Parents' Guide to Almost Love

This is a fine, if not remarkable, entry in the overpopulated genre of New York City-set romcoms about privileged characters with heart. Evans is a standout as Adam, the artist who's set aside his own original work to paint what a much more famous artist simply signs her name to and claims as her own. His mid-30s crisis is the most believable, as he attempts to navigate a safe but stalled career alongside the meteoric rise of his influencer partner. And Prew deserves notice for making that modern job of internet-famous social media influencer seem like real, old-fashioned work. He's wearing a $4,000 coat, but he manages not to be a vapid or vain caricature.

Although there are three talented actresses in Almost Love -- TV veteran Walsh and comedians Buteau and Chao -- their storylines are all supporting. Buteau is the funniest as Cammy, who can't figure out whether to laugh or cry about the fact that she's sleeping with someone without an address. And Chao exudes goody-goody charm as a tutor who likes to be needed by her cute (if clueless) student, Scott James (Christopher Gray). The always excellent Patricia Clarkson makes a far too short appearance as Ravella Brewer, the artist who outsources her paintings; if only she could have been in more scenes. Although the film's tone occasionally steers too far toward drama for a romantic comedy, it's still a solid romcom debut for writer/director Doyle.