Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 September 2023
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Netflix’s latest romcom heads straight to the number one spot on its opening weekend.
The film sees Hadley, an American flying to London for her dad’s wedding, share a plane ride with Oliver, a British student flying home for his dying mum’s memorial. The pair strike up a naturally-occurring instant bond and the remainder of the film sees them seeking each other again. However, the narrator Jameela Jamil explains how this film isn’t about love but rather “fate”; something explored from the start as Hadley was supposed to be on a different plane but missed her planned flight. There is also a heavy focus on statistics, in relation to being the topic of study for Oliver at Yale.
There is an apparent connection between the two on the plane from the moment Oliver comforts Hadley during take-off and is felt from the audience at home thanks to Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy’s superb performances.
It turns out both are experiencing challenging situations in their own lives as Hadley never forgave her father for leaving and Ben is saddened by his mother’s impending death, with Rob Delaney and Sally Phillips also deserving credit for their portrayal of their respective roles. The disappointment and sadness felt by Hadley and Oliver can be seen in their facial expressions, leaving their eventual reunion to be a real tearjerker.
The film has a nice plot, sending a message that love will find a way, but it is the level of emotion from the protagonists that earns this film such a high score.
10/10