Starring Yara Shahidi (as Natasha) and Charles Melton (as Daniel), the film follows the familiar trope of two beautiful people whose blossoming romance has an expiration date imposed by forces outside of their control. But unlike predecessors of the genre (Before Sunrise, Call Me By Your Name), the separation these two face can’t be overcome by simply canceling a plane ticket: Natasha and her family are to be deported from the U.S., despite the fact that Natasha has lived in New York City since she was a child.
Complicating matters is the fact that Natasha claims she “doesn’t believe in love,” which feels like an unnecessary burden on an already fully-realized plot, but fine. Crimson and Clover, a 50 year old song that for some reason is enjoying a major renaissance, is there, too.
Do these two stand a chance at finding eternal love, or will ice—both the kind permanently enveloping Natasha’s heart, and the kind that stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement—get in the way? We’ll have to wait until May to find out.