Sylvie's Love

Name: Sylvie's Love
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music
Released: December 23, 2020
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Aja Naomi King, Alano Miller, Erica Gimpel, Eva Longoria, Jemima Kirke

2020

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Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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Sylvie's Love (Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Amazon Studios | Release Date (Streaming): December 23, 2020 | M

Starring: Aja Naomi King, Alano Miller, Erica Gimpel, Eva Longoria, Jemima Kirke, John Magaro, Lance Reddick, Nnamdi Asomugha, Raquel Horsford, Rege-Jean Page, Ron Funches, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Tessa Thompson, Tone Bell, Tucker Smallwood, Wendi McLendon-Covey

Summary: In Sylvie’s Love, the jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the hot New York summer of 1957. Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), a saxophonist, spends late nights playing behind a less-talented but well-known bandleader, as member of a jazz quartet. Sylvie (Tessa Thompson), who dreams of a career in television, spends her summer days helping aroundIn Sylvie’s Love, the jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the hot New York summer of 1957. Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), a saxophonist, spends late nights playing behind a less-talented but well-known bandleader, as member of a jazz quartet. Sylvie (Tessa Thompson), who dreams of a career in television, spends her summer days helping around her father’s record store, as she waits for her fiancé to return from war. When Robert takes a part-time job at the record store, the two begin a friendship that sparks a deep passion in each of them unlike anything they have felt before. As the summer winds down, life takes them in different directions, bringing their relationship to an end. Years pass, Sylvie’s career as a TV producer blossoms, while Robert has to come to terms with what the age of Motown is doing to the popularity of Jazz. In a chance meeting, Sylvie and Robert cross paths again, only to find that while their lives have changed, their feelings for each other remain the same. … Expand

Director: Eugene Ashe

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Music

Rating: M

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Vince Mancini

Dec 30, 2020

Sylvie’s Love is heartbreaking and heart melting in almost equal measure, a film about professional disappointment and the importance of timing as much as it’s about love. I haven’t been so emotionally wrecked sitting alone at a festival movie since Brooklyn. Sylvie’s Love is damn near perfect Read full review

Richard Brody

Dec 30, 2020

The film’s styles, tones, and moods are as distinctive as its approach to jazz. Read full review

Simran Hans

Jan 3, 2021

Like Barry Jenkins’s If Beale Street Could Talk and Todd Haynes’s Carol, Ashe takes the form of the 50s melodrama and recentres it on characters the genre has tended to ignore. This isn’t as politically restless as those films – it’s less interested in subverting the “woman’s picture” than establishing itself as one. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Dec 30, 2020

With one slight wobble toward the conclusion, Ashe’s screenplay is terrific at letting its characters speak and act honestly: His dialogue is heartfelt and realistic. “Sylvie’s” is a love letter to the delights of a well-told love story. Read full review

Leslie Felperin

Oct 13, 2020

It's a film awash in scrupulously researched vintage production design, costumes and above all music, all rendered in a Technicolor palette that will send grandparents and fans of Golden Age cinema swooning with nostalgia. Read full review

Ty Burr

Dec 24, 2020

This is more than retro, it’s a re-imagination of the past, of the stories and role models that could have been available to Black audiences (and white ones) but weren’t. Better late than never. Read full review

Pat Brown

Dec 22, 2020

The film never finds the spark that would imbue the love affair at its center with a sense of passion or urgency. Read full review

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User Reviews

Chymode1

Dec 24, 2020

Great love story!! The chemistry between the main characters, Sylvie and Robert, was amazing. Hats off to Nnamdi Asumugha for producing!!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Stream2BigScree

Jan 3, 2021

Happy New Year, Streamers! I hope that 2021 gives you everything that 2020 surely did not deliver. For my own benefit, I hope the movie theaters and streaming services are full of movies that make me break my popcorn machine. While 2020 was light on memorable releases, it did end with atHappy New Year, Streamers! I hope that 2021 gives you everything that 2020 surely did not deliver. For my own benefit, I hope the movie theaters and streaming services are full of movies that make me break my popcorn machine. While 2020 was light on memorable releases, it did end with at least one solid streaming option, Sylvie’s Love. The movie is described as “when a young woman meets an aspiring saxophonist in her father’s record shop in 1950s Harlem, their love ignites a sweeping romance that transcends changing times, geography, and professional success.” Let’s see if this is worth watching in the new year.

