Movie Review: ‘Love Again’

The passionately in-love couple share a good-bye kiss. Little do either know that it will be their last. Mira Ray (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) is sitting in a coffee shop sketching ideas for her next children’s book when the love-of-her-life surprises her with a brief visit. He’s off to a meeting, yet knowing where she was had decided to drop in and say hi.

After making plans for their next encounter, he grabs his backpack, blows her a kiss and dashes out the door. She continues her work until she hears the skidding of a vehicle’s tires followed by a loud crashing sound. She’s devastated when realizing what has just happened.

Rob Burns (Sam Heughan) is a journalist working for a prominent New York City music publisher. His boss has just assigned him to write a feature on the upcoming, long awaited concert by the megastar Celine Dion (herself). He’s really not into her music nor understands it but grudgingly accepts the job.

He also grudgingly accepts a new mobile phone his assistant has just given him. He tries to explain that he already has a phone and doesn’t want another. She replies that this new one is a work phone and all the staff is getting one. He takes both phones with him to a press conference for Ms. Dion.

Mira feels it might help with her struggle coping with the death of her fiancé if she texts him using his old mobile phone number. Her sad passionately romantic messages do arrive to his old number. Mira doesn’t realize that the number has been reassigned to someone else –Rob.

Her sister encourages these texts as Mira’s state of mind is not improving. Showing her publisher sketches for her new book, the latter feels reluctant to publish the new work as the sketches are so depressing. The publisher also encourages Mira to continue texting. So Mira does.

Her sister also encourages Mira to get out and meet new people as does Billy (Russell Tovey), Rob’s friend at work. Rob has been suffering too long with the unexpected departure of his prospective bride who without warning cancelled their wedding to walk away with someone else.

Mira sends a text to the old number – she has arranged to meet a new friend for dinner the following evening. The text includes the time and place. Billy decides he and Rob should also be at the restaurant to see what Mira looks like. Rob is already infatuated with her through her texts – now it’s time for a face-to-face.

After seeing Mira with her new friend at the dining table, Rob decides it’s time for him to respond to the messages he’s been receiving. The notes he sends eventually suggest the two meet for a coffee. The meeting is a great success – they make plans for more.

Winning her affection, Rob now has the problem of telling Mira that he has been reading her texts all along. He feels that revelation might upset her and that the blossoming relationship they have might suffer. That’s when Ms. Dion steps in. She uses the feelings, romance and lyrics of her music to help Rob and Mira fulfill their dreams.

Directed by James C. Strouse (Credits: Grace is Gone, The Hollards), “Love Again” runs 104 minutes and is a “see” for an unusual boy-meets-girl romance comedy story based on the book “SMS für Dich” by Sofie Cramer, now set in the present day.