ALL OF YOU

United Kingdom | 2024 | 98m | English

Cast: Brett Goldstein, Imogen Poots, Steven Cree, Zawe Ashton

Director(s): William Bridges

It’s a recognizable near-future, Simon (Brett Goldstein) accompanies his best friend, Laura (Imogen Poots), as she takes a new test guaranteeing to match anyone with their soulmate. As Laura hurtles towards milestones with her new man, Simon begins to understand how deeply he cares about her, even if he’s not ready to accept it.

Despite their feelings, Simon and Laura must navigate the path destiny has laid out for them, before it all becomes too much and their love spills over into their complicated lives. All of You utilizes an innovative structure that presents a brief peek into the main characters’ lives before whisking us into the future, repeating this cycle to offer snapshots of a love that lasts a lifetime.

Courtesy of TIFF

TIFF 24 REVIEW BY: DARREN ZAKUS

DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2024

RATING: 4 out of 5

All of You soars thanks to the undeniable chemistry between and wonderful performances of Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots, but it’s the intelligent writing of Goldstein and director William Bridges that makes this film a beautiful, honest and moving romance that will break your heart.

Audiences know Brett Goldstein best for being the foul mouthed but heart of gold footballer Roy Kent on Ted Lasso. What many may not know is that in addition to being a great actor, Goldstein is also an excellent writer, having been an executive story editor for Ted Lasso and created the new hit AppleTV+ series Shrinking, and writing episodes of both series. With his background in comedy, you would not expect Goldstein to be one of the writers of the next incredibly beautiful, raw and insightful romance that is comparable to last year’s acclaimed Past Lives in terms of an adult romantic drama. But not only did he co-write it, he stars in it opposite Imogen Poots, both of whom are outstanding, making All of You a moving romantic drama that will emotionally devastate you and have you breaking out the tissues to dry your eyes.

Love is tricky, and Hollywood has an affinity to deliver romances with a spectacle full of grand gestures and unforgettable moments. But, that is not how the majority of viewers experience romance, making those romance films more escapism than the reality of love. Goldstein and William Bridges have crafted a romance that feels ordinary and relatable, capturing the relationship struggles between two best friends who have deeper feelings for each other and are unsure how to move forward. While it uses a science fiction soulmate test to ignite the story, that is the extent of the science fiction at play and it never impedes the larger vision for the story, instead allowing the character drama and emotions to drive the film. The roadblocks that Simon and Laura face captures the difficulties of admitting your true feelings, the damage that pursuing one’s heart can cause when you already have an established life, and the strain it puts on the friendship, all with a painstaking honesty. With every challenge to Simon and Laura’s love for each other, it feels raw and honest in the way that Bridges and Goldstein’s screenplay navigates it, allowing the story and characters to truly connect with audiences and leave them an emotional wreck by the time the credits begin to roll. It’s all bolstered by an impressive musical score from Ian Hultquist and Sofia Degli Alessandri that matches the emotional journey of both Simon and Laura throughout the film.

As great as the screenplay is, All of You hinges on its two lead performances, and Goldstein and Poots both knock it out of the park! As a pairing, they have a wonderful and playful chemistry that brings to life the friendship between Simon and Laura that leaps off the screen and immediately draws the audience into the film. They both have the comedic chops for the film’s lighter moments, especially Goldstein with his killer moments of dry humour, but when it comes to the romance between them, Goldstein and Poots share a deep bond that creates the undeniable connection between their characters. There is a lot unspoken between the two of them, leaving the longing glances and body language to help build the romantic tension between them, building the aching romance between their characters thanks to their spectacular performances.

Every bit as talented as Goldstein and Poots is the film’s supporting cast, with Zawe Ashton and Steven Cree being the standouts. Ashton is great as one of Simon’s girlfriends, Andrea, who is a bundle of fun and joy every second she is on screen, while Cree is sublime as Laura’s boyfriend and husband Lukas. Cree is warm and welcoming, creating a truly ideal man for any woman who is stand up and caring in every way imaginable, and Cree does a wonderful job navigating the chemistry between Goldstein and Poots as any supporting husband would for his wife’s best friend.

Finding a romance where the stars have great chemistry is the requirement for a good romantic film, which Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots have in spades, but what separates the good from the excellent is how much the romance depicted on screen affects viewers and stays with them after the credits have stopped. And over a month later, the simplistic portrayal of Simon and Laura’s love and their journey to see if they grow from being best friends to lovers has stuck with me, and still haunts me. Guaranteed to give your tear ducts a work, Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots shine in this deeply honest, raw and beautiful romance that truly connects with viewers thanks to the emotionally intelligent writing of William Bridges and Brett Goldstein, making All of You spectacular romantic heartbreak in every sense of the word.