movie review love at first sight

Love at First Sight

I get it. I know how hard it is to write modern romance. Audiences love them, but it's increasingly harder to find a plausible and compelling reason why the couple doesn't just fall in love and go straight on to happily ever after. These days, it's very difficult to find a reason to keep them apart for 70 minutes or so that will keep us intrigued and ensure they are relatable yet aspirational enough to make it feel urgent. The reliable obstacles to romance that worked for so many years, often some lie or misunderstanding, or literal or symbolic societal strictures ( Abie's Irish Rose,  about a Jewish man in love with a Catholic girl, had a record-setting Broadway run) are as out of date as racing to the airport to deliver a declaration of love when everyone has a cell phone. 

Unfortunately, "Love at First Sight" can't do better than a cell phone's unreliable battery as the culprit, and its lackluster script never gives us enough reason to believe in the couple's rightness for each other or care about how they get to the happy ending.

"This is not a story about love," the narrator ( Jameela Jamil ) tells us. "It is a story about fate. And statistics." I would argue the story is not about any of those things, though plenty of numbers are thrown at us, and one of the leading characters is a self-described "maths geek" (he's British). And, per the title, there's a couple who find an immediate attraction when they meet at an airport. But banter and a few exchanged confidences do not equal love, no matter how many pop songs are on the soundtrack.

We first see Hadley ( Haley Lu Richardson ) racing through JFK Airport in New York to catch a plane to London. The narrator explains that December 20 is the worst day of the year there, with over 193,000 passengers arriving and departing, causing an average of 23-minute delays at check-in and a peak wait time of 117 minutes at security. It's not quite a "once upon a time" opening, but it explains why Hadley misses her plane by four minutes and has to wait for the next one when the only seat available is business class. 

This gives her time to look for a place to charge her cell phone, and that's how she meets Oliver ( Ben Hardy ), who is studying, yes, statistics and data science at Yale. He gallantly offers her a charge, and she responds, "Sorry, I don't share electronics until the third date." He tells her his name, and she says, "Like Oliver Twist." He wryly replies, "And they say Americans are uncultured." Soon, they're sharing some airport food and then racing to get on the plane, where he unexpectedly gets bumped up to business class—the very next seat to Hadley!—because his seatbelt is broken. This would be very unrealistic if we didn't see that none other than our narrator is somehow the flight attendant making it happen. They share a "cheesy rom-com" before bedtime. She says she will only watch if there's a happy ending, and he says she's dangerous because he finds himself being honest with her. Except, as we will find out, he is not.

Still, we know they have a very strong romantic connection because the movie keeps telling us that. Yet when he gives her his phone number, where do you think it goes? Yes, into that very unreliable phone. So maybe his studies of statistics and probability are less than comprehensive, especially when you realize they didn't even exchange last names. The rest of the movie is about the two of them trying to find each other in one of the world's biggest cities. 

Now, about fate. The narrator nonsensically tells us, "Fate can only be fate if we decide that we want it to be." I have no idea what that means, but I do know that the concept of fate does not include an omniscient, statistics-spouting narrator magically turning up over and over to guide our lovebirds to the next stage. There's also a completely superfluous "rewind" of footage to introduce another perspective on the past and, wait for it, a makeover scene as our heroine, just off a transatlantic flight, gets into her bridesmaid attire.

The exceptionally talented Richardson does her best with a woefully underwritten character. Her complicated feelings about her father (a game Rob Delaney ) marrying a woman she's never met are just a plot contrivance. The same goes for Hardy, who also is allotted one over-arching characteristic: a belief in his ability, with enough data, to prevent surprises. Oliver has an even tougher challenge with his parents, played by Sally Phillips and Dexter Fletcher , with charming costumes from designer Kirsty Halliday for their bittersweet Shakespeare costume party. If a real-life Hadley and Oliver wanted a cheesy rom-com with a happy ending to watch on a plane, I hope they do better than "Love at First Sight."

Now playing on Netflix. 

