Is This Year's Love Worth Watching? Honest Movie Review & Audience Verdict (1999)

📖 The Core Premise

This Year's Love returns to the screen in 1999, bringing a fresh narrative to the Drama, Comedy, Romance genre. At its heart, the film explores complex themes wrapped in a compelling storyline. As the plot unfolds, we see characters navigating a world where stakes are high. "The big-screen debut from Scottish stage director David Kane, This Year's Love is a comedy about the romantic misadventures of six young people in Camden, North London. The marriage of tattoo artist Danny (Douglas Hanshall) and dressmaker Hannah (Catherine McCormack) gets off to a less-than-inspiring start when Danny finds out Hannah has already been fooling around with a friend's husband, so Danny takes a walk and Hannah splits with a friend to get drunk. At the airport, where the newly-weds were supposed to leave for a honeymoon, Danny meets a cleaning woman named Mary (Kathy Burke) and is immediately infatuated, while Hannah is picked up by a scruffy artist named Cameron (Dougray Scott). Elsewhere, Liam (Ian Hart), a geeky comic-art enthusiast who shares an apartment with Cameron, finds romance with Sophie (Jennifer Ehle), a single mother and full-time neurotic."

🎬 Performance & Direction

A movie's success often hinges on its execution. Kathy Burke does well with the material given, though the script occasionally limits their range. The direction aims to balance pacing with character development, a hallmark of good Drama. While there are moments of brilliance, the pacing occasionally dips.

🤔 Why You Should Watch (or Skip)

Is This Year's Love worth your time? If you appreciate Drama, Comedy, Romance films that take risks, this is likely a decent one-time watch. However, if you are looking for a flawless masterpiece, you might find some plot points predictable.

🏆 Final Verdict

Ultimately, This Year's Love is a mixed bag with some redeeming qualities. With a runtime of 108 minutes, it asks for a significant time investment, but for the right audience, it pays off.

Our recommendation: Watch on OTT.