'Sylvie's Love': Where to Watch Tessa Thompson's Romantic Drama

Sylvie’s Love is a cozy, period romantic drama, new to stream just in time for Christmas. Set in New York City, circa the late 50s/early 60s, the film stars Marvel Cinematic Universe standout, Tessa Thompson, as Sylvie Parker, a woman who reconnects with an old flame years after they first meet at her family’s Harlem record store.

The film is now available and has received strong reviews

Sylvie’s Love first premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival back in January. It was picked up for release in short order by Amazon Studios. The film is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video for subscribers.

Amazon Studios has, in the past, released some of its original films in theaters before sending them to Prime Video. While the studio had backed off from this practice, even before the pandemic, it still indulges in it occasionally. Regina King’s One Night in Miami, for example. is set to play in theaters before streaming on Jan. 15.

It’s unclear why Amazon might have forgone this plan for Sylvie’s Love, but it certainly isn’t for lack of a positive reaction from critics. The film currently sports a healthy 93% on Rotten Tomatoes with 54 reviews. Critical reactions to the film point to it being a gorgeously made – if a bit light – period piece, perfect for fans of romantic films and cinephiles in general.

“There’s a crackling chemistry between Thompson and [co-star Nnamdi] Asmogha,” Benjamin Lee wrote for The Guardian. “A genuine pulse-quickening connection that’s impossible to feign and rare to witness.”

“Combining beautiful aesthetics with winning performances from Thompson and Asomugha,” Amon Warmann wrote for Empire Magazine. “Sylvie’s Love is the rare Black period drama that tells a sweet and satisfying love story without revolving around the racial adversity of the era.”

‘Sylvie’s Love’ tells a love story with a predominantly Black cast

As mentioned above, the film follows Thompson as the titular Sylvie. The story covers two timeframes: in the first, in which Sylvie initially falls in love with Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), an aspiring saxophone player, over the course of a summer; in the second, the two reconnect and rekindle their romance years later. The story is told against the backdrop of the NYC jazz scene.

In addition to Thompson and Asomugha, the film boasts an eclectic cast, including Aja Naomi King, Eva Longoria, John Magaro, Lance Reddick, Jemima Kirke, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ron Funches.

Sylvie’s Love marks the second and most substantial directorial effort yet for Eugene Ashe, who also penned the script. Ashe previously directed Homecoming, a college-centric indie drama from 2012. Before making the leap to filmmaking, he was a musician and member of the group, Funky Poets.

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