---
title: "Modern Love"
year: 2019
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/modern-love"
fi1m_id: "modern-love"
imdb_id: "tt8543390"
tmdb_id: 91602
wikidata_id: "Q55623517"
fi1m_score: 61
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 9
published: "2026-09-30T20:32:41.590548+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-30T20:32:49.139914+00:00"
region: "KR"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Modern Love (2019)

Created by John Carney · Comedy

## Identity

Modern Love

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/modern-love
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** modern-love
- **IMDb ID:** tt8543390
- **TMDB ID:** 91602
- **Wikidata ID:** Q55623517
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8543390/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/91602, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55623517

**Fi1m score: 61** · Critics 60 from 9 reviews

*In a sentence:* Everyone falls in love in a flat none of them could possibly afford

> John Carney’s anthology of New York love stories is warm, polished and well acted, and about half of it is worth your evening. Anne Hathaway’s episode is the reason to watch; the tidy endings are the reason to keep expectations modest.

## Synopsis

An anthology of eight short stories about love in New York, created by John Carney, who writes and directs some of the episodes himself alongside directors including Sharon Horgan, Emmy Rossum, Andrew Rannells, Tom Hall, John Crowley and Jesse Peretz. Each episode stands on its own, with its own cast and its own couple. Lexi Donohue (Anne Hathaway) is a woman living with bipolar disorder. Julie (Catherine Keener), Joshua (Dev Patel), Sarah (Tina Fey), Maddy (Julia Garner), Rob (John Gallagher Jr.), Yasmine (Sofia Boutella), Karla (Olivia Cooke), Jeff (Gary Carr), Margot (Jane Alexander), Kenji (James Saito) and Daniel (Brandon Victor Dixon) are among the people whose stories follow, each in a self-contained episode. A second season of eight episodes arrived in August 2021.

## Review

*Modern Love* is an anthology of eight short love stories set in New York, made for television by John Carney, who wrote and directed [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) and *Sing Street* and who created this series and directs some of it himself. Each episode has a familiar face and a small, kind story about two people finding each other. The plan is modest and clear. Some of it is lovely. A good deal of it is sentimental, and on purpose.

Carney gathered a long list of collaborators. Sharon Horgan, Emmy Rossum, Andrew Rannells, Tom Hall, Marta Cunningham, Celine Held, Logan George, John Crowley and Jesse Peretz all direct, several of them writing as well, and the result is uneven in the way anthologies always are. It is uneven within a narrow band, though. Yaron Orbach’s photography is clean and polished from the first episode to the last, and everything is lit so that nobody is ever cold and nothing is ever dirty. This is the New York people imagine before they arrive.

Anne Hathaway’s episode is the one everybody talks about, and it deserves it. She plays Lexi Donohue, a woman living with bipolar disorder, and she plays both halves of the illness, the height and what comes after it. We did not expect to be got at by a series this glossy, and we were. It was the second half of her performance that did it: Hathaway going still and quiet, and Andrew Marcus, the editor, letting the stillness run longer than television usually allows. It is the only episode here that is willing to stay in an uncomfortable room until the consensus has finished with us.

The trouble is what the episodes have in common. These are people whose money is never mentioned and never a problem, in flats that would cost the earth, and after three or four in a row the sameness begins to grate. Every story is resolved warmly, whether it has earned the warmth or not, and the ones with the nerve to be awkward for twenty minutes tend to lose it in the last five. We were irritated by that more than once, because the actors had plainly been prepared to go further than the scripts allowed them.

The cast is the reason to stay. Tina Fey, as Sarah, plays exasperation better than almost anyone working. Julia Garner, as Maddy, has a watchfulness the rest of the series is short of. Catherine Keener, as Julie, and Dev Patel, as Joshua, can each make a conversation feel like a story. Gary Carr, John Gallagher Jr., Sofia Boutella, Olivia Cooke, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jane Alexander and James Saito all do fine, quiet work in less time than they deserve. Nobody here is coasting, which makes the softness of the writing more of a pity.

*Once* worked because two people sang to each other and nobody told us it was moving. Here we are told, often, and the telling is what stops a good series being a better one. The reviews so far split hard, most of them warm and a loud minority calling it hollow, and we can see both cases. It is a comfortable thing to have on in the evening, and comfort is scarce. But comfortable is also what it settles for.

A second season of eight episodes followed on 12 August 2021, which we have not counted here. The first is best taken one or two at a time, with somebody you do not mind being sentimental in front of. Start with Hathaway. If she leaves you unmoved, the rest will not change your mind.

*Fi1m score 61, published 30 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find the anthology charming and hopeful, a revival of the romantic comedy told in short, self-contained stories. The praise clusters on the acting, and on one episode above all: Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of a woman living with bipolar disorder is singled out by reviews at both ends of the scale as sensitive, raw and the strongest thing in the series. John Carney’s restrained direction and the natural performances it draws out also earn credit.

The reservations gather around schmaltz and privilege. Several reviews find the New York on show narrow and affluent, its romantic problems too comfortable to grip, and the cast short on everyday variety. The spread is wide. Three critics come down against it: Vulture calls it emotionally empty and retrograde, faulting shallow characterisation and a refusal to engage with the social forces shaping love; The Telegraph and Collider find it too polished or too contrived, while still admiring the acting. Digital Spy, reviewing later, is warmer about a single second-season story.

## Straight answers

**Is Modern Love worth watching?**

*Modern Love* is worth watching if you want a warm, well-acted anthology of New York love stories and can forgive tidy endings, and we scored it 61. About half the eight episodes earn their evening, and Anne Hathaway's is the one to start with. If that leaves you unmoved, the rest will not change your mind.

