Netflix has been experimenting with interactive features for a while, and “Choose Love” is the latest addition to their repertoire. Following the trailblazing success of “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” this interactive romantic comedy allows viewers to steer the course of the story. However, while the concept is innovative, the film’s execution leaves much to be desired.
Directed by Stuart McDonald and written and produced by Josann McGibbon, “Choose Love” revolves around a twentysomething woman named Cami, portrayed by Laura Marano. Cami finds herself at a crossroads in her personal and professional life, torn between three potential suitors from her past, present, and future. As viewers, we’re tasked with making choices on Cami’s behalf to guide her toward her ultimate happiness.
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The film’s interactive user interface is relatively straightforward. Cami frequently breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience when she’s faced with decisions. Initially, the choices offered lead to similar sequences, but as the story progresses, they diverge into different storylines. This branching narrative style adds an element of pressure for viewers, especially those who, like Cami, struggle with decisiveness.
Cami’s character is introduced as a woman grappling with various life decisions, including her desire to start a family, her yearning for career advancement, and her suspicion that her boyfriend, Paul (Scott Michael Foster), may be ready to propose. Seeking clarity, she consults a psychic who predicts the arrival of two more suitors: Jack (Jordi Webber), a photographer from her high school days, and Rex (Avan Jogia), a rock musician who could help her achieve her career aspirations.
While the interactive storytelling format presents an intriguing premise, “Choose Love” falls short in its execution. The film’s characters, including Cami, remain one-dimensional, serving primarily as vehicles to advance the plot. Despite the charismatic performances of the cast, including Marano, Foster, Webber, and Jogia, the lackluster material prevents them from shining.
The film’s themes, centered on the idea of controlling fate and destiny, remain superficial, as the interactive nature of the narrative requires active viewer participation, hindering immersion in Cami’s world. The male characters, though charming, are underdeveloped and serve solely to further Cami’s character arc.
Despite the film’s attempts to explore multiple relationship dynamics and possible outcomes, it fails to provide meaningful insights into Cami’s aspirations and personal growth. Viewers are often presented with options that lead to unsatisfactory conclusions, leaving them frustrated rather than fulfilled.
“Choose Love” encourages viewers to make choices in the pursuit of love, but it struggles to translate this into an engaging cinematic experience. The film’s multiple storylines offer little emotional depth, and the lack of definitive correct answers leaves audiences with a series of disappointing resolutions.
In theory, an interactive rom-com sounds intriguing, but in practice, “Choose Love” fails to deliver on its promise. Instead of choosing love, viewers may find themselves choosing to pass on this frustrating cinematic adventure.