The Before Trilogy is one of the most loved and deeply felt Hollywood romances in film history. But we live in different times today. There are new ideas about love, sexuality, and identity emerging. Director Liam Calvert’s A Night Like This follows two strangers, a broke gay actor and a musician-cum-troubled businessman, who forge an unlikely bond in downtown London. Yes, it does ring a bell, but of the happy melodious kinds, I’d say.
At first glance, A Night Like This might seem like a festival of clichés, given the number of familiar beats woven into Diego Scerrati’s screenplay. Lukas (Jack Brett Anderson), a foreigner struggling to make it as an actor, is the polar opposite of Oliver (Alexander Lincoln), whose sexuality is not a point of discussion in the film. On a particularly rough night for both, a series of conversations gradually brings them closer. Lukas appears to be the clingy type, while Oliver’s impulsiveness and passion drive him to open up.
This is classic romance territory, the template we have grown up loving, yet Calvert makes it feel intimate and fresh. His staging of sequences, all set at night, is beautifully lit and atmospheric. One standout stretch occurs inside a bar that is about to close, much to the warm owner’s dismay. Here, Oliver performs a moving song and delivers a heartfelt speech: “Why can’t I just be me? I’m trying to be me for a night. And I’m so brainwashed that it’s terrifying. I’m just happy I’m not alone.”
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A Night Like This is undeniably chatty, filled with dialogue that lingers. Another line that resonates is, “You want to show everyone you’re happy. You don’t even try to be happy.” In an era driven by social media narratives, where algorithms tend to outweigh merit and passion, these words feel profound and necessary.
The story shifts to highlight the present moment of the night, where Lukas and Oliver’s chemistry continues to develop amid quiet, intimate streets and bars. Calvert tries to strike a balance between the familiar template of romance with careful attention to the minute details of connection. Love is never really effortless, and the film acknowledges that while still allowing its leading men to discover moments of warmth and self-doubt.
A Night Like This does face some minor challenges with its side characters. A teen named Daniel (Jimmy Ericson), whom the couple repeatedly encounters, feels slightly underdeveloped. While these detours offer narrative variation, a more focused dive into Lukas and Oliver’s relationship would have strengthened the film.
That said, the actors are supremely well-cast in Calvert’s film. Anderson’s vulnerability shines in some of his most challenging scenes. The actor emotes with his eyes, and his poignant expressions make us feel and fall hard for Lukas. Oliver’s brash and extroverted ways are charming on paper, and with Lincoln’s naturally masculine presence (in a non-toxic way, that is), the character becomes all the more appealing. The chemistry between the guys unfolds in a slow yet seamless fashion, with some of the best moments occurring when they come physically close, only for the screenplay to trickily pull them apart. Among others, veteran David Bradley is superb in a brief cameo.
Calvert chooses to end A Night Like This on a thoughtful and practical note. It might seem almost unthinkable in this day and age, but A Night Like This promotes the idea of two people meeting in a club to naturally build a connection. Unlike the curated pretense of dating apps, this old-fashioned yet beautiful act reflects how epic love stories often unfold before analysis and pressures take over.
In this way, A Night Like This emerges as a talkative yet fresh-feeling romance. Calvert works with a familiar template and infuses it with a balance of intimacy and sincerity. In the realm of contemporary romance and in the very act of falling in love, where overthinking and performance often overshadow authenticity, Liam Calvert’s film stands out as a breath of fresh air and ranks among the sweetest experiences I’ve had this year at NewFest.
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
