If you’re a romantic comedy lover, streaming platforms are likely to have provided your “fix” over the past decade.  Major cinema chains have gone with action, horror and animation in chasing dollars and staying afloat.  Since theatres were rattled in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, only four rom-coms have topped the weekly box-office chart here in Australia – Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Anyone but You, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, and Ticket to Paradise.

Given the above, when a fun romantic flick does arrive in cinemas, I’d suggest you embrace the opportunity and check it out.  Finding Emily is a wonderfully engaging British outing from first-time feature filmmaker Alicia MacDonald.  It may not have the star power of a Julia Roberts or Sydney Sweeney, but it boasts a terrific young cast and a humorous script from writer Rachel Hirons (A Guide to Second Date Sex).  It had me hooked in the opening 10-15 minutes and it sustains the momentum all the way through.

The storyline is centred on Owen (Fearn), a socially awkward young man who works in a bar on a university campus.  One night, he flirts and dances with a spritely student and, much to his excitement, the evening ends with her adding her number to his phone.  There’s a problem though.  In the drunken mayhem, she accidentally left out a digit and so, the next morning, he realises there’s no way of contacting her.

What follows is a series of wild escapades, including putting posters around campus and sending bulk emails to all Emilys, as he tries to reunite with the girl of his dreams.  He is aided by a different Emily, played by Australian actress Angourie Rice (Ladies in Black), who is secretly using Owen as the subject of an investigation into how love makes people do dumb things.  I’ll concede the research paper stuff doesn’t make sense – don’t know what she or her professor are hoping to achieve – but it successfully lays the platform for emotional drama when all is inevitably exposed in the final act.

Casting is an important element of any romantic comedy and Finding Emily succeeds because of the superb lead performance of Spike Fearn (Tell Me Everything).  He portrays Owen as eccentric and clumsy… but he infuses his character with likeable sincerity which will endear him to audiences.  You’ll want him to find love and happiness!  The supporting players also leave an impression with their quick cameos – from the passionate student union president, through to a podcaster trying to make a name for herself.

If looking for something to put a smile on your face, Finding Emily will do the trick.