Written and directed by Simon Kienitz Kincade and leading actress Emily Ann Zisko, a young couple struggle to grow together while starting new lives thousands of miles apart. Starring: Dillon Bentlage, Elise Rose Martin, Nastassia Firestone, Diede Zillinger Molenaar, Nevada Grey and Enosa Ogbeide.
To start with, the simple way to describe Play It by Ear is that if you’re a fan of modern romcom films or series with a very young, light-hearted, flirty and thirsty energy, then this will be for you. Especially because it dives in headfirst, it’s a risky choice to immediately go for such a sexual tone and it might not work for everyone. The sexual notes can feel overused, typically less is more so it feels like time which could have been spread more evenly to stop it from becoming awkward.
The relationship between Lukas (Bentlage) and Mila (Zisko) feels quite familiar, hitting all the classic frustrations and difficulties of a long-distance relationship. Their chemistry can be quite sickly but in fairness, you can interpret that as the typical over-compensation you’ll find in couples living in different time zones. The vibe that they both give off does fit quite squarely into the sit-com style atmosphere, their personalities have bubbly, extroverted and sweet notes. The romance is there in spite of their distance and they both do a good job creating those feeling of longing and distraction.
All the different elements of the film work together to keep that modern romcom feel going, especially the direction with its penchant for close-ups. It tends to stick very closely to its leading couple, with an intimate and friendly style. It’s extremely modern with the editing integrating that feel of a video call. Although it does hit a lot of the same notes, it’s even tempered and could potentially use a bit more shaking up to keep the progression going strong.
Play It by Ear is one for modern rom-com fans, delving into all the complications of long-distance relationships. Emily Ann Zisko and Dillon Bentlage do a great job of capturing the mixed emotions, from their love and affection to the frustration and desperation. It has a high energy feel and keeps that perky edge going throughout. The direction nicely matches the themes of the story, but it can be overly sweet and in need of a bigger variety to break up the tone.
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