The Broken Hearts Gallery is a new romantic comedy from Sony Pictures starring Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery. The film opens with Lucy (Viswanathan) and her two best buds discussing her strange fixation on keeping memento’s from relationships. Fast forward eight and a half years (oddly specific) and Lucy is now an art gallery assistant.
She has a wonderful boyfriend and is getting the chance to strut her stuff at one of his art events, unfortunately, misfortune happens in the shape of an ex showing up. This sends Lucy into a weird spiral and she loses both her boyfriend and job in the same evening.
After meeting a young man by the name of Nick (Montgomery) Lucy spends a few days wallowing in despair. Then on an evening out, she bumps into Nick once more. After a chat, he shows her his own personal project, renovating a rundown hotel and she, in a moment of annoyance and to prove she doesn’t hoard previous lovers memento’s sticks her ex-boyfriends tie on a wall.
Next morning Nick says she should come over and see what has happened, another individual has left an item of an ex-love and so Lucy gets the idea to create The Broken Hearts Gallery.
In medias res
The Broken Hearts Gallery is an enjoyable film filled with charming performances. Both of the films leads have a wonderful rapport. Viswanathan and Montgomery have a great back and forth and their journey together is quite compelling. Viswanathan is wonderful in the film. Easily the highlight of the film with a charming and down to earth air to her. There is also a nice reason as to why Lucy keeps these memento’s and it’s moving.
Helping sell their scenes together is some intimate cinematography. New York looks warm and full of life as these two meander around its streets trying to figure out how to fulfil their respective goals. Mix that with a playful and equally whimsical score and this rom-com is off to the races.
Director Natalie Krinsky also cuts back to The Broken Hearts Gallery as it’s being filled and gives us short vignettes of the person who placed the memento and they range from touching to quite funny.
The biggest issues that I had with The Broken Hearts Gallery were that it is insanely predictable. Save for a few moments involving Lucy’s personal life you know where this story is going. Especially when the film hits its third act and the film decides to just go down the road of a 90’s era rom-com. This almost did away with all the goodwill this film earned.
The Broken Hearts Gallery is a great film for couples and singles alike as it reaches everyone in the audience. Even with its cliche-ridden premises it still rises above it all and will leave you with a smile on your face.
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