Love Again – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Love Again

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2023

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A grief-stricken woman texts her dead fiancé's old number, accidentally romancing a journalist—and enlisting Céline Dion as matchmaker.

30%

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Love Again

movie

PG-13, 2023

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A grief-stricken woman texts her dead fiancé's old number, accidentally romancing a journalist—and enlisting Céline Dion as matchmaker.

30%

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Screenwise Verdict

Love Again is the cinematic equivalent of a Hallmark card with a Céline Dion soundtrack: earnest, predictable, and designed to make you cry into your popcorn. The premise—texting a dead fiancé's old number and accidentally falling for the guy who inherited it—has charm, and the film handles grief with more sincerity than most rom-coms bother with. But the execution is pure formula: a few unnecessary f-bombs, a paint-by-numbers romance, and a celebrity cameo that's either delightful or cringe depending on your tolerance for whimsy.

Critics hated it (30% on Rotten Tomatoes, 32 on Metacritic), but audiences gave it a 91%, which tells you everything: if you're in the mood for a comfort-watch tearjerker, it'll do the job. If you're looking for originality or depth, keep scrolling. For families, it's a solid 13+ pick—mild sexual content and language keep it out of tween territory, but it's nothing that will shock or scar. Just don't expect it to be memorable a week later.

Age Fit

Best for 13+ who can handle romantic themes, mild sexual content, and occasional strong language. The grief storyline requires emotional maturity, and the rom-com formula is squarely aimed at teens and adults who enjoy feel-good tearjerkers.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The film handles grief and moving on with sincerity, showing a protagonist who takes two years to process loss before opening herself to new love. The romance is earnest and models emotional vulnerability. However, it includes a few 'pointless' f-bombs, a jump-into-bed scene that feels formulaic rather than earned, and sexual innuendo that undercuts the emotional core. The Céline Dion celebrity cameo adds whimsy but also feels gimmicky. It's emotionally healthier than many rom-coms but still leans on Hollywood tropes.

Imaginative

The premise—texting a dead fiancé's old number and accidentally connecting with a stranger—has a spark of modern fairy-tale charm. But the execution is paint-by-numbers rom-com: predictable beats, celebrity cameo as deus ex machina, filler humor. The Letterboxd rating of 2.4/5 and 30% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes signal that even audiences who enjoy the genre found it derivative. It doesn't invite creative thinking or offer fresh storytelling.

Safe

PG-13 rating with mild sexual content (brief shirtless/underwear scenes, one French kiss, innuendo about 'getting laid'), a few f-bombs, and mild alcohol references. No violence, gore, or frightening material. The sexual material and language are telegraphed—parents won't be blindsided—but the jump-into-bed scene and strong language push it out of 'watch with the 10-year-old' territory. Common Sense Media and Plugged In both flag it for 13+, which is appropriate.

Enriching

The film offers a gentle meditation on grief, loss, and the courage to love again after tragedy. For older teens processing their own experiences with loss or heartbreak, it can spark reflection. But the emotional beats are uneven, and the humor often feels like filler. The 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it delivers feel-good comfort, but the low critic and Letterboxd scores reveal it's not particularly insightful or memorable. It's a serviceable tearjerker, not a transformative one.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Tackles grief and moving on with sincerity, showing it's okay to take time before opening your heart again
The texting-a-stranger premise has a sweet, modern fairy-tale quality that feels relatable in our phone-obsessed world
Céline Dion's cameo adds a playful, surreal twist that some viewers find charming
High audience score (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) suggests it delivers comfort-food romance for those who need a good cry
No violence or frightening content—just emotions and awkward rom-com misunderstandings

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What to Watch For

A few f-bombs that feel tacked on to satisfy a PG-13 quota rather than serving the story
One jump-into-bed scene with mild sexual content (brief underwear/shirtless moments, innuendo)
The plot is predictable and formulaic—critics gave it 30%, calling it derivative and uneven
Older teens might roll their eyes at the Céline Dion deus ex machina, but younger teens might eat it up

Conversation Starters

"How do you think Mira knew it was time to start moving on after losing John? What would that feel like?"
"If you could text someone you miss, what would you say? Would it help or make things harder?"
"Rob reads Mira's texts without her knowing at first—is that romantic or kind of creepy? Where's the line?"
"The movie uses humor to balance heavy grief themes. Do you think that works, or does it feel forced?"

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