Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Short films capture New York's verve; language, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
New York, I Love You
What's the Story?
A once-famous singer (Julie Christie) revisits an old haunt, intent on ending her life. A man (Irrfan Khan) and a woman (Natalie Portman) from wildly different cultures flirt over a jewelry transaction, keenly aware that they can't be together. A pickpocket (Hayden Christensen) gets more than he bargains for when a typical lift turns oddly romantic. Two near-strangers (Bradley Cooper and Drea de Matteo) contemplate their one-night stand, and two teenagers (Olivia Thirlby and Anton Yelchin) embark on a most unusual date. These are just some of the adventures that unfold in NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU, a collection of shorts written and directed by an ensemble of artists and set in a resplendent New York. (It's actually the second in a series of vignette-based films about cities—Paris, Je T'aime was first.)
Is It Any Good?
As might be expected from a collection of shorts, this indie film has both highs and lows. Robin Wright Penn's installment of New York, I Love You goes from heartbreaking to hopeful, while a connective storyline about a filmmaker is inert. The segment featuring Christie (which also stars Shia LaBeouf) is affectingly dreamlike, while one about a composer forced to read a classic is leaden. But there are many moments to enjoy, and the acting is first rate.
Still, because of the movie's structure, viewers can't get too invested in any one storyline—a legitimate complaint. But what's truly missed is a larger sense of place. Yes, we see Manhattan's taxi cabs, glamorous restaurants, and crowded streets. But the neighborhoods are paint-by-numbers different. In the end, the New York presented here still feels a little bit like a city observed by outsiders instead of those who truly revel in its specific beauty and insanity. And doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of a movie like this?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what New York, I Love You is trying to say about the city. Are the vignettes' portrayals of New York surprising? Interesting?
The characters connect on many different levels. What types of relationships did you notice? Were they realistic and/or believable? What relationships or encounters in your own life feel similar, if any?
Have you been to New York City before? If so, how does this 2008 film compare to your experience of the city? What's similar, and what's different?
How do you feel about the movie's experimental structure? Did you enjoy the filmmaking, or was it confusing/jumbled? Did any particular vignettes stand out as your favorite? Which ones, and why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 16, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : February 2, 2010
- Cast : Ethan Hawke , Natalie Portman , Robin Wright , Irrfan Khan , Maggie Q
- Directors : Allen Hughes , Brett Ratner , Mira Nair , Natalie Portman , Shunji Iwai
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Director(s) , Asian Movie Director(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Vivendi
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 110 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and sexual content
- Last updated : April 20, 2026
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