Sylvie’s Love succeeds in many aspects. First, the set and costume design are pretty remarkable. It’s like the viewer steps straight into a time machine and popped out into the streets of 1962 New York City. Next, while the love story and employment storylines may be average and typical, the acting and writing make quite the difference. Throughout the movie, each scene has a weight and air to it that grounds it. The movie moves effortlessly from hot and heavy to soft and saccharine. There are lines that are as insightful and poignant as they can be stinging. Tessa Thompson stars as Sylvie and continues her trail of above average roles. Nothing to be surprised by here though, especially not her slightly annoying voice. Opposite her, we have former NFL Superstar and Kerry Washington’s beaux, Nnamdi Asomugha. While still pretty new to cinema, I’m glad that Nnamdi was able to get a starring role because he was smooth as an aged cognac. Individually, they succeed; but the two together makes a star pairing. The producers, writers and director, Eugene Ashe, came together and painted a beautiful and classy creation.

This isn’t always a fairytale but with Sylvie’s Love we see what it means to sacrifice for love. Now, I’m sappy and I know this, but Black love is a wonderful thing to behold and Sylvie’s Love has it. This is truly an elegant delight to watch for you hopeless romantics out there. Nnamdi and Tessa’s chemistry is palpable and definitely worth the watch. Grab a big box of fresh popcorn and watch the novelettish film unfold.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Jun 2, 2022

I enjoyed this film. I thought the two main characters had good chemistry and I enjoyed the music played. It has a good sense of atmosphere throughout. Its a bit sad at times and uplifting at other times but its a thoughtful watch and I'd recommend it, yes.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

UnkleEZ

Dec 30, 2020

The movie is solid. I've seen several reviews lamenting over the do of complexity or originality in the storyline. But I think that is an unfair criticism. Every movie isn't going to be the Matrix. This is just a 50's era love story. That's it. The story is redundant, simply because thisThe movie is solid. I've seen several reviews lamenting over the do of complexity or originality in the storyline. But I think that is an unfair criticism. Every movie isn't going to be the Matrix. This is just a 50's era love story. That's it. The story is redundant, simply because this scenario is redundant. It happens to millions of people. Sometimes, I don't even want to be challenged and confused by a plot. It's nice, to be able to just sit and watch two people fumble through life, because they're trying to live it apart from the one thing that completes them. This year has been complicated enough, so the simplicity of this plot was refreshing. And, nobody criticizes the millions of other movies that follows the same format. It just seems like the bar is set higher for black films.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Dec 30, 2020

A period film, in every sense of the word, but surprising because its lead characters and most of its cast are black.

Sumptuously shot, Sylvie's Love is an elegant, romantic and musical film. Without a doubt I must admit that in all its production and visual aspects, it's a delight, butA period film, in every sense of the word, but surprising because its lead characters and most of its cast are black.

Sumptuously shot, Sylvie's Love is an elegant, romantic and musical film.
Without a doubt I must admit that in all its production and visual aspects, it's a delight, but perhaps that same level of detail would not have hurt the script at all.

But there's a certain point that I liked, and that is that the film, although it touches elements on racism, it doesn't root its plot in it, nor does it make it something crucial for the development of the story, and that's something the producers and directors should start to explode.

Not all high-end films should focus on showing the Black experience in an ultra-realistic tone about its difficulties, and I say this because the goal isn't about disguising the situation in any way, but about exploring other variants, and ultimately Sylvie's Love is more focused on the romance, that in the social criticism, and there's nothing wrong with that.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Jan 2, 2021

This is dedicated to Diahann, Nancy and Doris, so if you recognize those names, you’ll know what kind of movie to expect (last names are Carroll, Wilson, Day). It harkens back to the 50s/60s melodramas that revolve around a determined woman, challenging romantic relationships and frustratedThis is dedicated to Diahann, Nancy and Doris, so if you recognize those names, you’ll know what kind of movie to expect (last names are Carroll, Wilson, Day). It harkens back to the 50s/60s melodramas that revolve around a determined woman, challenging romantic relationships and frustrated emotions. In this case, it’s Tessa Thompson’s movie. She plays a woman helping run her father’s record store, but aspiring to work in the new world of television (it’s 1957). A jazz sax player (Nnamdi Asomugha) wanders in looking for a job and that begins her foray into love. Considering the genre, complications arise to challenge their relationship. The chemistry between the leads is strong and Thompson embraces the steely determination required for the role. The art direction echoes the look of the films to reflect the period (yes, there’s even a pivotal scene in the rain). Ultimately, the predictable love story is somewhat compelling, but it’s the style of this period throwback that’s most appealing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Voodoo123

May 30, 2021

Despite the great chemistry between the leads, Sylvie's love is let down by its anemic screenplay with an almost monotone pacing that never quite finds any interesting rythmn. It hits enough points to pass the basics of an onscreen romantic entanglement, but the dramatic stakes feel quiteDespite the great chemistry between the leads, Sylvie's love is let down by its anemic screenplay with an almost monotone pacing that never quite finds any interesting rythmn. It hits enough points to pass the basics of an onscreen romantic entanglement, but the dramatic stakes feel quite low and the superb supporting cast is sadly underused. Nonetheless it's a decent production that's worth a watch if you're a fan of this genre.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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