Overview
About Love, a film released in 2017, is a Russian romantic drama directed by Nigina Sayfullaeva. It is a part of the anthology series About Love, which contemplates on the nature of love as a complicated feeling encompassing emotions such as passion, indulgence, pain and change. The complexity of love interspersed with humor in modern romance is beautifully depicted in the film, portraying different inter-related stories.
The film is an ensemble featuring several interconnected narratives that offer a philosophical perspective on love, including desire, infidelity, accepting oneself, and societal norms.
Plot Summary
About Love features several characters brought together by circumstances and looking for love. Each character’s storyline provides an individual perspective on reasoning a relationship from different angles:
- Love & passion that is forbidden.
One story revolves around a woman who, feeling trapped in a dull marriage, escapes the toils of a monotonous life through an exhilarating affair. While the escape makes her feel powerful, the guilt she carries reveals a more complex psychological crisis the woman has to battle with. The movie evokes the question of whether love should be chased regardless of the cost.
- Finding A True Love
An eager romantic by nature but socially inept, the young man has ambitions of finding perfect love. With much irony, he learns through farcical and sometimes agonizing experiences that love is not just about metaphorically moving mountains, but about every small moment of a person’s life.
- Relationships In Modern Times
In a separate plot, a husband and wife grapple with closeness in the age of social networks called emotional relationships/virtual friendships.
- A Lost Opportunity
A divorced woman in her 40s runs into an old flame that makes her relive her past, forcing her to re-examine her life choices. It enriches the debate on whether one should be able to regain their lost romance or whether time makes all the changes.
- Oh, Self Where Art Though – Love and Independence
In the final arc we follow a character that realizes that love is not just finding someone else, but also finding oneself.
This patchwork of the storylines, About Love reveals density from joy to sorrow and strife to the conundrums of relationships thus allowing audiences to empathize with the intricate and beautifully complex themes of the film.
Cast & Characters
Anna Mikhalkova – A woman who is trying to find her calling and chaffing at the societal norms of love.
Aleksei Serebryakov – A man dealing with past relationship issues and the concept of the second chance.
Yevgeny Tsyganov – The ever-hopeful lover who wishes to find their soulmate but cannot seem to connect with anyone on a deeper level.
Nadezhda Mikhalkova – A young woman attempting to make sense of love in a technology-driven world.
Ravshana Kurkova – A woman who is grappling with the reality of love, loyalty, and desire.
The entire cast of actors depicts emotionally engaging characters which makes every character’s experience real and fully fleshed out.
Cultural Implications & Themes
About Love is more than romantic, it delves into exploring emotions and growth and how people learn to love. This film depicts a truth that everyone can relate to but can also has a reality that people in Russia experience a different kind of love.
- The Many Faces of Love
Love can be romantic, or platonic, or feels like it is forever, within the film we witness different kinds of love and in the process is reminds the audience that love is more than just a single feeling.
- Love Vs Society
Many people have difficulty wrapping their heads around what love is and how it is portrayed in society. The film criticizes traditional ideas around how we view marriage, love, and being content.
- The Role of Technology In Modern Relationships
One of the most stimulating aspects of the film is when it goes into detail regarding how talking through technology impacts a person’s social life and showcases how pertinent the issue is now.
- Exploring Oneself By Means Of Love
Even though it is a romantic drama, ‘About Love’ has a deep-rooted message about self-love ‘a love like no other.’
Scope of Production & Behind the Scenes
Nigina Sayfullaeva (the director):
Well known for her warm yet profound tales, Sayfullaeva possesses a refreshing style within the realms of contemporary romantic dramas.
The film demonstrates, scenes after scene, her proficiency in picturing the intricacies of feelings.
About Love – Further Entries:
The film is part of a series of films with a rich history. Each film looks at love and relationships from a different angle.
Balanced Ridicule Merger with Drama:
Despite the seriousness of the issues dealt with in About Love, the drama is ended with light-hearted moments so that it is neither serious nor boring.
Reviews
About Love was commended for the screenplay, strong performances, and relatability for the audience. The critics acclaimed the warmth of realism of modern love sprinkled with essential poetry and cinematography.
✅ Authentic & Engaging Storytelling: The film’s various plotlines offer a deep and intricate understanding of love.
✅ Strong Ensemble Cast: The adoring and believable performances by the actors make it very easy to relate to their characters.
✅ An Insightful Consideration on Love – Like a discerning viewer’s approach to romance movies, About Love does not romanticize love but accepts it as a unique, and at times uncomfortable, yet personal experience.
Some reviewers commented that the film overlooks neat conclusions; however, this further enhances its authenticity making it a believable depiction of relationships.
Similar Films and Recommendations
If you liked About Love, then you will most likely appreciate:
🔹Love Actually (2003)- Alluring British romantic drama comprised of several love themes blended together.
🔹Before Sunrise (1995)/ Before Sunset (2004)/ Before Midnight (2013) – Richard Linklater’s trilogy on love from different periods of life.
🔹Russian Doll (2019-2022, tv series) – Romantic, existential, humorous series whose logic is deeply philosophical about love and life.
🔹The Lunchbox (2013) – Delightfully enchanting tale of love, solitude and unexpected companionships.
🔹Her (2013) – The film depicts love in the contemporary world however, like About Love, cannot strain itself from the influence of technology.
Final Thoughts
About Love (2017) is an exquisitely captured film that portrays the look into relationships from a realistic and provoking perspective in an emotionally vivid manner. The film does not depict love as a fairytale but instead shows the depth of emotion as being complex, intricate, and forever changing.
About Love is a great film for those fond of deep dramas, thanks to its powerful themes and gripping narrative.
