Romancing Sydney is not a romantic comedy centering on or around the misadventures in love of someone named Sydney. Instead, Anmol Mishra’s romantic drama takes place in Sydney, Australia, and is more akin to I Love You, Paris and I Love You, New York. The story hones in on six interconnected lives and the ups and downs in their relationships.
Elisa (Susanne Richter), a dancer in Sydney on a visa, has just been evicted from her place. Sachin (Mishra) is the clueless but well-meaning employee of a thrift store run by Lilli (Gabrielle Chan). Due to car issues, the same night of Elisa’s eviction, the two meet and have an instant connection.
Elisa’s dance partner and friend, Alex (Connor Dowling), is engaged to Zac (Brendan Wong). However, Zac has yet to come out to his parents, let alone tell them about the impending nuptials. Sachin’s co-worker George (Peter Hayes) is constantly boasting about all the ladies he goes out with. However, he secretly pines for one person in particular and is unsure how to approach that person, whom he sees daily. Will any of these relationships survive the trials of real life, or are happy endings only in fairy tales?
Elisa and Alex share an expressive contemporary dance moment in Romancing Sydney.
“…hones in on six interconnected lives and the ups and downs in their relationships.”
Romancing Sydney has its fair share of comedy, but the romance is always played straight. Most of the humor comes from Sachin’s hapless nature, such as his asking how Zac and Alex can get married, or from the ridiculous customers of the thrift store. As far as the relationships go, Mishra treats them with seriousness and respect. There’s no denying what Sachin and Elisa get from one another or the bond between Alex and Zac. That’s why when trouble hits, it feels realistic, not some forced contrivance to uproot the leads with little in the way of cause.
Mishra plays Sachin with the right amount of dumb and pluck. Yes, he’s stupid, but there is something wholesome about everything he doesn’t know. Richter is sweet and affable, effortlessly transitioning between drama, comedy, romance, and dance. Dowling and Wong share good chemistry and make for a believable couple. Hayes probably has the most serious role, but he is solid and engaging. Chan is hysterical, delivering her made-up wise sayings with a light touch. Her drunk scene is very memorable.
The film compensates for its iffy sound design and basic lighting for most of its runtime with a handful of impressive dance numbers. Most of them are flights of fancy the characters are having, though the first is between Elisa and Alex, practicing their routine. Each sequence is bright and snazzy, injecting a visual representation of how light and free love make one feel. It is also interesting that Mishra has to play a bad dancer until these daydreams, which allow him to really show off his moves.
Romancing Sydney is sweet, cute, and dramatic. The director understands love in all its forms and highlights their ups and downs with panache. The cast all deliver fine performances, even if their lines sometimes sound tinny. Overall, this is a charming film about love that will please even the most jaded of viewers.
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"…sweet, cute, and dramatic."
