52 Words for Love

52 Words for Love is sometimes tender and moving, sometimes petty and curt, sometimes hurt and angry and it examines the nature of modern love with a warm and unjaundiced eye. The film gently appraises the lives of its characters as they negotiate, reject, beg, or demand love. The title of the movie indicates that filmmakers already understand there is no answer, that love is elusive and complex, but it is a joy to watch them turn the idea of love around in their hands and examine its myriad facets. Beautifully composed and mounted, skillfully written and acted, achingly romantic, 52 Words for Love is a love letter to love itself.

More of a research project than a movie, "52 Words for Love" asks questions about the unanswerable: what is love?

By offering up a weekly synonym for love on her social network, Alice opens a can of complicated worms. Candid interviews reveal the wide scope of the love definition, and how it drives everyone on a daily basis. Quite timely this, as set in stone relationship standards have been obliterated in recent times. Pretty much everything is on and off the table. And men, who not so long ago were awkwardly, if not staunchly mum on the subject, are suddenly in on the discussion. This is all about relationships, how they develop, how they succeed, how they fail, how they flounder, how they grow, and how everyone involved, when prodded, sees their own unique dance.

In the end, nothing is really answered, but that was a given, other than that love is a personal, often ethereal thing, and deserves ongoing dissection.

Good luck.

..as there so many different facets of Love displayed & discussed (especially in the truely spontaneously spoken real-life documetary interviews) that there will be many aspects & concepts of thought to discover & re-think on the second watch. It has a positive, lovable ending, so don't fret to chose it for a cosy N3tflix night with someone new you don't know so well (but want to)

No spoilers ahead, only some thoughts: One little (or big) thing I thought is a shame to not mention at all is the concept of Polyamory; all characters incl the married female couple are more or less deep engrained in the socially accepted dogma of serial-monogamy, struggling with jealousy & exclusive love, but are not even contemplating Poly ideas which are widely discussed & lived since many years. On the other hand that's ok and quite normal to not touch that hot iron, as these concepts are still commonly unaccepted, and this great film planted enough positive food for loving thought in the viewers minds that there is no need to make it far more complicated with such topics.

All in all great actors, great concept & idea to mix documentary in. Lovly to watch!