Synopsis:
After an ill-fated audition at a prestigious New York music conservatory, violinist Finley Sinclair (Rose Reid) travels to an Irish coastal village to begin her semester studying abroad. At the B&B run by her host family she encounters gregarious and persistent heartthrob movie star Beckett Rush (Jedidiah Goodacre), who is there to film another installment of his medieval fantasy-adventure franchise. As romance sparks between the unlikely pair, Beckett ignites a journey of discovery for Finley that transforms her heart, her music, and her outlook on life. In turn, Finley emboldens Beckett to reach beyond his teen-idol image and pursue his true passion. But when forces surrounding Beckett’s stardom threaten to crush their dreams, Finley must decide what she is willing to risk for love.
As cliche as it is to say, never judge a book by its cover. I mean we all judge a little bit so I guess it’s more accurate to say, don’t completely disregard someone before you get to know them, but it just doesn’t roll off the tongue quite the same. Either way, it forever holds true. Whatever preconceived notions or biases you have about someone, I can almost guarantee that most of them are wrong. Even if they outwardly posture, below the surface could be a scared individual that postures and doubles down as a defense mechanism. So be careful as you cast down your disdain-filled discernments and your fumbled acuity because you just might miss out on your best friend or your true love.
“Life rarely works out the way we plan it.”
Brian Baugh’s Finding You is a feel-good movie that many of us need right now. This romantic drama is a transformative, triumphant story with plenty to enjoy. It’s filled with upbeat music complete with fiddle licks, heartwarming and tear-jerking moments, caddy drama, unexpected laughs, and an adventitious romance. Based on the bestselling novel, There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones, Finding You is given life by its charming chemistry and the Irish spirit. Focusing on multiple subplots that intertwine in peculiar ways, each arc is fully explored. While the arcs are interesting, there are a lot of moving parts and some characters may not have needed such robust focus. Nevertheless, the spacing of the subplots allows for them to be easily digested. This is a story that I believe that we can all relate to, I know I did. As the credits rolled and typed my notes in my phone, I realized that the way in which Finley and Beckett meet as well as the way their story unfolds felt reminiscent of how I met and married my wife.
That being said, there’s a storyline for everyone. There’s a young woman who wants to better herself and achieve her goals, a movie star with a controlling father, an elderly woman with a complicated past, a cat and mouse romance, and the threat that it could all come crumbling down. Set in a cloudy yet beautiful Ireland town, the film is not only wonderfully shot but had a wonderful place to shoot. With some surprising standout performances and tons of heart, this is a film that will definitely pull at your heartstrings. If the sobs and sniffling I heard during the premiere were any indications, you may want to bring some tissues to this one. Its rewatchability is medium.
Plot & Pace
After a demoralizing audition, budding violinist, Finley’s hopes of getting into her dream school aren’t looking great. After some motherly advice, she decides to follow in her brother’s footsteps and spend a few months studying abroad in Ireland. She’s looking to unlock the passion she lacks in her craft and gain some life experience. Staying with a lovely host family that runs a B&B, she becomes fast friends with their overly excited daughter, Emma. While there Finley encounters movie star, Beckett Rush who has quite the infatuation with her, but feeling like she knows his type, she spurns his advances. Being the persistent and charming person that he is, Beckett is determined to show Finley his true self while attempting to reveal hers to herself as well. If her studies and the pesky heartthrob weren’t enough, Finley has to befriend an ill-tempered elderly woman as part of an assignment. In this transformative journey, Finley will uncover things about herself that she didn’t know were there, make some difficult choices, and she may even find love along the way.
The film begins very quickly getting straight to the meat of the story. However, with there being a multitude of story arcs to wrap up, the film feels a tad bloated and sluggish at times.
Characters & Chemistry
While there was great chemistry between Finley (Rose Reid) and Beckett (Jedidiah Goodacre), the entire supporting cast and the spirit of Ireland really elevates this film. The surprise of the film for me was Emma (Saoirse-Monica Jackson). She brought a level of humor that I was not expecting. Some of the best acting was the nonverbal moments between Reid and Goodacre. The smiles, stares, and fun they experience with each other feel very natural and create some standout scenes.
Finding You releases in theaters on May 14, 2021. Stay safe and enjoy.
Director: Brian Baugh
Writer: Brian Baugh, Jenny B. Jones (author of the book it’s based on)
Producers: Ken Carpenter, Julie Ryan, Stephen Preston, Brian Baugh
Executive Producers: Mike Roman, Julian Reid
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1h 55m
Rating: 3 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
