I just walked out of 'Love Me Love Me' and honestly, I'm still processing. My head is full of Italian sunlight and teenage secrets. I wasn't expecting to feel so... tangled up by it. The ending left me sitting in my seat for a full minute after the credits started rolling, just thinking about all the masks people wear. It's one of those movies that sticks with you not because it's perfect, but because it pokes at something real—how messy first love can be when everyone's pretending to be someone else.
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What's Love Me Love Me About?
The movie follows June, a girl who moves to Italy after a family tragedy and enrolls in a posh international school. She gets caught between two friends: James, the brooding, dangerous one, and Will, the seemingly perfect golden boy. It's a classic love triangle setup, but with the twist that literally everyone at this school is hiding a major secret. It's less about who she'll choose and more about who any of these people actually are beneath the surface.
What Works in Love Me Love Me
- ✓ Mia Jenkins as June carries the whole film. Her grief feels quiet and real, not melodramatic, which grounds the wilder plot twists.
- ✓ The Italian setting is gorgeous and actually used for mood, not just postcard shots. It contrasts beautifully with the characters' dark secrets.
- ✓ The MMA fight scenes involving James are surprisingly visceral and raw. They add a gritty, unexpected physicality to a romance drama.
- ✓ The core theme—how we perform identities, especially in high school—is explored with more intelligence than the trailer suggested.
What Doesn't Work
- ✗ Some of the 'big secrets' feel a bit contrived, like soap opera twists. One in particular involving Will made me roll my eyes.
- ✗ The pacing drags in the middle. There's a 20-minute stretch where everyone just seems to be glaring at each other in hallways.
- ✗ Pepe Barroso as James sometimes leans too hard into the 'brooding' archetype, making him feel like a collection of tropes instead of a person.
Standout Moments & Performances
There's a scene where June and Will have a 'perfect' date at a local festival, all golden light and laughter. But the camera keeps cutting to James watching them from a distance, his face a mix of jealousy and something darker. It was heartbreaking and tense at the same time. Another moment that got me was a quiet, wordless scene of June just sitting in her empty new apartment, unpacking a single box. Mia Jenkins conveyed so much loneliness in just her posture. It made me tear up.
Main Cast: Mia Jenkins, Pepe Barroso, Luca Melucci, Bruno Cabrerizo, Andrea Guo
Direction, Music & Visuals
Roger Kumble's direction is competent, if a bit safe. He lets the scenery and the actors do a lot of the work. The cinematography is the real star—the way Italy is shot makes it feel like another character, all warm and inviting on the surface but with shadowy corners. The music is a mix of indie pop and somber piano, which works well. Performance-wise, Mia Jenkins is the anchor. Andrea Guo as June's sharp-tongued new friend also steals every scene she's in, providing much-needed humor. Bruno Cabrerizo as Will nails the 'too-good-to-be-true' vibe perfectly.
Director: Roger Kumble
Who Should Watch Love Me Love Me?
If you're a sucker for lush, scenic romance dramas with a side of mystery, you'll enjoy the vibe. It's also perfect for anyone who grew up on YA romance novels—this feels like a faithful, well-shot adaptation of one. Viewers who like dissecting character motivations and don't mind a bit of melodrama will find plenty to chew on.
Who Might Want to Skip?
If you're looking for a tight, believable plot or have zero patience for teenage angst, steer clear. This isn't a gritty, realistic drama. It's a heightened, emotional story about secrets and identity, so if that's not your cup of tea, you'll find it silly.
Final Verdict
Look, 'Love Me Love Me' isn't going to win any awards for originality, and some parts are downright cheesy. But it got under my skin. The emotional core—a girl trying to find herself while everyone around her is playing a role—felt genuine. I'd recommend it for a cozy, engaging night at the movies where you want to feel something and look at pretty Italian landscapes. Would I watch it again? Probably not, but I don't regret the time I spent with it. It's a solid 7.5—flawed but emotionally effective.
