“To love again”: a tailor-made role for Celine Dion

BET À DAY

In this fun romantic comedy, Celine Dion becomes the marriage counselor of Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan as explained by writer/director James C. Strouse. 

It is by a happy combination of circumstances that Celine Dion finds herself embroiled in the plot of “To love again”, a “rom-com” as the Americans say, which nevertheless deals with serious subjects.< /p>

New version of the German novel by Sofie Cramer, brought to the big screen under the title “SMS für Dich” in 2016, this “To love again” “is about mourning and love” as James C. Strouse pointed out during a telephone interview with the QMI Agency.

Mira Ray (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) has lost her husband. Since her death, she's been texting her phone…since attributed to music journalist Rob Burns (Sam Heughan) who reads them with growing emotion. As part of his work, the latter is called upon to interview Céline Dion, but their interview will quickly turn into a romantic consultation, the man seeking advice from the world star accustomed to the charts.

Love and grief

In this London that takes the place of New York, the love affair will find its happy ending thanks to the intervention of Celine Dion, a “real fake” character modeled on the star. “In the German version, this larger-than-life character is interpreted by Katja Riemann”, and the director immediately thought of the Quebec singer for this role. “Céline was our one and only choice”, he had also indicated in the promotional documents for “Love again” given to the media.

“I wanted to respect the subject, the loss that Mira faces,” said the filmmaker. Avoiding many of the clichés that predominate in this type of feature film, the director “felt close to the character of Rob”, a thousand miles from the stereotype of the prince charming that the damsel in distress awaits.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, whose “Citadel” series has just started streaming via the Prime Video platform, agreed to play the game with “enthusiasm and good humor”, a scene pitting her against Nick Jonas, her husband in life, the latter proving to be a rude and full of himself suitor. And the actress, the first Indian woman in the main role of a feature film with global release, had also explained that “Mira is a very sweet character. I played very tough roles, and I wanted to explore a more vulnerable side, I wanted to reach the deep places of the heart. I am Cancer and therefore incredibly romantic. I truly believe in love and kindness. And, as stale as it may sound, it's what makes the world go round.”

James C. Strouse firmly rejected the pejorative attribute of “chick-flick” – a “young women” in English – often attached to romantic comedies and the filmmaker and author proudly claimed his joyful and optimistic romanticism. “I know some people snub romantic comedies, but I'm a fan of them,” he said.

'Love Again' hits theaters in theaters province as of May 5.