| It feels like there should be a good movie somewhere in Squared Love – a combination of romance and thriller which plays more in line with a rom-com than something dark or sinister. However, it’s “thriller” plot is so childish it’s really surprising that it’s meant to be for grown adult humans. I like the playful nature, but they aimed way too low. Betting on the lowest common denominator for your audience is not cool. | | 2021
Directed by: Filip Zylber
Screenplay by: Wiktor Piatkowski, Marzanna Polit
Starring: Adrianna Chlebicka, Mateusz Banasiuk
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Here’s the big dilemma: Monika is a school teacher by day – she’s smart because she wears glasses and a ponytail (I’m not being hyperbolic, it’s physically true and a character literally says that), and by later in the day she becomes Klaudia – a hot mysterious model that the world is in love with because she lets her hair down and takes her glasses off. And nobody knows they’re the same person. This is literally the plot of Hannah Montana and other teen rom-coms, so it’s an odd choice to play it up for adults, but hey, at least they’re trying something.
As Netflix does for many of its foreign releases, it offers the viewing option of the original Polish or dubbed in the language of your choice. The dubbed version is always filled with over-acting, but the original isn’t much better. But the film has a sweet nature, a playful tone which works really well, that I appreciate the effort to try and do the rom-com differently and I don’t mind the over-acting in this case.
The music is really good. Choices that really add life to the film, and keep it moving along at a fast speed. And yes, if you’ve seen the film already, I chose those words on purpose. The sub-theme of cars is bashed over our heads so unsubtly and I can’t stand that. Enzo – sorry, have to take a sidebar, because yep, his name is Enzo. Is Enzo a common name in Poland? I have my doubts, doesn’t matter, you’re supposed to think of Enzo Ferrari. Enzo, you see his name fits, because he moves fast. He’s a womanizer who always goes for the flashy things in life. There is no end to the car puns, and I hated them after the first one and they only get worse.
I really wish Squared Love had a better plot. The structure and characters don’t necessarily play like a typical rom-com, but instead of playing up with something smart or matured, they dumbed-down for something more childish.
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