Sylvie's Love

In New York City, 1962, Sylvie is waiting in the lobby of Town Hall, while Robert is in a recording studio playing the saxophone. Moments later, Sylvie recognizes Robert on the sidewalk outside a theater.

5 years earlier, Robert and his roommates sit for breakfast, while Sylvie works at her father's music store. Robert spots Sylvie in the window, and eyes the Help Wanted sign. He asks Sylvie about a Thelonious Monk album, which she distractedly directs him to while watching I Love Lucy. Robert calls for her attention to pay for the album and asks about the Help Wanted sign. Sylvie explains that they aren't actually looking for help; that her mother uses the sign for optics despite the fact that her father can't afford help, and she works there while her fiancé is stationed in Korea. Her father, overhearing the exchange, comes out from the backroom and hires Robert on the spot.

That night, Robert is seen playing a gig at a nightclub. They meet Genie, who invites Bobby to sit and discuss his experimental music. She asks Bobby to join an impromptu jam session at her home. Sylvie and her cousin, Mona, catch sun on the rooftop while catching up. Sylvie denies having noticed Bobby, romantically. In the meantime, Bobby works with Sylvie's father at the shop, discussing music and Sylvie's aspiration to become a TV producer.

Later in the evening, Bobby and his quartet arrive at Genie's jam session. Genie asks Dickinson Brewster about the group's management and fronts money for new suits before he agrees to have her manage them. Robert walks in on Sylvie, dancing in the shop while she cleans. She and Bobby end up locked in the basement, waiting for her father to rescue them. They share cigarettes on the steps. She points out that Bobby has a French Light, signifying that he is to fall in love soon. Bobby points out that Sylvie has the same light to her cigarette.

Sylvie and Bobby discuss music, and she shares her album recommendations for him, while Bobby asks Sylvie about her fiancé's musical taste, which they both find funny. Bobby plucks a pin from Sylvie's hair and opens the locked door. On the store stoop, Bobby invites Sylvie and Mona to his next gig.

Sylvie is entranced by Bobby's music at the club, and waves off Mona as she asks about "him". Genie introduces Bobby's band to French club booker, Antoine Fournier, who suggests they would be a hit in Paris, with an opening at a certain club in a month. Chico and Bobby meet up with Sylvie and Mona. Chico and Mona dance while Sylvie tells Bobby she thinks he's the best tenor sax player short of John Coltrane...

In February 2014, it was announced Larenz Tate would star in and produce the film Sylvie’s Love, with Eugene Ashe directing from a screenplay he wrote.[2] In February 2019, it was announced Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha had joined the cast of the film, with Asomugha, Jonathan Baker, Gabrielle Glore, and Matthew Thurm producing the film, while Thompson will serve as an executive producer along with Matthew Rachamkin.[3] In March 2019, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Regé-Jean Page, Aja Naomi King, Eva Longoria, John Magaro, Lance Reddick, Jemima Kirke, MC Lyte, Alano Miller, Erica Gimpel, Tone Bell and Wendi McLendon-Covey joined the cast of the film.[4][5][6][7][8] In April 2019, Ron Funches joined the cast of the film.[9] In October 2020, Ed Weeks joined the cast of the film.

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2020.[11] Shortly after, Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights to the film.[12] It was released on December 23, 2020 after previously scheduled for December 25, 2020.[13][14]

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 92% approval rating based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critic consensus reads: "A romance for the ages, Sylvie's Love wraps audiences in the sweet embrace of its old-fashioned romance and celebration of Black love."[15] Metacritic reports a score of 74 out of 100 based on 25 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

• Sylvie's Love at IMDb