In the opening line of Which Brings Me to You‘s synopsis, the characters are called “rambunctious” and their encounter in a coat closet is called a “heated embrace.” Neither of these descriptors works for the film adaptation, which takes Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott’s novel, dulls its edges, and cools down the heat. Starring Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff, the story is about a chance meeting that turns into a false stop relationship, which then becomes a romantic correspondence that reveals the heart of two romantic burnouts with messy and heartbreaking histories. It’s an interesting premise that falls flat onscreen.
When a pair of romantically inept people hook up at a mutual friend’s wedding, they decide to start learning about each other and their romantic histories the next day in the hope they’ve finally found a life partner in one another.
- The exploration of Will & Jane’s failed romances is intriguing
- The candidness of the characters can be enjoyable
- Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff have no chemistry
- The film is tonally inconsistent and the direction very flat
Which Brings Me To You Cuts Out An Important Part Of The Novel
I have not read Which Brings Me to You, but I did some research in anticipation of watching this film. While the book didn’t earn rave reviews, readers enjoyed it somewhat, but one of the common criticisms was that the characters, John and Jane, changed to Will and Jane for the movie, were overly written. Their letters reveal their anticipation of a romantic relationship blossoming from a clean slate. Both are jaded for their respective reasons, but they want to be radically open to each other if something happens.
The letters are removed from the film, and the duo spend an entire day, afternoon, and night together, walking and talking about their lives. Movies about letter writing haven’t always made for the best cinematic endeavors, but even The Lakehouse managed to maintain the romantic illusion better, and the stars had immense chemistry that permeated despite them not sharing the screen for much of the movie. Which Brings Me to You’s removal of the letters doesn’t do it any favors, and it’s not like screenwriter Keith Bunin replaced it with something more worthwhile.
Lucy Hale & Nat Wolff Deliver Subpar Performances At Best
Their acting is also held back by the uninspired direction
The film reunites Hale with The Hating Game director Peter Hutchings. While the latter was more tolerable, I recognize the same issues that make the two incomprehensibly cold in the romance department. There is a flatness in the direction that affects the performances. Hale is awfully underserved by a director who can’t pull a charismatic and dynamic character out of her. Wolff’s performance leaves much to be desired, and he nearly sleepwalks through the movie. He turns in a couple of nice acting moments, but they are fleeting and easy to miss as I grew tired from the monotonous pace.
As the couple is in a stagnant position at the start, the film needs to do a lot to build their connection, hence dropping the letters. While admirable that this change brings the characters together earlier, the art of the walking-talking movie has scarcely been perfected. Before Sunrise is a pinnacle in the romance genre, but the model has proven difficult to replicate. Instead of letters, Which Brings Me to You explores Will and Jane’s lives through vignettes that play out while they talk through their past romances.
This is how we’re introduced to John Gallagher Jr.’s Wallace and Alexander Hodge’s Elton, who easily could have done more to elevate Wolff’s role. Britne Oldford is engaging with what little she has as Audrey, but like so many in this film, the presentation of the story doesn’t serve them in any way. From the chemistry-less leads to the counteractive narrative changes, Which Brings Me To You makes an argument for why not all books require an adaptation.
Which Brings Me To You Also Lacks A Sense Of Humor
The film is not really funny. It may be amusing at times, but the tonal inconsistency and the stilted approach suck the fun out of what could’ve been a dynamic portrayal of young love and maturing through heartbreak. Seeing bad relationships play out is definitely an engaging choice. There is some enjoyment to be had and lessons to learn. To that end, I see the film’s merits. The candidness of these characters and their meeting in the middle of their respective journeys is interesting, but I can’t help but wonder if different casting choices and creative team would’ve boosted it.
Which Brings Me To You is underwhelming on the whole. Hale and Wolff may be trying to shine, but the lackluster narrative may have rubbed off on them too much. The chemistry needed to make the onscreen romance work was practically non-existent, which sadly torpedoed an already dull exploration of love. The film is, unfortunately, just another instance of the book being better than the movie.
Which Brings Me To You
- Release Date
- January 19, 2024
- Director
- Peter Hutchings
- Cast
- Lucy Hale , Nat Wolff , Britne Oldford , Genevieve Angelson , Alexander Hodge , John Gallagher Jr. , Marceline Hugot
- Rating
- Not Yet Rated
- Runtime
- 98 Minutes
- Genres
- Comedy , Drama , Romance
- Writers
- Keith Bunin
- Studio(s)
- Anonymous Content , BCDF Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Decal
