Love Life Review: A Case For Living In The Moment
We’re told right away how many jobs and relationships someone will have before they finally find the one, statistics at the ready. Love Life, HBO Max’s first original for its streaming platform, holds onto those statistics with all its might as it follows a young woman in New York City trying to find that very one for herself.
There are flashes of greatness over the course of its season (eight of its ten-episode run reviewed), but they are in conflict with what the show wants to say.
Love Life follows Darby (Anna Kendrick) as she falls in and out of live while trying to find herself. We learn more about her through these relationships and her career, and over time a clearer picture is formed about what makes her tick and what she needs to work on to find peace in her own life.
There’s a whimsical tone to the show, with a comforting narration to get inside Darby’s headspace and a bouncy, exciting score that keeps optimism alive when the harder times in Darby’s life arrive.
The show that comes to mind the most when watching is Girls, especially when Darby’s friends are involved. This is in terms of the show’s vibe and it’s here where the show is most interesting. It loosens up and wants to have a good time, and allows its characters that chance to breathe.
This is something that becomes apparent over time, that the show functions much better when it isn’t sticking to its premise. When Love Life is focused on Darby’s relationships, we know that these are stepping stones on her path but aren’t her ultimate destination, and the smallest things become major problems.
It’s when the show deviates and takes its time with the characters where it really takes off. Unfortunately, that’s not the focus, and so it’s less prevalent than the relationship side.
When Zoë Chao’s Sara, Sasha Compere’s Mallory, and Peter Vack’s Jim are part of an episode, the entertainment factor jumps through the roof and the show finds a way more compelling argument of hanging out with them and Darby than with the episodic relationships. Some of their issues turn out to be a more interesting avenue, too, but they’re mostly on the sidelines until later in the season.
Because the main fault of the show is in its design. We know Darby will be in another relationship by the next episode because the show has been made that way. This makes for a sense of inevitability, that something must go wrong by the end of each half hour. That’s not to say the show doesn’t work and that this idea couldn’t be done right.
It’s more that the stakes are low because we know the relationship won’t last. Love Life does change up that idea later into its run, but by then the season is coasting past its halfway point. There’s also the fact that the various time periods and relationships leave a feeling of being at arm’s length, as we don’t get to really know anyone beyond quick snapshots.
There’s also the fact that some of the lovers that come into Darby’s life are rather questionable from the offset, especially one that is more prevalent than the others. There’s this nagging hope that those characters would exit faster, even when their name is the title of the episode.
Love Life would not work unless its lead connects, and Anna Kendrick is instantly charming and wonderful as Darby. She brings an enthusiasm and a sense of fun to the role, which helps when her character is making some strange and oftentimes bad choices. She settles into the role and has some touching emotional moments further in that land beautifully.
The cast is packed with charm, like the aforementioned Zoë Chao, Sasha Compere, and Peter Vack, along with fantastic appearances from John Gallagher Jr., Scoot McNairy, and Hope Davis. They all bring different styles of energy when paired up with Kendrick, and all manage to make an impact.
Though there is a lot of promise to Love Life, and some episodes work vastly better than others, ultimately the show has a problem with its less focused moments being way more interesting than the main premise. Out of the eight episodes (of ten) reviewed, the back half is far more successful than the first, and while the final two episodes are completely open, the show isn’t shy about where it’s heading.
It ends up having a little in common with How I Met Your Mother that way.
Love Life is a fun watch, and doesn’t overstay its welcome even when it’s wandering. The hangout pieces of the show are very much worth your while, but the relationships may prove a little taxing.
What did you think of Love Life? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Love Life arrives on May 27, and streams Thursdays on HBO MAX.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.