Sylvie’s Love is a Harlem set period romance from writer/director, Eugene Ashe. It follows the lives of two lovers of the star-crossed variety during the late 50s, Sylvie (Tessa Thompson) and Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha). Sylvie is an ambitious woman who works at a record shop owned by her dad, Herbert (Lance Reddick), and when I saw work, I mostly mean watch TV. After all, she dreams of one day working as a TV producer. Robert is a talented and soft-spoken saxophonist who is hoping to have a flourishing career as a jazz musician. The film explores their relationship, from how they met, how they grew, how they drifted apart, how complications brought them together, and how they reckon with balancing their aspirations with their love for one another.
The film is unabashedly old fashioned, its rich 16mm photography, courtesy of cinematographer Declan Quinn, captures its sometimes stage-y sets with a richness that mimics the Technicolor melodramas of the 40s and 50s. It’s beats may be familiar, but they are earnest and come from a real sense of cineliteracy. Of course, the big difference this time around is that we have a story that is told from and about Black people, and in a narrative that certainly acknowledges the struggle inherent to the Black experience, but doesn’t fully define the characters, nor the journey they both take throughout the course of the film, which covers many years.
I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff, I’ll just say that now. And I like films that cover a vast space of time, seeing how characters grow and change. The passing of time and aging of the characters here is surprisingly effective, mostly done through clever costuming and hairstyling. The costumes in this are absolutely lovely, and there were moments where I found myself just trying to absorb as much of the period details as possible. It’s a feast for the eyes and ears for sure, which does make it slightly disappointing that this will not be available in theaters.
The ups-and-downs of the central relationship is really charming and engaging. Thompson and Asomugha have really solid chemistry, and it doesn’t take long for you to root for them to get together. And to the same effect, your heart breaks when they drift apart. During a sizable chunk of the film, Sylvie is married to someone else, a decision that soon forces her to deal with the fact that she needs to learn how to put her needs, hopes, and dreams first. Supporting players like Reddick, Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King, Jemima Kirke, Tone Bell, Alano Miller, John Magaro, and Ron Funches all get moments to shine as well. I was also quite amused by Wendi McLendon-Covey, who plays a TV chef.
There’s not a ton I really have to say about Sylvie’s Love. It’s ambitions are modest, and it achieves those ambitions well. What you see is exactly what you get, and if you like old school romances, this is one you can’t miss. The film may throw some twists and turns here and there, but it’s nothing you haven’t necessarily seen before. Though, you likely haven’t seen it with characters like this, and told by a Black filmmaker. The plot is also rarely the appeal of these kinds of films anyway. What matters the most is whether you can relate to and get invested in the characters, and that is something the film does so well. I spent most of the film either smiling or on the verge of tears, and when it finally came to its concluding moments, I was very satisfied. Sure, sometimes the film feels its near two-hour length, some of the urgency in the latter half is lacking, and occasionally the plot relies on some coincidences, but these are largely non-issues in the grand scheme of things. It’s a good love story, and it’s one of the better straightforward romance films I’ve seen in recent years.
Sylvie’s Love is now out on Amazon Prime Video.