Lucy let go and wants to start a gallery of bad relationships. ( Fear not, not giving away where the gallery is big spoiler.) The story goes through loss acceptance, and then.. winning. It's perfect. This film is exactly like HBO MAX's Love Life, a female character getting beaten up in the story of love wwho latter finds herself happy. ( AAAAHHHH Moment.)
I'm a straight man and teared up.
We are introduced to Lucy, a character who can't get rid of small tokens of past relationships, a more of a hoarder. Lucy finally feels the "one" is met with Max . Lucy says some regrettable things while buzzed, then "calls" a Uber. Lucy, then is so buzzed, she is no realizing this isn't Uber, yet, this new guy takes her home. ( AAAHHH Moment #1 :)
Jump forward, Lucy let go and wants to start a gallery of bad relationships. ( Fear not, not giving away where the gallery is big spoiler.) The story goes through loss acceptance, and then.. winning. It's perfect. This film is exactly like HBO MAX's Love Life, a female character getting beaten up in the story of love wwho latter finds herself happy. ( AAAAHHHH Moment.)
I'm a straight man and teared up.
Mostly quirky and silly Rom-Com, but suitably entertaining after a bottle of wine.
TxMike7 February 2021
The synopsis here on IMDb pretty well describes the story. I was hoping for a bit better movie but it has its moments once I got past the first ten minutes or so. Nothing particularly new for a Rom-Com.
It is set in NY and filmed there and in Canada, interestingly the male and female leads are both Australians using flawless American accents.
My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.
It is set in NY and filmed there and in Canada, interestingly the male and female leads are both Australians using flawless American accents.
My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library.
Fluffy and optimistic, albeit not a masterpiece
themadmovieman12 September 2020
For the most part a fluffy, easy-going romantic comedy, The Broken Hearts Gallery is a really lovely watch from start to finish. With energetic pacing, good humour and a wonderful lead performance from Geraldine Viswanathan, it's a film to really make you smile, even if it doesn't necessarily exploit the full dramatic potential of its story.
Even if you are averse to the romantic comedy, or prefer your love stories with a tinge more real-world cynicism, The Broken Hearts Gallery is one of those movies that even the biggest pessimists won't be able to resist.
A lot of that has to do with the lead performance from Geraldine Viswanathan, who is outstanding in this film. Although she starts off by overplaying the quirky, clumsy type, she soon finds her feet as an ambitious, optimistic and delightfully energetic lead, bringing such a strong sense of joy to the whole film.
Without Viswanathan, The Broken Hearts Gallery could have been a rather flat, monotonous romantic comedy, but thanks to her scene-stealing joyful energy, I found myself beaming ear to ear on a number of occasions here.
The film's screenplay isn't quite as magical, though it certainly goes all out to replicate the enthusiasm of its lead actress. Following the story of finding something positive out of heartbreak, this movie is so full of uplifting and happy energy, complete with delightful comedy and even the odd bit of genuinely heartwarming romance to boot.
Of course, the central love story is entirely predictable at every beat, but although that does mean the movie loses a certain emotional effect, its fluffy nature makes it a light-hearted joy to watch throughout.
Where The Broken Hearts Gallery does unfortunately miss the mark, however, is in its focus on the deeper, long-lasting impact of relationships. Beyond the immediate trauma of going through a breakup, the story touches briefly on how people hang onto the memories - physical or not - of their past loves for a long, long time.
It's a wonderful idea to bring up, and an enjoyably sentimental one too, but the film doesn't go further and offer up an emotionally captivating portrayal of people who are still so wrapped up in their previous romances. It's a quirky feature of the movie, but it could have been much more.
Overall, I rather liked The Broken Hearts Gallery. It may be a fluffy, easy-going romantic comedy, but thanks to an enjoyable story, good humour, an optimistic mindset and a dynamite lead performance, it's an effortlessly enjoyable and gratifying watch.
Even if you are averse to the romantic comedy, or prefer your love stories with a tinge more real-world cynicism, The Broken Hearts Gallery is one of those movies that even the biggest pessimists won't be able to resist.
A lot of that has to do with the lead performance from Geraldine Viswanathan, who is outstanding in this film. Although she starts off by overplaying the quirky, clumsy type, she soon finds her feet as an ambitious, optimistic and delightfully energetic lead, bringing such a strong sense of joy to the whole film.
Without Viswanathan, The Broken Hearts Gallery could have been a rather flat, monotonous romantic comedy, but thanks to her scene-stealing joyful energy, I found myself beaming ear to ear on a number of occasions here.
The film's screenplay isn't quite as magical, though it certainly goes all out to replicate the enthusiasm of its lead actress. Following the story of finding something positive out of heartbreak, this movie is so full of uplifting and happy energy, complete with delightful comedy and even the odd bit of genuinely heartwarming romance to boot.
Of course, the central love story is entirely predictable at every beat, but although that does mean the movie loses a certain emotional effect, its fluffy nature makes it a light-hearted joy to watch throughout.
Where The Broken Hearts Gallery does unfortunately miss the mark, however, is in its focus on the deeper, long-lasting impact of relationships. Beyond the immediate trauma of going through a breakup, the story touches briefly on how people hang onto the memories - physical or not - of their past loves for a long, long time.
It's a wonderful idea to bring up, and an enjoyably sentimental one too, but the film doesn't go further and offer up an emotionally captivating portrayal of people who are still so wrapped up in their previous romances. It's a quirky feature of the movie, but it could have been much more.
Overall, I rather liked The Broken Hearts Gallery. It may be a fluffy, easy-going romantic comedy, but thanks to an enjoyable story, good humour, an optimistic mindset and a dynamite lead performance, it's an effortlessly enjoyable and gratifying watch.
Waste of time even during COVID
Dave_0522 November 2020
Does not work
Gordon-1119 December 2020
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