''The Last Letter from Your Lover'' is a 2021 British

romantic drama Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

film directed by

Augustine Frizzell Augustine Frizzell (born July 27, 1979) is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She made her feature film directorial debut with '' Never Goin' Back'' (2018). Early life Growing up in Garland, Texas, Frizzell attended South Garl ...

and written by

Nick Payne Nick Payne (born 1984) is a British playwright and screenwriter. Early life and education Payne studied at the University of York and subsequently at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He is also a graduate of the Royal Court Young Write ...

and

Esta Spalding Esta Alice Spalding is an American author, screenwriter and poet who won the Pat Lowther Award in 2000 for ''Lost August''. Biography Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Phillip Spalding and Linda Spalding, she grew up in Hawaii and currently resid ...

, based on

Jojo Moyes Pauline Sara Jo Moyes (born 4 August 1969), known professionally as Jojo Moyes, is an English journalist and, since 2002, an award-winning romance novelist, #1 New York Times best selling author and screenwriter. She is one of only a few author ...

' 2012 novel of the same name. It stars

Felicity Jones Felicity Rose Hadley Jones (born 17 October 1983) is a British actress. She started her professional acting career as a child, appearing in '' The Treasure Seekers'' (1996) at age 12. She went on to play Ethel Hallow for one series of the tele ...

Callum Turner Callum Robilliard Turner (born 15 February 1990) is a British actor and model. He is known for his roles as Theseus Scamander in '' Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'' and '' Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'', Bill Rohan in ...

Joe Alwyn Joseph Matthew Alwyn (born 21 February 1991) is an English actor. He made his feature film debut as the titular character in Ang Lee's 2016 war drama, '' Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk,'' and has since played supporting roles in films such as ...

Nabhaan Rizwan Nabhaan Rizwan (born November 30, 1996) is a British actor known for crime drama '' Informer'', his supporting roles in '' The Accident'' and '' 1917'', and the miniseries ''Station Eleven''. Rizwan is originally from Essex and now lives in London ...

and

Shailene Woodley Shailene Diann Woodley (born November 15, 1991) is an American actress. Born in San Bernardino, California, Woodley was raised in Simi Valley, and started modeling at the age of four and began acting professionally in minor television roles. She ...

. Set in two distinct time periods the novel follows two women, 1960s housewife Jennifer Stirling and modern-day journalist Ellie Haworth and how both of them become intrigued by a letter they accidentally discover. ''The Last Letter from Your Lover'' was released on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

in select territories on 23 July 2021, and in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2021, by

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...

Plot

In the mid-1960s, wealthy socialite Jennifer Stirling suffers from memory loss after a car crash. Unable to remember much of her life before or connect with her husband Laurence, Jennifer is intrigued by a letter she finds between "J" and "Boot". She decides to try and remember what happened to her by following clues from the letter. In modern day London, Ellie Haworth, who recently broke up with her long-time boyfriend, has to write an article about the recently-deceased editor of her paper. Getting past the formal archivist Rory to access the editor's archive, she finds a misfiled love letter, to someone identified as "J", from "Boot". Moved by the passionate feelings between the mysterious couple, Ellie becomes determined to learn their identities and how their love story ended. In the past, a pre-crash Jennifer and her husband Laurence travel to the

French Riviera The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...

for a summer vacation. Foreign correspondent Anthony O'Hare arrives to interview Laurence about his business success. At the party, Laurence is condescending to both Jennifer and Anthony. Afterwards, a drunk Anthony complains about the awful company to a fellow guest and is caught by Jennifer. Anthony returns the next morning with a written apology, which Jennifer forces him to read aloud. Anthony invites the Stirlings out to eat the next day, but Laurence is called away on a sudden business trip, leaving Jennifer and Anthony to spend the summer together until his return. They begin writing letters to each other, under the pennames "J" and "Boot" (or "B"). Neither act on their growing electricity, until Jennifer impulsively tries to kiss him. When he pulls away, she flees. Some days later, a letter penned by Anthony reaches her, proposing to meet at

Postman's Park Postman's Park is a public garden in central London, a short distance north of St Paul's Cathedral. Bordered by Little Britain, Aldersgate Street, St. Martin's Le Grand, King Edward Street, and the site of the former headquarters of the Gener ...