**Where can I watch Modern Love in South Korea?**

*Modern Love* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in South Korea. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Modern Love, and is it suitable for children?**

*Modern Love* has no UK certificate and carries a TV-MA rating in the US, which implies adult language and sexual content rather than violence or fear. Nothing in it is frightening; it is a gentle comedy about couples, and the most serious material is one episode's honest portrait of bipolar disorder. It suits adults and older teenagers, not young children.

**How does Modern Love compare to Once?**

*Modern Love* is the softer and glossier of the two, and [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) is the better film. Carney's Dublin two-hander lets two people sing to each other without telling us it is moving, while the series tells us often and resolves every story warmly whether it has earned it or not. Choose *Once* for feeling, *Modern Love* for comfort in short pieces.

**What should I watch after Modern Love?**

After *Modern Love*, try [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) (2007, Fi1m 88): Carney’s Dublin two-hander, which does with two songs what this needs eight for. Then [*Easy*](https://film.one/film/easy-rider) (2016, Fi1m 76): Joe Swanberg’s Chicago anthology, which lets its couples stay unresolved; and [*Master of None*](https://film.one/tv/master-of-none) (2015, Fi1m 80): Half-hour stories about dating in New York, with the money worries left in.

### Reviews we read (9)

- **The i Paper**, Sarah Carson (80/100, inferred): Carson finds the anthology a charming, refreshing revival of the romantic comedy, despite its heavy schmaltz and lack of bite. She praises its thoughtful, diverse love stories for moving beyond familiar romcom formulas. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/amazon-prime-modern-love-review-romcom-anne-hathaway-andrew-scott-351933)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Tim Goodman (78/100, inferred): Goodman finds the anthology simple, endearing, and compelling, with most stories working well. He especially praises John Carney’s restrained direction and the natural performances it brings out. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/modern-love-review-1245870/)
- **The AV Club**, Gwen Ihnat (B): The review finds the anthology charming and ultimately hopeful, despite uneven episodes and a narrow, affluent portrayal of New York. It praises the series’ concise stories about unexpected human connection. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/modern-love-offers-charming-tales-about-the-search-for-1839035083)
- **The Telegraph**, Helen Brown (30/100, inferred): Brown finds the series too polished and privileged to make its romantic problems compelling, despite its moments of emotional warmth. She praises the acting throughout, especially Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of a woman living with bipolar disorder. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/modern-love-review-hard-care-problems-beautiful-unrealistically/)
- **Vulture**, Angelica Jade Bastién (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the series emotionally empty and retrograde. She particularly faults its shallow characterization and its avoidance of the social dynamics shaping love and relationships. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/modern-love-amazon-anthology-review.html)
- **Paste**, Amy Amatangelo (8.9/10): Amatangelo praises the series as delightful, poignant, and consistently stronger than much of television. She singles out its concise storytelling and Anne Hathaway’s intense portrayal of bipolar disorder. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/modern-love/modern-love-review-amazon)
- **Digital Spy**, Abby Robinson (75/100, inferred): The review finds the season’s featured story a charming, lovely addition to the anthology, though its conclusion may feel abrupt. It praises the leads’ complementary performances and the story’s whimsical score and vintage-film touches. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a37228971/kit-harington-modern-love-season-2-amazon/)
- **NME** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the series uplifting and warmly entertaining, though its schmaltz may not suit everyone. They single out Anne Hathaway’s episode for its sensitive, realistic portrayal of bipolar disorder, while criticizing the cast’s lack of everyday variety. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/modern-love-review-amazon-prime-2558711)
- **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (★★): The critic finds the anthology uneven and often contrived, though likely appealing to viewers seeking comfort-food romance. The Anne Hathaway episode earns particular praise for its emotionally raw depiction of bipolar disorder and her dynamic performance. [Read](https://collider.com/modern-love-review-amazon-anne-hathaway/)

## Details

- **Created by:** John Carney
- **Creator:** John Carney
- **Director:** John Carney, Tom Hall, Celine Held, Emmy Rossum, Andrew Rannells, Marta Cunningham, Logan George, Sharon Horgan, John Crowley, Jesse Peretz
- **Writer:** John Carney, Tom Hall, Dime Davis, Sharon Horgan, Sarah Heyward, Logan George, Andrew Rannells, Audrey Wells, Sarra-Jane Piat-Kelly, Marta Cunningham, Celine Held, Kieran Carney, Susan Soon He Stanton
- **Cinematography:** Yaron Orbach
- **Editor:** Andrew Marcus
- **Cast:** Brandon Victor Dixon as Daniel; Jane Alexander as Margot; James Saito as Kenji; Dev Patel as Joshua; Anne Hathaway as Lexi Donohue; Gary Carr as Jeff; John Gallagher Jr. as Rob; Julia Garner as Maddy
- **Release (South Korea):** 18 October 2019
- **Genres:** Comedy
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=650Mt63HIBU

## Where to watch in South Korea

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-30.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Once* (2007), Fi1m 88: Carney’s Dublin two-hander, which does with two songs what this needs eight for — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/once.md)
- *Paris, je t'aime* (2006): Eighteen short love stories, one per district, with the same hit rate and better weather
- *Catastrophe* (2015): Horgan at full strength; the marriage here is funnier, meaner and more honest
- *Easy* (2016), Fi1m 76: Joe Swanberg’s Chicago anthology, which lets its couples stay unresolved — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/easy-rider.md)
- *Master of None* (2015), Fi1m 80: Half-hour stories about dating in New York, with the money worries left in — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/master-of-none.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/modern-love