Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Holder debuts ‘Love, Brooklyn’

Cinema | March 31st, 2025

By Greg Carlson

gregcarlson1@gmail.com

Making her feature directorial debut, Rachael Abigail Holder guides “Love, Brooklyn” to a satisfying conclusion, even if some viewers might have hoped for a different outcome for the central trio. A carefully observed romance that attempts to frame its title borough with the same kind of affection that Woody Allen applied to mythologize his favorite parts of NYC in 1979, the movie places a charismatic Andre Holland at the center of a love triangle involving Nicole Beharie and DeWanda Wise. But Brooklyn itself becomes an equally vital character courtesy of Paul Zimmerman’s solid script. A breathing, evolving, and mercurial presence that excites and infuriates its inhabitants, the diverse community is centralized by Holder’s direction, Zimmerman’s writing and the beautiful photography of Martim Vian.

Holland’s writer Roger has been assigned to complete an in-depth essay on the gentrification of his beloved Brooklyn, a topic confronting Beharie’s Casey on a daily basis. As the owner of an art gallery, Casey fends off attractive and tempting offers to sell her space to deep-pocketed developers. Roger and Casey remain close, despite having split up. Their easy rapport and unwillingness to close off the possibility of rekindling their partnership complicates Roger’s initially casual courtship of Wise’s widow (and now single mother) Nicole. Holder smoothly keeps all the balls in the air, refusing to break a sweat by honoring Roger’s choices —even when he makes questionable ones.

As Nicole’s daughter Ally (Cadence Reese) gets close to Roger, alarm bells ring over the impact of a father figure who may not be completely committed to a long term relationship. “Love, Brooklyn” often turns to conversation as the means to work through conflict, and the actors all behave with recognizable concern for themselves and those in their lives. Following the movie’s world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where “Love, Brooklyn” screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, a few critics questioned whether there was too much fantasy in the mix: beautiful people with glamorous jobs, handsome dwellings and no stress over income, etc.

That kind of criticism, frequently leveled at studio films dating all the way back at least to the birth of the romantic comedy tradition established by architects like Ernst Lubitsch, is misplaced. “Love, Brooklyn” doesn’t have (or require) the Lubitsch Touch, nor is it what I would describe as a romantic comedy, despite the presence of warmth and humor. Sure, the triangle is as tried and true a device as ever propelled a story, but this movie is serious without taking itself too seriously. Holder so clearly values the vibes of these characters over the gears of any plot, her Brooklyn at times appears eerily deserted — or at least not as congested as one might imagine real-life New York.

Those choices will not suit everyone (Esther Zuckerman’s withering “Indiewire” takedown was particularly harsh). And every moment the movie spends away from the core threesome struggles to add value. The minor hijinks of Roy Wood Jr.’s married pal Alan are out of place enough to feel like they exist in an entirely different movie. He’s certainly no Edward Everett Horton or Charles Coburn. Fortunately, the majority of the scenes keep our eyes on Holland, Beharie, and Wise, who make the job look easy. 

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com Ten North Dakota communities will participate in the nationwide No Kings Day of Peaceful Action on October 18. The grassroots movement is a nonviolent protest against President Trump’s…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…

Friday, October 31, doors 8 p.m. show starts at 8:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe annual Aquarium Halloween Cover Show is back and it is stacked. And this time there are a limited amount of presale…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com At the end of September, downtown Fargo said goodbye to another old friend; the Spirit Room closed its doors, marking the end of an era. The Spirit Room room has been a fixture downtown for the…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comThat old time religion, filled with love, is no longer good enough In the first “Inherit the Wind” movie about religion and evolution starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly, the…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Now available on Amazon Prime following its world premiere last month as the opening night selection of the Toronto International Film Festival’s golden anniversary, “John Candy: I Like…

By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case. …

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…