in London. They start a whirlwind affair, spending moments together where Jennifer can safely be with Anthony. Finally, he proposes she run off with him to New York. Jennifer is hesitant to leave, in fear of being treated as outcast by her family and friends. After Anthony sends her a letter that he will be waiting for her at the train station on the night of his departure, Jennifer rushes off to meet him. Just before she can arrive, she gets into a car crash, with a blow to her head causing partial amnesia. Anthony leaves for New York, believing that Jennifer has rejected him. Six months after the car crash, Laurence hides the last letter Jennifer received from Anthony in effort to prevent her from remembering the affair. Jennifer feels lost as she struggles to recover her memories. She begins finding several of the love letters from "Boot" hidden in her house, leading her to discover a postal box in her name that Laurence had closed. Jennifer confronts Laurence, who claims Anthony had died in the crash. Four years later, Jennifer bumps into Anthony, restoring her memories of their time together. Anthony once again pleads for her to run away with him, but she refuses out of consideration for her two-year old-daughter. Enraged at Laurence for his lies, Jennifer asserts that she will stay with him because of their daughter, but vows to leave if he mistreats her. In turn, Laurence threatens to ruin Jennifer's reputation and gain sole custody of their daughter, as she would only be seen as an adulteress by the court of law. This prompts Jennifer to escape with their daughter to go with Anthony. After finding out he has checked out of his hotel, she tries finding him at his workplace, but is informed by the editor that Anthony has already left. Forced to return to Laurence, Jennifer gives the bundle of love letters to the editor to be sent to Anthony if they hear back from him. In the present day, Ellie and Rory grow closer as they uncover more of the love letters. After spending the night with Rory, Ellie distances herself from him. She learns that Jennifer and Anthony are both alive and goes to speak with them. After hearing their regrets and pain over their lost romance, Ellie decides to enter into a relationship with Rory, choosing to give romance another try and not live with regrets. Ellie returns to Anthony and encourages him to write one last letter to Jennifer, in which he asks her to meet him once again at Postman's Park. Ellie and Rory watch from a distance as the two lovers reunite.

Cast

as Ellie Haworth, a young journalist who uncovers a series of love letters in the archives in present-day London *

as Anthony O'Hare, a financial journalist who is writing a story about Laurence in the 1960s, Jennifer's lover **

Ben Cross Harry Bernard Cross (16 December 1947 – 18 August 2020) was an English stage and film actor. He was best known for playing Billy Flynn in the original West End production of the musical ''Chicago'', and his portrayal of the British Ol ...

as older Anthony O'Hare *

as Laurence Stirling, the husband of Jennifer Stirling in the 1960s who is a successful but stern industrialist *

as Rory McCallan, an archivist who is a colleague of Haworth *

as Jennifer Stirling, a socialite in the 1960s who has a perfect life, Laurence's wife, Anthony's lover **

Diana Kent Diana Kent is an English actress known for ''Heavenly Creatures'' (1994), '' How to Lose Friends & Alienate People'' (2008), '' One Day'' (2011) and for the ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British televisio ...

as older Jennifer Stirling *

Ncuti Gatwa Mizero Ncuti Gatwa ( ; born 15 October 1992) is a Rwandan-Scottish actor. He rose to prominence as Eric Effiong on the Netflix comedy-drama series ''Sex Education'' (2019–present), which earned him a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in Te ...

as Nick, a co-worker of Haworth *

Emma Appleton Emma Jill Appleton is an English actress and model. She starred in the Channel 4 spy thriller '' Traitors'' (2019) and the BBC adaptation of ''Everything I Know About Love'' (2022). She also appeared in the BBC Three thriller ''Clique'' (2017) ...

as Hannah *

Zoe Boyle Zoe Boyle (born 1 January 1989) is an English actress known for her roles as Lavinia Swire on the series ''Downton Abbey'' and Trinity Ashby on ''Sons of Anarchy''. Education Boyle attended the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, at the ...

as Anne

Production

In August 2019 it was announced that

would direct the film. It was announced that filming was set to begin on 14 October 2019 in

Mallorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...

, and that

and

would star and serve as executive producers. Production moved to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and wrapped after 45 days on 15 December 2019.

Release

In October 2019,

acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, and other international territories. It was released on

in select territories on 23 July 2021. It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 6 August 2021.

Reception

On the

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, the film holds an approval rating of 56% based on 68 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10. On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 19 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Last Letter From Your Lover, The 2021 films 2021 romantic drama films 2020s British films 2020s English-language films British romantic drama films Films about amnesia Films about journalists Films based on British novels Films based on romance novels Films directed by Augustine Frizzell Films scored by Daniel Hart Films set in the 1960s Films set in London Films set on the French Riviera Films shot in Mallorca Films shot in the United Kingdom StudioCanal films