Greatest Hits hits flat note as busy romantic drama takes on too much

THE GREATEST HITS (12A) ★★

THE STARS: Lucy Boynton, Justin H Min, David Corenswet.

THE STORY: A grieving young woman struggles to escape her past.

SHE first shot to fame as Raphina, the object of a Dublin teenager’s affections in the charming Irish romcom Sing Street.

Now Lucy Boynton returns in another music-themed movie, The Greatest

Hits — which sets out to give the traditional romance a remix.

Boynton plays Harriet, a woman broken by the death of her greatest love, Max (forthcoming Superman star David Corenswet) in an accident at the beginning of the film.

Harriet has long had a set of unusual skills. She has premonitions about the future and envisioned the accident happening. She has also discovered that important songs can transport her to a different time in her life — literally.

Desperate to use this to somehow change the past and alter the course of tragedy, Harriet has become alienated in her grief from even her closest family and friends. She is hoping to eventually find the musical cue that will help her to save Max’s life.

But her determination to shuffle through memories of her past is upended by the arrival of a potential new romantic interest.

Beef star Justin H Min plays a new suitor who takes a shine to Harriet and shares her love of music.

New to Disney+, The Greatest Hits is built on an out-there premise as it aims to show the power of a song in bringing intense memories and feelings flooding back.

But despite the best efforts of its cast, and some sweet and moving scenes, it’s muddled in its ideas and their execution.

Both too gimmicky in itself and derivative of other romantic dramas, The Greatest Hits is too busy in its premise to make the most of the emotions at its core.

THE VERDICT: A potentially sweet tale of love and grief that struggles to find its groove.