Parents' Guide to

New York, I Love You

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Sometimes-edgy shorts collection captures Big Apple's verve.

Movie R 2009 110 minutes
New York, I Love You Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

zaidsm
zaidsm Parent of 16-year-old
October 25, 2009
age 17+

i love you so much
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

A once-famous singer (Julie Christie) revisits an old haunt, intent on ending her life. A man (Irrfan Khan) and a woman (Natalie Portman) from wildly different cultures flirt over a jewelry transaction, keenly aware that they can't be together. A pickpocket (Hayden Christensen) gets more than he bargains for when a typical lift turns oddly romantic. Two near-strangers (Bradley Cooper and Drea de Matteo) contemplate their one-night stand, and two teenagers (Olivia Thirlby and Anton Yelchin) embark on a most unusual date. These are just some of the adventures that unfold in NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU, a collection of shorts written and directed by an ensemble of artists and set in a resplendent New York. (It's actually the second in a series of vignette-based films about cities -- Paris, Je T'aime was first.)

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

As might be expected from a collection of shorts, New York, I Love You has both highs and lows. Robin Wright Penn's installment goes from heartbreaking to hopeful, while a connective storyline about a filmmaker is inert. The segment featuring Christie (which also stars Shia LaBeouf) is affectingly dreamlike, while one about a composer forced to read a classic is leaden. But there are many moments to enjoy, and the acting is first rate.

Still, because of the movie's structure, the audience can't get too invested in any one storyline -- a legitimate complaint. But what's truly missed is a larger sense of place. Yes, we see Manhattan's taxi cabs, glamorous restaurants, and crowded streets. But the neighborhoods are paint-by-numbers different. In the end, the New York presented here still feels a little bit like a city observed by outsiders instead of those who truly revel in its specific beauty and insanity. And doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of a movie like this?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what the film is trying to say about New York. Are the vignettes' take on the city surprising? Interesting?

  • The characters connect on many different levels, but do any of them seem realistic and/or believable?

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