‘Love Language’ Review: Chloë Grace Moretz Leads Messy Love Triangle While Capitalizing On Untapped Wedding Vows Market — SXSW

The mid-budget romantic comedy continues its resurgence at SXSW, where Love Language made its world premiere on Monday.

In the Joey Power-helmed film, Chloë Grace Moretz stars as recently dumped writer Lou, who falls into a love triangle with her best friend’s cousin Dash (Anthony Ramos) and her former college crush Warren (Manny Jacinto), while helping the latter’s fiancée Olivia (Isabel May) with her wedding vows.

Following the end of her own engagement, Lou’s friend Tilda (Billie Lourd) enlists her services writing her vows, for which she secretly repurposes her own vows.

While coasting at her job running a chip company’s social media, with her YA novel long on the backburner, Lou begins getting more requests to write brides’ vows ahead of their nuptials. With the ever-growing wedding industry, she masters an untapped market, which proves to be an interesting update on the rom-com device of cynics capitalizing on love, à la The Materialists, The Wedding Planner and 27 Dresses.

After getting hired by bride-to-be Olivia (Isabel May), Lou is surprised to learn that she’s marrying Warren (Manny Jacinto), with whom she went to college. Lou reconnects with Warren under the guise of hearing their love story to better write their vows. At least, that’s what she tells Olivia. As the film progresses, it’s clear that Lou is testing the boundaries of their reignited friendship, while going through her own self-reckoning.

Seeing a former flame with someone else brings out a jealous bitterness that eats at Lou, which is hard not to relate to as a millennial audience member with a heart. After years as a child and teen star, Chloe comes into her own as the leading lady, expressing an understandably selfish need to explore what could have been, at the risk of blowing up his wedding and her own relationships and friendships.

Lou’s leading men are both charming in their respective signature ways. And while Ramos’ Dash is meant to be a fuckboy, the actor has such natural sincere presence as a successful young man with his heart on his sleeve, it’s hard to imagine kicking him out of bed. As Warren, Jacinto portrays the groom-to-be with the appropriate amount of emotional conflict, taking a trip down memory lane before making the big leap.

Lou’s friends Tilda and Gus (Lukas Gage) are supportive, yet ready to offer tough love when she needs it most. In addition to providing frequent laughs with their unmatched comedic chemistry, they’re also pretty well developed characters on their own, as opposed to the usual supporting rom-com roles that often lend themselves to stereotypes and tropes.

Meanwhile, May walks a dramatic tightrope as the Type-A bridezilla trying to appear cool with the dynamic, despite the awkward circumstances. Even with her somewhat cold exterior, it’s hard not to feel for her as she plans for her big day while growing distant from her fiancé.

Love Language is a return to classic rom-com form, with heart and humor, as well as a talented ensemble cast that beautifully brings Power’s script to life against a dreamy Chicago backdrop.

Title: Love Language
Festival: SXSW (Narrative Spotlight)
Director-screenwriter: Joey Power
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos, Manny Jacinto, Isabel May, Lukas Gage, Billie Lourd, Chloe Fineman, Zach Zucker, Morgan Jay, Bobbi Althoff, Marchant Davis, Dan Perrault
Sales Agent: CAA
Running time: 1 hr 44 mins