Mikes Film Talk

Written and directed by Becca Roth Yeah, Love follows Emily (with two m’s) on her journey from teen infatuation to teen romance.  The film is a delightful look at a young girl discovering much about herself and her place in life. 

Yeah Love Story

Emily  (Crystal Franceschini) has a crush on an older student. The girl’s name is Milo (Paton Ashbrook) and she is being chased by a lacrosse player and his two pals.  Emily lives with her dad (Timothy J. Cox) and she is a shy girl who worships Milo from afar.  

The path to true love is not necessarily easy, despite a promising start.  Franceschini provides narration for the film which allows us to hear her thoughts.  The teen worries that she is being obsessive about Milo and goes to see a school counselor.

Emily’s visit is, perhaps, the funniest bit of the film. She tells the woman she thinks she may be gay. “But you’re dressed like a cupcake,” exclaims the school official. A woman who clutches a hand puppet in her left hand. She and the puppet urge Emily to hold out for a boyfriend.

As amusing as that sequence is, it also points out a problem with the school system.  The counselor’s refusal to recognize that Emily is gay is almost more disturbing than amusing.

It Works

Overall the film is a cute look at teen love and one girl discovering who she really is. Franceschini is effective as the infatuated teen.  Ashbrook, despite being less fleshed out as a character, is  believable as the girl that Emily falls for.

On a side note, Ashbrook is the daughter of Lorenzo Lamas.  She has a minimum of lines, but,  it is plain to see she is a chip off the old block.

Roth does a good job on editing the picture and shares cinematography and boom mike duties with Aaron Fisher.  Which brings up the one complaint about the film. The sound. In the external scenes where Emily and Milo talk in the park, the sound is uneven and somewhat mismatched.  The problem may have been a lack of layering but it was distracting.

Regardless of the sound issue, the film fully classifies as a “feel good” movie.  We get behind Emily in her search for love.  Timothy J. Cox manages to convince as the “Mid-LIfe” crisis dad who knows when a hug is needed.

The Verdict

Yeah, Love  was Roth’s first effort as a writer and director. The film  shows a deft touch and impressive confidence that signifies that she is one to watch.  A  3.5 star film that entertains solidly.