I don't want to be 'that' bloke, but it needs to be said. This is a love story, and love stories are lazy screen writing.

They're like the parsley of cinema: totally bland but they go with everything. "It's a love story?" "Yes, but set in Eastern Europe / the Himalayas / a circus." "Oh, that's brilliant then." The background doesn't make the story, just like parsley shouldn't be the center of the meal. Of course, there are people who love parsley, and this film is for them.

Sadly, the bland story (and honestly, if you want to watch the original version of this film, it's called _Splendor in the Grass_ and was made in 1961 with Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty) ruins what's tasteful about the film. The acting is spot on (both leads excel in their roles) and Paweł Pawlikowski deservedly won best director at Cannes 2018. Basically, film students / lovers and parsley eaters are the best audience for this film.

Another final nit to pick, if someone makes a film about an adult choir director having sex with a student in this day and age, the internet is (rightfully) up in arms. So, why does filming it in black and white suddenly make it OK?