Okay, so the primary plot of the 2023 Netflix interactive film “Choose Love” is not that great. It follows music engineer Cami Conway (Laura Marano), who’s been in a happy relationship with her boyfriend Paul (Scott Michael Foster) for three years, but starts to have second thoughts about him when she runs into her ex-flame Jack Mena (Jordi Webber) and celebrity crush Rex Galier (Avan Jogia) on the same day. Cami feels strong sparks with both Jack and Rex, so she now has to choose between three different men and the viewer gets to decide how she goes forward with her romantic life.
Directed by Stuart McDonald and written by Josann McGibbon, “Choose Love” would’ve been a lot more fun if Cami wasn’t already in a serious relationship. Paul seems like a great guy, Cami is incredibly happy around him, the two don’t shy away from being lovey-dovey around others, so to make any choice for her that doesn’t put Paul first, seems kind of unfair! Anyway, it’s best not too take Cami’s life too seriously and roll with it. Choose the new charming musician over her handsome longtime partner? Sure, why not?!
Basically, “Choose Love” is an easygoing romance that feels a little like “The Sims” game (a social simulation game which allows you to control the lives of virtual people), although you don’t get to pick everything Cami does and thankfully so! I tried going back and forth on some of her decisions and the story does turn out quite differently with each choice you make. For example, when she runs into her ex-boyfriend Jack, viewers get to choose if she wants to go grab lunch with him or not. We also get to pick if she should be more assertive with her mean boss or nonchalant. Some people might not enjoy that kind of control over a protagonist’s life, even though, ultimately, it’s the writers who decide how those options pan out for Cami. Since I tried looking at most of the other options, one of the endings was far too abrupt and simple, leaving you wanting a lot more.
The cinematography is bright and pretty (like most Netflix romances), however, the background music wasn’t as impressive, especially since music is a key theme in the story. While the lead characters don’t necessarily standout, most of them are charming in their parts. Jordi Webber’s character Jack however was the most phony of the lot, he is a stereotypical activist type, who goes around the world volunteering and protesting against issues. Scott Michael Foster was earnest in his part as Paul, although viewers don’t get a lot of insights about him, except that he “truly loves” Cami. Avan Jogia is used to playing musicians, so he was very likable as the down-to-earth but impulsive singer Rex Galier. Laura Marano is cute as protagonist Cami, however, she has some really terribly written lines through the film. The direction makes it feel like you are watching a Disney romance made for teenagers. But overall, “Choose Love” is an interesting attempt at the interactive format.
Rating: 6 on 10. Stream the film on Netflix.
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