18.9.23
Surprisingly affecting and boasting a pair of young stars with beautifully synchronised chemistry, Love at First Sight is a mildly diverting romantic drama that leans into melodramatic tropes whilst being firmly enjoyable. The film follows hopeless 20-year-old Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) who meets a Yale math student (Ben Hardy) in a chance encounter on an overnight flight from New York to London. Despite their trivial differences in personality, they feel an instant connection and spend the flight conversing, laughing, and ultimately falling for each other.
While the cute setup lends itself to clichés, director Vanessa Caswill brings a light touch, elegantly intimately capturing the simple confines of the cabin setting. Richardson and Hardy have an effortless rapport that buoys the film through some predictable turns in the second half. Despite a simple and formulaic plot journey, the film wrings emotion from the on-the-nose dialogue about choosing fate, and a wistful but generic indie pop soundtrack complements the fairylight-illuminated London atmosphere.
A major draw of Love at First Sight for me was the talented Richardson, whose naturalistic acting style I’ve admired since her outstanding turn in the indie gem Columbus. Her roles in films like The Edge of Seventeen and After Yang similarly showcase her ability to occupy a character with understandable troubles and vulnerabilities. Plus, as a huge fan of seminal British comedies like Alan Partridge and Smack the Pony, it’s great to see British icon Sally Phillips try her hand at a more serious, heartwarming role here as Oliver’s mother.
Overall, while far from groundbreaking, Love at First Sight offers a pleasantly escapist viewing experience, held aloft by the two leads. The romantic formula is tried and true, making this a harmless option for fans of the genre, even if it never quite soars. And yes, as others have said, I have no idea why they didn’t call the film Love at First Flight!