Simon (Brett Goldstein), Laura (Imogen Poots), co-writer/ director William Bridges, Lukas (Steven Cree), Andrea (Zawe Ashton), London England, Sci-Fi/Rom-Com, a test, to determine a match, best friends, premiered at the 2024 TIFF, a baby, friends out for dinner, perfect couple, they laugh and enjoy being with each other despite being with other people, 

In recent years, there have been a few films that have dealt with the topic of finding a partner via some form of technology. Some of them, like Fingernails and  The Assessment, have taken place in a dystopian future.This film, though, takes place in a world that looks eerily similar to the one we all live in today. It’s a sci-fi rom-com, which isn’t a combination you usually see in movies these days. The combination of these two genres is quite good. 

Simon (Brett Goldstein) and Laura (Imogen Poots) are best friends who are on their way to a doctors office for the Poots character to take a test which gives her the results of who is a perfect match for her. She ends up with a man named Lukas (Steven Cree), whom she ends up spending her life with.The problem is that technology isn’t the end all be all regarding love and relationships.  Just because a test says this is who you should be with doesn’t mean that’s the person you should, in fact, be with. That’s the crux of this story. Love is unpredictable.

Brett Goldstein is an actor whom I got to know a little bit from his amazing performance as Roy Kent in Ted Lasso. He usually had a straight man quality to him in that widely successful sitcom on Appletv, but here he has a real man quality to him. Not that Roy Kent isn’t a realistic character, but this guy has layers to him that Roy Kent didn’t have. He is a sweet guy who knows what his feelings are telling him. He doesn’t need to take some kind of test to tell him who he should love. He can rely on his own feelings like the rest of us in the world can. Sure, our feelings can sometimes mislead us and all relationships don’t always work out, but it’s better if you or I rely on what’s inside us to determine what we think is best for our hearts, not a test.

Imogen Poots is another actress who has done a lot of different kinds of roles in her career. She’s not known for one specific role like Goldstein is. So her various facets as an actress come into play here. She’s able to mold into whatever character she’s playing currently on screen. This character is caught between a rock and a hard place, though. She loves her husband and child she had with him, but she can’t stop what she feels for the Goldstein character either. Their longtime friendship has morphed into something else completely different, and it’s romantic in nature. They genuinely care for one another, but it is the kind of caring that is going to change the love she has for her husband and child. That’s the big decision she has to make in her life. It’s a very difficult decision I for one wouldn’t want to have to make in my life. That’s for sure.

When it comes to romantic films that can be sappy and emotional, or they can be dramatic and powerful. Love and romance can be perceived in many different ways. This film perceived it in an intelligent and realistic way despite the sci-fi aspect of the test looming overhead. The test is like a mcguffin. It is always in the background as a plot device, but it’s not the main thing this film revolves around. The romantic scenes between Goldstein and Poots are very genuine and loving from my perspective.  I honestly felt these two were like a real couple despite what the Poots character had to deal with outside of her side relationship. Love isn’t easy, that’s why I haven’t had a lot of experience with it in my life. I wasn’t ready for it yet. Those that do embark on love and relationships, I admire you, but it’s not easy. There is no map on where to go or how you’re supposed to follow that map to moving forward.

All Of You is something we all aspire to when it comes to a relationship. We want every part of our significant other. This film says that you can take a test to determine who your significant other should be for the rest of your life. Love isn’t determined by a test, though it’s determined by the connection between two people and what they feel for each other. Goldstein and Poots were both very good in these roles. Goldstein showed me he had range as a comedic actor. Poots, on the other hand, was grounded in a realistic portrayal of what a woman might go through in this scenario.This is a very good film dealing with love and relationships in a way that was realistic and very believable. I honestly could see this type of story taking place all over the world in every country, state, and town. This is a powerful story no matter how you look at it or what side of the fence you find yourself on. Even for me,  a single guy. I was moved by these people and their lives.

4 stars

Dan Skip Allen