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

• Haley Lu Richardson as Hadley Sullivan
• Ben Hardy as Oliver
• Rob Delaney as Andrew
• Sally Phillips as Tess Jones
• Jameela Jamil as Narrator (voice)
• Dexter Fletcher as Val

Writer (based on a novel by)

• Jennifer E. Smith
• Michelle Harrison
• Katie Lovejoy

Cinematographer

• Luke Bryant
• Paul Saunderson
• Vanessa Caswill

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Love at First Sight Reviews

Love at First Sight is a charming rom-com that asks us what love – especially love at first sight – means: is it fate or is it statistics? Maybe for Hadley and Oliver, it’s both.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 15, 2024

Wonderful chemistry between the leads and characters easy to root for

Full Review | Feb 28, 2024

It’s not a great rom com. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy are charming and there’s a great supporting performance from Sally Phillips.

Full Review | Feb 13, 2024

The heavy emphasis on fate or providence as an active force (literally, the third major character) makes the movie especially comforting in this moment of relational anxiety.

Full Review | Nov 18, 2023

Love at First Sight accomplishes its most important job: Presenting us with two likable lead characters and making us care about them ultimately ending up together — even if we know there’s, like, a 99.9 percent probability that they will.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 12, 2023

Some sweet moments, but overall I think Haley [Lu Richardson] can do more.

Full Review | Oct 4, 2023

Richardson almost makes it work.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 3, 2023

Richardson and Hardy have a sparkling chemistry and the movie gleams whenever they’re on screen together. They’re authentic, relatable, and all the motivation we need to see their story play out.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 29, 2023

"Love at First Sight" has a premise that's obviously not new. What's innovative are the stats and probability of it happening being continually explained to the audience via ongoing sidebar commentary. Very cute, very sweet.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 27, 2023

We need more young adult romances that are just as charming, sweet, emotional and fun as this one. Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy have wonderful chemistry.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Sep 26, 2023

You'd think a strong cast and quirky narrative gimmick would save this from becoming yet another humdrum romcom, but sadly the movie feels as generic as its title.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 25, 2023

It is a modest film, sustained by the immediate chemistry of the protagonists, who make situations that may seem most implausible believable. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 25, 2023

The great Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy are trying to give us interesting, likable characters with a pile of grief and yet the movies insists of having an annoying overly cutesy narrator to do running commentary that you just want to shut right up.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 25, 2023

A person able to like a movie like this won’t especially mind the flaws, as they’ll be too busy swooning for a love story that taps into the essence of partnership.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Sep 25, 2023

A sweet rom com that leans into the most comforting, familiar aspects of the genre while bringing enough originality to make for a must see for romance fans.

Full Review | Original Score: 9.5/10 | Sep 25, 2023

Left me grounded.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Sep 23, 2023

Love At First Sight may not break new ground in the romantic film genre, but it offers a pleasurable viewing experience. If you're a fan of heartwarming stories about love and fate, this film is likely to leave you satisfied...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 22, 2023

What if things happen to go your way? Love At First Sight is at it’s best when it’s not relying on the overarching premise of sighting numbers, but giving the people on screen the floor to tell the story.

Full Review | Sep 19, 2023

It's not one of the rom-coms standouts of the 2020s, but it's sweet enough to make a mark.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Sep 19, 2023

It serves as a great way to remind viewers that love isn’t supposed to make sense and that life will always surprise you and make you confront your fears no matter how hard you try to calculate your way out of it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 18, 2023

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Parents' guide to, love at first sight.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 7 Reviews
• Kids Say 2 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Formulaic romcom has some language, drinking, innuendo.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Love at First Sight is a sweet, if predictable, romcom, with all the usual cliches found in the genre but no content that's especially mature. Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy) fall for each other after meeting at an airport and ending up on the same flight, only to…

Why Age 13+?

Kisses on lips, flirting, handholding. Passing mention of "making love" -- thoug

Language includes "s--t," "pissed," "bugger," "bloody," and "knob." One use of "

Pop Tarts, Nike shoes, and Apple phones are shown on-screen and mention is made

Characters drink alcohol but are not seen drunk. Bridesmaids drink shots before

Mention of the likelihood of dying in a plane crash. The parent of a main charac

Any Positive Content?

