There is something almost tailor-made for a summer romance about The Last Sunrise. Mallorca, first love, family secrets and two ridiculously attractive people falling for each other under the Spanish sun – Carlson Young’s adaptation of Anna Todd’s novel knows exactly what its audience is here for. And for the most part, it delivers.
The Last Sunrise follows Oriah ‘Ry’ Pera (Maia Reficco), a young woman who has spent much of her life defined by her health. Living with a chronic illness and an understandably overprotective mother, Isolde (Eva Longoria), Ry has become accustomed to being told what she can and cannot do. A summer in Mallorca, however, gives her an opportunity to finally push against those boundaries, particularly after she meets local Julián (Fernando Lindez).
For fans of Todd’s novel, the film remains close to the heart of the book. The relationship between Ry and her mother is just as important as the romance, while Ry’s desire for independence gives the story something more substantial to explore beyond its beautiful setting and central love story. There are changes in bringing the novel to screen, but it still feels recognisably like the same story rather than an adaptation that has simply borrowed its characters.
Maia Reficco is easily one of the film’s greatest strengths. There is a vulnerability to Ry that could have very easily tipped into making her feel helpless, but Reficco never allows that to happen. She captures both Ry’s frustration with the life she has been forced to accept and the excitement that comes with finally beginning to make choices for herself.
Her chemistry with Fernando Lindez also does a lot of the heavy lifting. Their romance is sweet, playful and easy to invest in, particularly as Julián begins introducing Ry to experiences she has spent years believing weren’t possible for her. Lindez brings an effortless charm to the role, and together they make the film work best when it simply allows the relationship to breathe. Eva Longoria is equally strong as Isolde. The tension between mother and daughter is one of the more interesting parts of the story because neither of them is entirely wrong. Isolde’s protectiveness comes from genuine fear for her daughter, while Ry understandably feels suffocated by it. Their disagreements give Longoria and Reficco some of their best material.
Where The Last Sunrise struggles is in making all of this hit quite as hard as it should. Moments dealing with Ry’s health, her fear of losing her memories and the complicated reality of choosing between safety and actually living should be devastating. Occasionally they are, but at other times, the film moves through them so quickly that the emotional weight never quite settles. That leaves parts of the film feeling flatter than expected, particularly considering how naturally emotional its premise is. The romance is charming, but some of the surrounding drama could have benefited from more time to develop before reaching its bigger emotional moments.
Still, The Last Sunrise understands what makes Anna Todd’s story appealing. It is romantic, sincere and carried by three strong performances, with Reficco and Lindez giving romance fans a couple worth rooting for. It may not leave quite the lasting emotional impact it reaches for, but as a book-to-screen summer romance, it is a solid and largely faithful adaptation.
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Prime Video from August 26th / Maia Reficco, Fernando Lindez, Eva Longoria, Chloé Sweetlove, Andrés Velencoso, Sabrina Bartlett / Dir: Carlson Young / Amazon MGM Studios / 15
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