Love is Love is Love is the latest feature film from award-winning director Eleanor Coppola (Paris Can Wait, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse), produced by Anahid Nazarian (Tetro, Youth Without Youth), and is an American Zoetrop production. It premiered at the 2020 Deauville Film Festival and was also an official 2020 Tribeca Film Festival selection.The film tells three stories that explore love, commitment, and loyalty between couples and friends. Throughout all three stories, Coppola explores and attempts to utilize naturalistic ease to find the heart of the deepest friendships and romances. Although good intentions were the driving force behind this film, it missed the turn toward realism and sense.
In the film’s first story ‘Two for Dinner’, a married couple (Joanne Whalley and Chris Messina) find an unconventional way to transcend long distance through technology. We’re placed right in the middle of a husband and wife who’s relationship is spent more apart than together. They are getting ready, while chatting through a zoom-like call to continuing their “date” at restaurants closest to their choice (given the separate locations). They chat like they are total strangers who have absolutely zero in common. Given the mood and unexciting conversation it’s clear that this is a relationship in trouble. Their connection comes across facade and staged but neither one of them are physically or emotionally invested in each other anymore. It’s not long before, despite the terrible script writing and blah performances, that the ugly truth eventually reveals itself.
The second story, “Sailing Lesson”, is about a long married (Kathy Baker and Marshall Bell) couple who act more like geriatric lovers than an actual couple. The tone and choice of words used between the two present a confusion and questions as to what the hell is actually going on with them. The husband calls her up and casually drops the line that he wants a girlfriend like, it’s as simple as ordering food. He explains that she’s so busy with her retirement book club, garden club, etc kind of life and he wants some chic to sit by his side to do the things he wants like, sailing. She kindly reminds him that it’s not that she doesn’t want to be by his side but that sailing makes her seasick. However, she’s willing to suck it and deal with it because she loves her man. Sounds great until you get to know him a bit more while they’re sailing. In my opinion, he’s an old grumpy ass who still thinks he’s in his 20’s and needs a lot more help than he’ll ever really admit. I DESPISE the notion that once a woman becomes an “old wife” that she can literally be threatened with divorce or watch her spouse entertain side pieces because of milestones changes in life/marriage that doesn’t satisfy their “hanging on to past life” needs any more. I know it happens and it’s more common than most care to admit but, damn! I’m willing to compromise but if it’s like that, best of luck to ya. Boy Bye! To each their own but, this story was incredibly cringe and it frustrated the hell out me.
The final story in Love is Love is Love is called “Late Lunch”. A young woman (Maya Kazan) who recently lost her mother, gathers together a group of her mother’s friends (including Cybill Shepherd, Rosanna Arquette, and Rita Wilson) to share memories. It’s the longest of the three stories and it’s expressed awkwardly. For the memories and experiences shared at the table, especially of women, there was no raw emotion. Shocking secrets are revealed but no gasps. Jokes had forced laughs and it felt that each woman was placed to cover feminine & social issues that plague a woman’s livelihood. The third story comes across like a long winded commercial or fundraising campaign just for women. The one aspect that I enjoyed about this story is that this young woman was able to piece together memories of her mother’s life, childhood adolescents to her recent and sudden death, and gain knowledge that would help answer some questions about some changes in her own life. She may have lost her mother but she gained some new insight into her past life as well as friends who can help fill in when she needs the help. I tried to find ways to enjoy this film but it really didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. If it’s your kind of film, go for it but it’s a definite no from me.
Love is Love is Love is currently out on VOD as of December 14th.
