With Love: A Tender Conversation Between Past and Present

With Love Movie Review: That quiet restaurant conversation, where two near strangers decide to openly dissect their past relationships, ends up defining everything this film is trying to be. It is such a small, almost risky writing choice, but it unlocks a surprisingly rich emotional landscape. Instead of leaning on exaggerated meet cute chaos, the film settles into something more reflective, more human. An arranged meeting turns into a confessional space, and from there, into a meditation on memory, regret, and the strange ways old love lingers. I found myself drawn not to where the story would go next, but to what these characters would reveal next. That shift in focus gives the film its identity, a soft spoken romantic comedy that quietly asks how much of our past we really carry forward.

Nostalgia, School Days, and the Director’s Gentle Touch

Director Madhan constructs the film as a coming of age romantic comedy steeped in nostalgia. He takes a modest, everyday premise and stretches it into a feature length narrative that feels personal rather than sprawling. For a debut effort, I noticed a commendable neatness in both staging and structure. Several portions deliberately recreate the textures of school life, first crushes, and the awkward intensity of teenage affection. The school segments stand out as some of the most engaging stretches. They capture adolescent recklessness with affectionate humor, including moments where students imitate their favorite wrestlers during playful mock fights. These scenes feel warm and recognisable, and I could sense the director’s fondness for that phase of life.

A pub sequence underscored by the song Aval Varuvala injects a strong retro flavour into the film. That musical choice links the characters’ present emotions with their remembered past, creating a bridge between timelines. I enjoyed how these nostalgic beats never feel forced. They emerge organically from the characters’ conversations, and they rank among the film’s most pleasurable passages.

A Second Half Driven by Emotional Conversations

The real strength of the film surfaces in its second half. Sustaining curiosity in a romantic comedy often proves difficult, yet here the screenplay steadily builds anticipation about the characters’ emotional destination. I found the scenes where the lead pair meet and interact with Anisha and Balaji particularly well crafted. The highlight arrives in the extended restaurant conversation between the hero and Anisha. The sequence plays like visual poetry. The writing remains gentle yet piercing, the performances stay controlled, and the staging allows silence to carry as much meaning as spoken words.

That single scene encapsulates the film’s thematic preoccupation with regret, forgiveness, and the maturity that arises from confronting one’s history. It lingered with me long after the credits rolled. In that moment, the film transcends the boundaries of a conventional romantic comedy and enters a more reflective emotional space.

Performances That Carry the Emotional Weight

Abishan Jeevinth and Anaswara Rajan carry the film almost entirely on their shoulders. Abishan Jeevinth, stepping into a lead role after working behind the camera, approaches his character with visible sincerity. His slightly unpolished energy suits a man still negotiating emotional adulthood. At times I felt his performance moved with a touch of haste and restlessness. A few comic lines might have benefited from sharper timing, and certain scenes could have gained from a more grounded delivery. Even so, he sustains a steady screen presence and steers the narrative without faltering.

Anaswara Rajan emerges as the film’s emotional anchor. She performs with an effortless naturalism that makes her character instantly credible. In the school flashbacks, she convincingly embodies a rebellious teenager with a rough edged swagger. In the present timeline, she transitions smoothly into a more introspective register. Her portrayal of an influencer styled young woman grappling with unresolved feelings carries nuance and restraint. The later emotional sequences draw immense strength from her controlled expressiveness.

Kavya Anil, who plays Anisha, leaves a lasting impression despite limited screen time. Her extended restaurant scene unfolds with such delicacy that she momentarily steals the spotlight. Supporting performers, including Saravanan as a teacher, contribute meaningfully. His character bears a quiet emotional burden, especially during a guilt ridden confrontation staged with notable sensitivity. A brief cameo subtly hints at a shared cinematic universe, and I found that playful surprise rewarding for attentive viewers.

Technical Craft, Music, and Contemporary Resonance

On a technical level, the film presents a polished surface. The cinematography bathes the narrative in a colourful, inviting palette that suits a romantic comedy. The visuals possess a soft vibrancy that complements the nostalgic undercurrent. I admired the editing rhythm, particularly in transitions that weave between past and present without jarring the flow.

Sean Roldan’s music stands as one of the film’s strongest assets. The songs feel peppy and romantic, echoing the energetic love tracks of an earlier era while fitting neatly into the story. The background score supports emotional beats without overpowering them. Certain dialogues strike with contemporary relevance, especially a line addressing the damage caused by judging someone through uninformed criticism. In an age dominated by swift social media verdicts, that sentiment resonates deeply and adds thematic weight.

Structural Flaws and Uneven Pacing

Despite its many virtues, the film grapples with structural issues. The first half leans heavily into romance and circles similar emotional terrain for an extended period before the plot advances decisively near the interval. While the school episodes remain engaging, the narrative momentum feels delayed. Given the film’s romantic comedy label, I expected a more vigorous exploration of humour in these early portions. Additional situational comedy might have injected greater energy into the pacing.

The second half, though richer in feeling, introduces its own complications. A string of travel based sequences stretches the runtime and occasionally prompts questions about necessity. The heroine promises a major surprise, yet the eventual reveal does not fully match the buildup, which slightly softens its impact. I sensed a degree of haste in the climax, as if the film sought a swift conclusion rather than an entirely organic emotional resolution.

There also exists mild ambiguity regarding the temporal setting. Visual cues and musical selections evoke a 90s atmosphere, while the characters’ ages and progressive attitudes suggest a contemporary context. This uncertainty about whether the narrative addresses 90s nostalgia or present day youth culture produces a faint conceptual blur.

Character Writing, Chemistry, and Thematic Intent

Characterisation appears uneven in patches. A minor emotional subplot involving a supporting figure seems designed to elicit sentiment but feels somewhat grafted onto the main story. Its removal would not drastically alter the central arc. The chemistry between the lead pair functions adequately, yet it does not always ignite with the intensity I associate with a core romantic relationship. Some key romantic moments therefore land with slightly reduced force.

The film experiments with progressive elements such as casual intimacy and social drinking, but it treats them with caution. These aspects occupy a middle ground, neither fully embraced nor seamlessly woven into the thematic framework. As a result, they appear partially realised.

A Relatable Emotional Landscape

In spite of these shortcomings, the film succeeds in crafting a relatable emotional terrain. Conversations with former partners generate a quiet recognition that mirrors experiences many viewers have privately encountered. The narrative repeatedly returns to the belief that adulthood is shaped by unresolved fragments of youth, and that facing those fragments can prove both painful and liberating. I found the film at its most powerful during intimate dialogues rather than grand gestures. In those hushed exchanges, the writing attains a lyrical quality that elevates the material beyond routine romantic drama.

A Soft Spoken Romance That Peaks Late

Overall, I see the film as a blend of an average, occasionally repetitive first half and a far more compelling second half that rewards emotional investment. It appears tailored for younger audiences who will connect with its mix of nostalgia and contemporary relationship dynamics. At the same time, older viewers may recognise echoes of their own formative memories within the school scenes and reflective conversations. The film contains nothing objectionable and remains suitable for family viewing. It may not entirely justify the heavy hype surrounding it, yet when approached without inflated expectations, it operates as a gentle, time pass romantic drama punctuated by flashes of genuine poetic beauty.

Rating, 3.5/5