New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You is the second episode in the Cities of Love franchise, created by Emmanuel Benbihy and launched in 2006 with Paris, je t’aime. The concept has proven so successful that versions for Rio, Shanghai and Jerusalem are already being planned. Like its Parisian predecessor, New York, I Love You is an anthology of short films, each vignette having its own director, writer and cast. What ties them together is the common theme of finding love in the Big Apple.

The film stars an ensemble cast, featuring notable Hollywood names like Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman and Shia LaBeouf. The latter’s performance as a hotel bellhop alongside Julie Christie’s blind former opera singer happens to be one of the most memorable in the entire film. Also noteworthy is Brett Ratner’s sequence, in which a father (James Caan) offers his daughter (Olivia Thirlby) as a prom date to a high school senior (Anton Yelchin), with a surprising twist that transforms what would otherwise have been a predictable coming-of-age story.

Ultimately though, the biggest star of New York, I Love You is undoubtedly New York itself; generous use is made of the city’s breath-taking skyline and recognisable locations throughout the five boroughs. The film is thus simultaneously a romantic drama and a travelogue dedicated to the city’s enticing vibrancy. Watching it, you find yourself almost believing its suggestion that love could literally be around the next corner. It’s a nice feeling to have, one that likely guarantees the success of the subsequent films in Benbihy’s franchise.

Ian Chung