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Movie Review: “It Felt Like Love” Feels Uncomfortably Real

Rating: 4/5

Oh, young love.  It is amazing how strongly you can feel for the first guy you fall for.  However, this film isn’t a sappier and dramatic copy of Endless Love.  Instead, It Felt Like Love is a realistic portrayal of a young teen desperate to experience the same sexual activities as her best friend, as she forcefully pursues an unreciprocated relationship with a guy who will “sleep with anyone.”

In Eliza Hittman’s debut feature, we follow Lila (Gina Piersanti), a fourteen year old, spending a hot summer in a blue-collar Brooklyn neighborhood away from the city.  Often tagging along with her best friend Chiara (Giovanna Salimeni) and her boyfriend, Lila is the awkward and quiet third wheel.  But as she is riding in the back seat of her friend’s love life, she is taking detailed mental notes of what she feels she should be experiencing with a guy as well.  Cue the first semi attractive boy that acknowledges her!  Yup, meet Sammy, the “bad boy” with a reputation to sleep around.  Seems like the perfect guy for Lila to fixate on for the rest of summer.  Completely delusional in her endless attempt to pursue Sammy, Lila puts herself at risk in multiple situations.

As a girl who has never been in love, I painfully related to this film; to an extent of course.  Seeing your friends “in love” and doing what couples do can have a strong impact on you.  It makes you want what they have, feel what they feel, and experience what they are experiencing.  In your teens, this mostly stems from wanting to be at the same level as your friends.  Now, I was nowhere near as foolish or extreme as Lila, but the desperation that Hittman wrote in her character is something that almost all girls can understand.  We have all had that crush (guys have them too) we liked so much that we begin to imagine what a relationship would be like with that person, specifically thinking of certain scenarios with them.  Usually, we all keep these delusional thoughts to ourselves.   However, Lila decides the best tactic is to make those fantasies a reality, even if she has to force the hangouts and manipulate the truth.   And I have to give props to Lila, because this girl can lie.  She lies really well!  I couldn’t say half of the lies she told with a straight face.

The fresh cast led by Gina Piersanti is naturally effortless in their roles playing genuine teens dealing with sex, urges, and curiosity.  Characters like these have a tendency to be overacted.  It was nice to see Hittman’s powerful script didn’t get ruined by heavily dramatic performances.  And though you will probably be yelling at Piersanti’s character, she does a fantastic job as Lila, ranging from the harmless school girl crush to becoming the borderline Swimfan.  The uncomfortable squirming from Lila’s naïve actions will all be worth it after seeing this film.

Honestly, I expected something completely different going into this movie based on what I saw in the trailer.  What I got was much better.  I can’t say that this premise will be everyone’s cup of tea.  It Felt Like Love is a beautifully shot and twisted, coming of age story focusing on the pressures of sexual relationships for young teens.  Though the film has a simple plot, there are many layers to each character.  Watching the layers brilliantly unfold is what makes this movie hypnotizing.  I only wish the film was longer.

It Felt Like Love opens in Los Angeles on March 28.

“It Felt Like Love” Official Trailer HD

Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com

Movie Review:“Endless Love” Supplies an Endless Amount of Dramatic One-liners

For most people, the love you find in your teen years tends to not be the kind worth fighting for.  But for David and Jade, this theory goes out the window as they prove their love is everlasting no matter what obstacles are thrown at them.

Valentine’s Day is not just a big profit for Hallmark and flower shops;  no this day is also another chance for box-office gold.  With all the romantic films opening this weekend, it’s going to be tough for girlfriends to decide which chick flick they will be dragging their boyfriends to see.  What better option than the remake of Endless Love.

Endless Love greatly differs from the 1981 version.  The PG-13 rating may have something to do with that.  Given that its target audience is probably the thousands of tweens that are looking to gawk at Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike); parents should take comfort in the fact that this story is cleaner and less risqué than the original.

“Let’s be young and dumb just for tonight.”

It’s the classic story of how the rich girl falls in love with the underprivileged boy.  Gabriella Wilde (Carrie 2013) plays Jade, a naïve, sheltered girl who finally crosses paths with David (Pettyfer), the boy who has been in love with her for the past four years of high school.  After an immediate connection and an idealistic night at her graduation party, the two reciprocate in an intense first love filled with passion, heat, excitement, and of course one problem after another.  Jade’s father played by Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek Into Darkness) can not stand the idea of his daughter dating a valet attendant who could potentially be a distraction for her future career plans.

Wilde and Pettyfer do a fantastic job in this film.  Their chemistry jumps off the screen.  Though it was cheesy at times, the “I can’t live without you” love was kind of fun to watch.  Honestly, first loves can consume your whole world sometimes, and make you feel like you would be lost without them.  Other than that relatable fact, their romance is more dramatic than most.  Although, if Jade and David’s romance doesn’t entertain you, the hilarious comic relief sprinkled throughout the film by David’s crude best friend Mace(Dayo Okeniyi) will make up for any lack of interest.

I can’t say this movie gave me the butterflies that other classic romances have given, but if there were ever a time to watch Endless Love it would be during Valentine’s Day.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief partial nudity, and some language.

Endless Love hits theaters February 14th.

Endless Love 2014 Trailer HD

Originally posted on RedCarpetCrash.com