Most people love a good romantic comedy and, when they are done well, they are usually worth praise. It is one of the few genres in film that transcends above the others and reaches all sorts of audiences and people.
The Broken Hearts Gallery is a story about love and, more accurately, it is one about heartbreak and how one deals with it in life. Heartbreak is something that everybody has to grapple with, but we do not always handle it in a healthy or productive way. Along comes Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan), whose hoarding lifestyle, in an attempt to hold onto the past and her experiences, makes way for a realization that she probably is not alone in her emotional baggage.
Before Lucy makes this discovery, fresh on the heels of unceremoniously, and publicly, finding out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her, she meets somebody new. Mistaken for an Uber driver, Nick (Dacre Montgomery) takes Lucy home as she is dealing with her despair. But then they bump into each other again, and again. From these encounters, they strike up a partnership in more ways than one.
The Broken Hearts Gallery plays it incredibly safe, but this is why the movie works so well. As a typical romantic-comedy, this story is rather predictable. But, with this predictability, there is also familiarity and comfort in how events unfold between the two leads. Geraldine and Dacre have natural chemistry with each other that makes their interactions affectionate and heartfelt. While we know where the story is going, we are still left to linger with the characters and we feel the anticipation as their relationship develops.
Important to mention, as well, is that this is Natalie Krinsky’s debut film. Having been a writer for only a handful of television shows, Krinsky’s jump to the big screen, as both writer and director, is all the more impressive. If The Broken Hearts Gallery is any indication, we can look forward to a promising and rich film career for Natalie Krinsky, so be on the lookout for her next project when it comes forward.
While it does not demand to be seen in theaters, The Broken Hearts Gallery is one of the few options currently playing in theaters today. As a result, it is one of the best options, should you decide to venture out to watch something in a dark auditorium. It is time well spent and you will likely find yourself falling in love with this simple, straightforward story of broken hearts.
The review first appeared on Salt Lake Film Review
Patrick Holman is the founder and managing editor of Salt Lake Film Review. As an avid film viewer, he created SLFR in order to create a place for discussion and to explore the qualities of movies. When he isn’t watching a movie, or writing about them, Patrick works as an OST professional in Salt Lake County, Utah.