Released on Aug. 31, “Choose Love” starring Laura Marano is Netflix’s latest rom-com that tackles the will-they-won’t-they theme with an exciting and unique twist.
Marano plays recording engineer Cami Conway, who is happily settled into her adult life. Conway has student loans paid off, a fulfilling job and a happy long-term relationship. However, Conway’s perfect life is challenged when two alluring men unexpectedly walk into her life.
“Choose Love” takes audience engagement to the next level. From the comfort of their own homes, viewers can alter the course of character relationships and plot development. This film follows a concept comparable to the interactive storytelling mobile game called “Episode.” This film experiments with breaking the fourth wall as the main character deliberates about a difficult decision. Viewers are presented with on-screen text prompts of two choices that will determine the subsequent scenes of the movie.
This is not Netflix’s first encounter with a choose-your-own-adventure format. In 2018, the science fiction anthology episode “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” featured a similar audience participation interface. “Black Mirror” integrates this concept into the storyline because the main character tries to turn a choose your own adventure book into a video game. While “Black Mirror” often incorporates grim and introspective themes into its episodes, “Choose Love” leads the resurgence of this audience-based style with a comedic and playful tone.
Most of the choices are simple and insignificant to the final ending, while a select few are critical to the result of Conway’s romantic relationships. The audience interaction moments often consist of the three romantic interests inviting Conway to various events, which can become tiresome and repetitive. Luckily, viewers can elect to undo their last choice to see all of the different outcomes.
The film opens with a psychic laying tarot cards onto a table and asking Conway if she wants to hear the good news or bad news first. Here is where audiences can pitch-in their opinion for the first time. The psychic introduces Conway to three potential suitors: Knight of Swords, the Magician or the Fool. Confused, Conway begins to question her relationship with her loyal boyfriend of three years, Paul, played by Scott Michael Foster.
Her adventure begins when her high school boyfriend, Jack, played by Jordi Webber, runs into her and invites her to lunch. This is the moment when viewers must make an important choice: should she accept Jack’s invitation to lunch?
After this surprising encounter, Conway heads to the studio for a typical day of work. She is assigned to produce a song for famous British musician Rex Galier, played by Avan Jogia. Their successful collaboration sparks an intriguing conversation outside of the studio. At the end of the day, Rex approaches Conway with a tempting business opportunity that could influence her future career. As a result, audience members must decide whether or not she should take him up on his offer.
Conway’s main goal in this film is to pick a romantic partner and become grounded in her career and life. In a confrontation with Paul, Conway says that she has “been a little at sea lately.” Viewers can relate to the overarching theme of searching for purpose and fulfillment in life. However, given its runtime of 1 hour and 17 minutes, “Choose Love” proposes surface-level interactions between the main characters. Consequently, viewers do not have sufficient time to truly invest in a particular relationship by the final choice at the end of the film, when viewers have to select either Rex, Jack or Paul.
At its core, “Choose Love” is a video game in a film’s shell. Conway’s character does not appear to have a clear character arc or personality because the audience is manipulating all of her decisions and feelings. The film provides the main character with a basic backstory about her career and family, but it fails to describe Conway’s primary motivation throughout the movie. On the other hand, her romantic interests are more dynamic and unique characters because they are not affected by the audience’s choices. As a result, viewers can insert themselves into the story under the mask of the main character, Conway.
Overall, if you are looking for a lighthearted film and a fun experience, “Choose Love” will be the perfect addition to your next movie night.
