Quite brilliant Covid rom-com for Gen Zoom
Review
(M, 91min) Directed by Natalie Morales ★★★★ 1⁄
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Akind of platonic Before Sunrise or Sleepless in Seattle for the 2020s. What Spanglish could have been if it had been smarter – and better cast. The best example of pandemic-era filmmaking I’ve seen so far.
I’ve adored Natalie Morales’ directorial debut ever since I first saw it as part of last year’s South by Southwest film festival (where it rightly took home an audience award).
A charming tale about the Zoom-ed relationship between her Costa Rica-based Spanish language teacher and Mark
Duplass’ Oakland-residing student, it sees them learn as much about each other, as he does conversational Espanol.
Unfolding over a series of video calls, it begins with Morales’ instructor Carino logging on and discovering her student – Duplass’ Adam – wasn’t even aware of their appointment. It transpires that it was a gift from his partner Will, keen to help him brush up on his Spanish. And that he’s been booked in for 99 more.
‘‘I’m afraid I’m gonna suck,’’ he admits, while she tries to make light of the awkwardness by enthusing that, ‘‘I’m happy to be a part of your routine for the next two years’’.
After a little more banter and a revelation that Adam now lives a life of privilege thanks to Will, enough trust has been established between them that Adam is keen to reconnect for another lesson and happy to look up the homework of ‘‘the Spanish for ‘cliffhanger’.’’
Which makes his initial non-appearance at the next appointed time even more perplexing. When Carino eventually gets a hold of Adam, he’s in bed – in tears. Will died the night before – hit by a car while out jogging. As she tries to comfort him, Spanish verb conjugations now seem rather secondary to just pure human connection.
What follows is heartwarming and heartbreaking, as our seeming disparate protagonists bond, bicker and fall out over misunderstandings, miscommunications and their own misgivings about life and friendship.
Former Parks and Recreation and Santa Clarita Diet star Morales is a revelation here, her Carino a complex, compelling character, despite the limitations of the narrative device used. Likewise, DuPlass (Your Sister’s Sister, Safety Not Guaranteed) has never been more charismatic.
You can kind of tell that the pair worked on the script together, such is the playfulness, openness and clear trust between their characters. As this ultimate Covid screwball comedy’s myriad twists and turns build towards a magnificent and suitably crowd-pleasing payoff, only the hardest of hearts will fail to be entranced by what unfolds.
❚ In English and Spanish with English subtitles, Language Lessons is now available on iTunes, AroVision and other rental services.