Written by Alexander Reams
75/100
Love is deaf, dumb, and blind. That feeling of care, admiration, and joy is infamous for taking away all logic in someone’s mind, and what takes over is this chemical reaction in your mind. Such is the case in The Lovers, however this is taken to an extreme, blinding not only the leads, but also the viewer. Now evolved from a saying into a tried and true trope in film. While writer/director Avra Fox-Lerner does employ this in her film, she takes this cliche and makes it her own. Adding a style in both camerawork and dialogue that is very unique, but does not take away from the actors. The plot is simple, a roommate, and possible lover, is stuck in a codependent cycle, but there is more beneath the surface than I expected. I won’t reveal any twists, but I was daftly surprised at the confidence and energy that seeped through the film, and that was exuded by the cast. I constantly felt the blindness that our leads feel when with each other and it helps build fantastic moments of tension, while also letting me think I knew what would happen, then genuinely manage to surprise me. The care and love they had for this project are clear throughout and the final shot is one that stuck with me long after the credits rolled.
The Lovers was screened as part of the 2021 edition of the Fantasia Film Festival.
You can connect with Alexander on his social media profiles: Instagram, Letterboxd, and Twitter. Or see more of his work on his website.
