LOVE, BROOKLYN (2025) review

written by: Paul Zimmerman
produced by: André Holland, Kate Sharp, Patrick Wengler, Maurice Anderson & Liza Zusman
directed by: Rachael Abigail Holder
rated: not rated
runtime: 97 min.
U.S. release date: September 5, 2025 (theatrical) & October 10, 2025 (digital) 

Sometimes you watch a film with a solid cast and you wonder why you can’t get invested in the characters or their story. That’s what I experienced while watching “Love, Brooklyn”, which stars actors I’ve enjoyed before in a setting (it’s in the title) that should be more interesting than what is presented here. For the record, the actors are all good here, but the issue is the material they’re given. The problem isn’t in the directing either, considering Rachael Abigail Holder makes a solid feature-length debut here. Like every film, it all comes down to the writing.

Mark Twain popularized the phrase “Write what you know,” which has become one of the most recognizable pieces of advice for writers. Indeed, everyone has a story, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re story would make for a great film. Drawing from your own life experiences, knowledge, and passions is a good place to start, lending authenticity and relatability to a story, but does it make for an engaging or compelling viewing experience?

Well, that’s one of the questions that came to mind while watching “Love, Brooklyn”, in which screenwriter Paul Zimmerman revolves his story around a writer. His name is Roger (André Holland, an actor I’m always happy to see), and he’s supposedly been assigned to write an article about the ever-changing borough of Brooklyn. It’s unclear who the bachelor is writing this for or whether it’s intended for online work or publication. Since he’s either taking his time with the assignment or struggling to complete it, it’s unclear which is the case. One can’t help but wonder where his money is coming from, given that we don’t see him doing any other job.

Everything and everyone in “Love, Brooklyn” is painted with a brushstroke of vagueness. The titular location is shot in an idyllic setting, with barely anyone walking around and hardly any vehicles on the street. Maybe that’s okay, since Roger’s primary mode of transportation is a bicycle, but I would assume Brooklyn would have a bit more bustle to it. Although cinematographer Martin Vian beautifully shoots the film, it still feels like the characters in the movie are the only people who truly inhabit the setting, which detracts from the film’s authenticity.

As we follow Roger, we’re introduced to the two women in his life with whom he navigates relationships. When we first meet Casey (Nicole Beharie), she and Roger are having dinner, and it doesn’t take long for us to realize that the gallery owner is his ex. Their conversation consists of Roger complaining about his current writing assignment, specifically how he originally wanted to do a piece on Brooklyn’s current evolution. Yet, he laments, stating that the borough is devolving. When he motions for another bottle of wine, Casey declines, saying she’s got an early morning. They go their separate ways, but Roger winds up on the front step of Nicole (DeWanda Wise), a single mother working on becoming a massage therapist. He spends the night, and Nicole makes it clear they are friends with benefits, that is all. That could be because she doesn’t want to complicate things for her young daughter, Ally (Cadence Reese), a precocious kid who has a penchant for popping in at inopportune times.

Paul Zimmerman’s screenplay explores the triangle involving these three adults, involving love and friendship, yet none of them truly arrives at a definitive distinction. Roger has natural chemistry with Casey; the history between the two helps that vibe, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they should attempt to rekindle what they once had. Still, they’re easy-going friendship is something they can easily count on. At the same time, Roger shows up at Nicole’s place for late-night fooling around. She doesn’t want to label their relationship, but she’s opening up to Roger and encouraging him to hang out with Ally. It’s actually Ally who requests some alone time with Roger, and the two spend a wonderful time in the park together, with the inquisitive Ally asking some probing questions.

Considering neither Nicole nor Roger has decided what their relationship status is, it’s surprising that no one is concerned with confusing the young girl. However, it’s never truly explored why Roger can’t make up his mind about which woman he should be with, or why he and Casey broke up in the past.

Zimmerman and Holder are just as concerned with portraying Brooklyn as they are with presenting the characters who live there. There are numerous sequences in which the camera follows Holland riding Roger’s bicycle throughout Brooklyn, establishing familiarity and the titular “Love” for the place these characters call home. On that note, it’s pretty odd to see how uninhabited these streets are. There are also frustrations and concerns for the location, particularly due to gentrification and rebuilding, such as the gallery that Casey runs being persistently pursued by local developers to buy out her space. It’s a curious and baffling thing what eventually becomes of that space.

The three leading actors do their best with the material, but their characters aren’t given much room to stretch. There are moments when emotion emerges unexpectedly, rather than gradually building up naturally. Beharie brings a wonderfully fun and funny side to Casey, and Wise has an authentic sensuality about her that radiates off the screen. With Roger, Holland has the trickier role, as he’s designed to be our host for this slice of modern-day Brooklyn. He’s got a charm about him, that’s for sure, but he’s a mess. That’s okay, and can be relatable as well, but ultimately, the character smokes weed and remains aimless and indecisive. Regardless, Holland is still a treat to watch, as always.

Some of Zimmerman’s dialogue seems to come out of left field, making for some oddly unnatural moments. For example, there’s a scene where Roger is sitting outside with his married friend, Alan (Roy Wood, Jr.), and he blurts, “Is there anything better than breasts?” (referring to female breasts, of course).  It sounds like a line from a raunchy comedy, not a relationship drama revolving around black fortysomethings. Not that it couldn’t, but it doesn’t feel consistent with the type of honesty Zimmerman and Holder are going for throughout the rest of the film. Considering how much I enjoy Wood Jr.’s work, I was hoping he’d be given a richer role here, not just comedy relief (which he really wasn’t), but I wound up disappointed by how one-dimensional his character was written.

But maybe this honesty is more of an attempt than anything else, just as there is an attempt to present a lived-in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, what we wind up seeing is a fantasized version of the borough. Locations like restaurants and bars are sparsely populated, and each living space is meticulously designed. Something feels off. Overall, “Love, Brooklyn” finds its actors offering a lot more than what their material affords them, and that’s too bad.

RATING: **