It’s difficult to not get personal about Rachael Abigail Holder’s Love, Brooklyn. I spent most of my 20s living in Greenpoint, watching Williamsburg’s hipsterisms spill into “Little Poland.” My converted private school apartment complex brought tremendous opportunity, but things changed, and as Holder depicts, we can either grow with our surroundings or lament nostalgia. The ex-Brooklynite in me felt Paul Zimmerman’s screenplay at its most basic pillars, sobered on a chilly Sundance morning, but familiarity only resonates for so long. Holder’s wayward romantic indie chases meaning through quiet reflections that navigate hardship somewhat cleanly. While it’s a delightful representation of Brooklyn’s playground, scenes flow through motions like a wandering observer.
What Is ‘Love, Brooklyn’ About?

Image via Sundance Institute

André Holland stars as Roger, a journalist struggling to finish an assignment on Brooklyn’s post-COVID overhaul. He’s caught between women, pursuing single mother Nicole (DeWanda Wise) while still sharing intimate dates with ex-whatever gallery owner Casey (Nicole Beharie). Roger’s as Brooklyn as they come: a bicyclist who avoids responsibilities by embracing the borough’s bountiful distractions. His middle-aged bachelor routine is growing stale, but he still doesn’t seem keen on letting any part of his life leap forward. Frankly, no one in Love, Brooklyn does.
Holder’s pre-screening introduction included meditative breaths, which explains the director’s zen-like approach. Martim Vian’s cinematography savors Roger’s peaceful Brooklyn cycles, candlelit corner bars, and bustling coffee shops. As Roger and Nicole digest Henry Ossawa Tanner’s landmark painting “Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah” after partaking in mood enhancers, the film’s metropolitan whimsy hits its stride. Love, Brooklyn wraps audiences in the irreplicable sensation of what it means to call yourself a “Brooklynite.” Roger’s always bopping between locations — Nicole’s bedroom, Casey’s galavants, local establishments — but never focused. There’s a calmness about his freedom but also a carelessness as he resists transformation.

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After we swallowed the first of three deep breaths with Holder before her film, she followed with, “I’m a sensitive Black woman” — and a smile. That Blackness is descriptive of Love, Brooklyn, unobtrusively illustrated as the trio of characters champions culture (even though the film’s themes are universal). Holder’s exuberant personality infects scenes where people can shed their guards, keying into the tranquility of happiness in singular moments. Her direction is sensitive, as characters discuss touchy topics that complicate the definitionless union between three passionate souls. However, conversations can fall into repetition as easily as Roger’s habits — not beneficially. Roger’s cowardice counters the strength of both women, which becomes an odd synergy.
André Holland, DeWanda Wise, and Nicole Beharie Make For a Powerful Trio

Image via Sundance Institute

Love, Brooklyn isn’t a one-man show; it’s a one-man and two-women showcase. There are others who excel, but Holland’s connection with both Wise and Beharie is undeniable. Cadence Reese deserves recognition as Nicole’s daughter Ally, who Roger takes on an adorable and impactful park “date.” Roy Wood Jr. scores a few laughs as Roger’s buddy Alan, the married everyman whose eyes stray when beautiful women pass. But Holland’s chemistry with Wise’s heartbroken widow and Beharie’s lost creative is the film’s North Star. For as pensive as Love, Brooklyn can be, Wise and Beharie steal the spotlight during individual come-to-Jesus moments once Roger spirals. The playboy antics hit a wall, and Holland’s affably magnetic lead plunges into another gear.
Yet, Roger’s revelations and deterioration are short-lived. Whether it’s Holder’s soothing tones or Zimmerman’s generic template of a casual man who finds himself, there’s something blocking Love, Brooklyn from walloping audiences with emotional haymakers. It’s quaint, serene, and intelligent, yet never ceremoniously moving. The cast is A-list, and the New York City vibes are on point, but we feel like passersby seeing everything from the street. Roger’s writing obstacles and his juggling of partners leading to a drunken night all wrap too neatly. For as comforting and honest as the film finds itself, its climaxes are unnecessarily tidy.
In the pantheon of Brooklyn-made indies, Holder does not disappoint. The trifecta of André Holland, DeWanda Wise, and Nicole Beharie is too talented to deny. Holder’s tale of holding tightly onto the past while present opportunities pass you by does my favorite borough proud.
Love, Brooklyn had its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Love, Brooklyn

Love, Brooklyn is a relationship drama that flourishes in its softer tones as much as the calmer approach leaves us wanting a bit more push-and-pull by the film’s conclusion.

Release Date

January 27, 2025

Runtime

97 Minutes

Director

Amanda McBaine

Writers

Paul Zimmerman

Pros & Cons

Rachael Abigail Holder nails the Brooklyn atmosphere.
Sweet spoonfuls of life?s unpredictability add flavor.
Brilliant acting showcase for the three leads.

Storytelling doesn?t reach very far when conflicts erupt.
There?s a weightlessness to tones that stay mildly conversational.
Plays more like a love letter than a fluid experience.