Review of The Sun Is Also a Star (2019) by Greatmartin — 20 May 2019
"The Sun Is Also A Star" has everything going for it so why does it just miss being an exciting love story? The leads, Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton, are an attractive couple who meet 'cute'--he saves her from being run over--and the premise is an interesting one. He believes in love, she doesn't and, via the screenplay, he has 24 hours to prove it to her. DUH! Guess what happens?
His parents are immigrants from South Korea who own a successful black hair care product store in Harlem and she has been living in New York for 9 years with her Jamaican parents who are about to be deported.
A lot of successful love stories have been filmed in New York City and "The Sun Is Also A Star" takes advantage of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs with aerial shots, walks through the city parks and streets and even a tram ride from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island and many glorious shots of the Statue of Liberty.
The soundtrack, except for a karaoke scene, adds a lot but.... There isn't a reason this movie shouldn't involve the audience's emotions but it doesn't. Maybe if more had been looked into regarding the immigrant aspect it would have rounded out the story of the lovers more.
John Leguizamo should have been brought more into the story because the scenes with him would have given more meaning to the fact versus fate argument that motivates the love story. (Besides they never explain the accident he was in which was distracting!).
"The Sun Is Also A Star" has a lot going for it but just not enough, none of the 'magic' that makes 'happily ever after".
PS Don't leave when the screen goes dark or you will miss the ending.
This review of The Sun Is Also a Star (2019) was written by Greatmartin on 20 May 2019.
The Sun Is Also a Star has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