Family can be complicated, but it's important to communicate how you feel and sh

Hadley can be chaotic and selfish, but also shows empathy and becomes more thoug

Central romance is between a White man and woman. Some ethnic diversity in suppo

Parents need to know that Love at First Sight is a sweet, if predictable, romcom, with all the usual cliches found in the genre but no content that's especially mature. Hadley ( Haley Lu Richardson ) and Oliver ( Ben Hardy ) fall for each other after meeting at an airport and ending up on the same flight, only to become separated, with no easy way of finding each other again. Expect occasional strong language, including "s--t," "pissed," and one use of "f--k," along with some drinking -- though not to excess. One of the central characters is dealing with their divorced father's remarriage; the other, their mother's lung cancer. There's flirting, innuendo, and a few kisses on the lips. Characters learn the importance of honesty and communication and show courage and empathy in working through their difficulties.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kisses on lips, flirting, handholding. Passing mention of "making love" -- though it is not implied characters do so during the film. Sexual innuendo.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes "s--t," "pissed," "bugger," "bloody," and "knob." One use of "f--k."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Pop Tarts, Nike shoes, and Apple phones are shown on-screen and mention is made of Lysol wipes, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink alcohol but are not seen drunk. Bridesmaids drink shots before a wedding.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Mention of the likelihood of dying in a plane crash. The parent of a main character has lung cancer -- there is a passing reference to chemotherapy, and they are seen wearing an oxygen mask.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Family can be complicated, but it's important to communicate how you feel and show empathy in understanding others' experiences. It takes courage to be honest and drop your defenses. Deep connections can be formed quickly.

Positive Role Models

Hadley can be chaotic and selfish, but also shows empathy and becomes more thoughtful and forgiving toward her father later in the film. Oliver is kind and empathetic, though struggles to deal with the unknown and hides behind jokes and statistics to avoid his emotions. He shows courage toward the end of the film in expressing how he really feels, even though it's scary.

Diverse Representations

Central romance is between a White man and woman. Some ethnic diversity in supporting characters, including Hadley's father's new fiancee, Charlotte, played by Black actor Katrina Nare, and the narrator (seen on-screen), played by Jameela Jamil , who is of British and South Asian heritage. Hadley's parents are divorced and her dad is remarrying -- both he and his fiancee are shown to be caring and considerate toward Hadley's feelings. A character is dying of lung cancer, but is portrayed as full of enthusiasm and throws herself a party.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (7)
• Kids say (2)

Based on 7 parent reviews

A brilliant film!

If john bunyan had written a romcom -- it's all about walking the straight and narrow path., what's the story.

In LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, Hadley ( Haley Lu Richardson ) and Oliver ( Ben Hardy ) meet in a chance encounter at an airport and discover they're both traveling to London. After forming a connection on the flight, the pair are separated on arrival and head off into the chaos of the city alone. The odds of finding each other again seem slim -- but perhaps not impossible ...

Is It Any Good?

You'd think a strong cast and quirky narrative gimmick would save this from becoming yet another humdrum romcom, but sadly the movie feels as generic as its title. Hot off the success of The White Lotus , Richardson is wasted here in an uninspiring, underwritten character, and even wonderfully warm and entertaining husband-and-wife duo Dexter Fletcher and Sally Phillips can't save Love at First Sight from hitting turbulence. Jameela Jamil both narrating and showing up in random supporting roles is fun at first, as is the use of statistics in the storytelling, but both quickly lose their appeal -- especially when you start to suspect they're there to cover up how little substance there is at the core. What the movie does do well is family, and the relationships between both leads and their parents is sweet and charming, but the chemistry in the central romance never quite takes off and, with very little new here to elevate it above the sea of similar romcoms out there, even the film's swift 90-minute run time starts to feel long-haul.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the importance of family in Love at First Sight . How did what was happening with their parents affect Hadley and Oliver? What did they each learn about their families and their own role in dealing with the difficult times they were going through? Did Hadley and Oliver teach each other anything that helped them better deal with their situations?

The film shows communication , empathy , and courage to be important character strengths . Can you think of times Hadley or Oliver displayed these qualities? Can you think of times when you've shown these strengths in real life?

The movie follows a lot of romcom conventions. Did you notice any? How did it compare to other romcoms -- can you see any similarities?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : September 15, 2023
• Cast : Haley Lu Richardson , Ben Hardy , Jameela Jamil
• Director : Vanessa Caswill
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors, Queer actors, Indian/South Asian actors, Female writers
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Romance
• Run time : 90 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : brief strong language and some suggestive references
• Last updated : September 24, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Cast & crew

User reviews

Love at First Sight

You can make great romantic movie without useless drama.

• chiaramariecapritta
• Sep 14, 2023

The perfect remedy for a tough day.

• i_am_delulu
• Sep 18, 2023

Predictably clear cut yet still heartwarming

• Sep 15, 2023

Statistics and Love

• yusufpiskin

50% chance you'll like it

• Sep 21, 2023

"Love at First Flight" is what it should have been called

95% of all romcoms are irritating. this is one of the 5%.

• Boristhemoggy
• Sep 17, 2023

There were some good moments

• May 27, 2024

An ABSOLUTE pleasant surprise

Being predictable doesn't stop it being good.

• Sep 29, 2023

Great movie for Netflix.. you will sob!

• livdnlp-227-444036
• Sep 16, 2023

Loved it, but the math seems off

"love at first sight" evokes pure 'awwww 😍' with its drama-free charm.

• mendymariamKE

Boring and bland

Brit rom com.

• Mar 17, 2024

Loved this movie

• Nov 18, 2023

The first half is good but the rest not so much

• julieshotmail
• Sep 22, 2023
• exceladeogun
• Oct 4, 2023

Better than I could have ever expected!

• jenniferannkoch

Light-hearted one time watch

• HarshitWise
• Dec 12, 2023

Well executed

• paulpaul-23742

For the romcom thirsty

• laura-dreamweaver
• Sep 30, 2023

Cute & Heart-warming

Don't let statistic ruin the potential.....

• PerryAtTheMovies
• Feb 9, 2024

Even the Title is Stupid and Unoriginal

• leftbanker-1
• Dec 24, 2023

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Supported by

‘Love at First Sight’ Review: Sense, Sensibility and Statistics

Two lovebirds-to-be meet at an airport in this unoriginal but sturdy Y.A. romance, which pivots on the probability of falling in love.

• Share full article

By Natalia Winkelman

It may be a cliché to suggest that a streaming original feels as if it were created to serve an algorithm, but rarely is a movie as openly besotted with patterns of data as “Love at First Sight,” on Netflix . Not only is the movie derivative, but its story actually pivots on the statistics of romance, and by extension the supposed romance of statistics.

As in “500 Days of Summer,” the romance story whose fabric was recycled for this fleece pullover of a film, “Love at First Sight” features a narrator hyper-fixated on numerical values. Case in point: when we meet our two protagonists, Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy), the film encumbers us with a pedantic voice-over recitation of their heights, ages and average cellphone battery charges.

Based on the Y.A. book “The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight,” the movie traces 24 hours in the lives of these two students, who are both flying to London for significant family ceremonies. The pair meet cute at Kennedy International Airport, nap in conjoining business-class seats and very nearly kiss in line for the lavatory. Jameela Jamil, perhaps embodying the pair’s cosmic good fortune, narrates their budding romance while appearing in a variety of background roles.

The movie, directed by Vanessa Caswill, hits its stride once the lovebirds touch down across the pond, where the stats subside and the cast, particularly Richardson and Sally Phillips as Oliver’s ailing mother, come aglow with authentic feeling. What are the odds that a premise as unimaginative as this one should emerge as a sturdy little romantic drama? Jamil would know.

Love at First Sight Rated PG-13 for language and qualitative variables. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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