The Last Letter from Your Lover

The Last Letter from Your Lover

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2021
Founder	Augustine Frizzell (director)
Products	Romantic drama film

The Last Letter from Your Lover is a 2021 British romantic drama film helmed by director Augustine Frizzell, with a screenplay by Nick Payne and Esta Spalding, adapted from Jojo Moyes' 2011 novel. The cast includes Felicity Jones, Callum Turner, Joe Alwyn, Nabhaan Rizwan, and Shailene Woodley.

The narrative unfolds across two different eras, centering on Jennifer Stirling, a housewife from the 1960s, and Ellie Haworth, a contemporary journalist. Both women become captivated by a mysterious love letter they uncover.

The movie debuted on Netflix in selected regions on 23 July 2021, followed by its UK release through StudioCanal on 6 August 2021.

Plot

During the mid-1960s, affluent socialite Jennifer Stirling experiences amnesia following a car accident, leaving her unable to remember her past or connect with her spouse Laurence. She grows curious about a letter addressed to "J" from someone named "Boot" and sets out to trace its background.

In present-day London, journalist Ellie Haworth stumbles upon a misfiled love letter sent to "J" from "Boot" while investigating her deceased editor. Touched by the heartfelt messages, she embarks on a quest to identify the correspondents.

Back in the 1960s, Jennifer and Laurence spend time on the French Riviera. Anthony O'Hare, a foreign correspondent, interviews Laurence. After an uneasy encounter at a party, Anthony apologizes to Jennifer, leading them to exchange letters under the aliases "J" and "Boot." Their written communication sparks a clandestine affair during Laurence's absence. Anthony urges Jennifer to leave with him for New York City; though hesitant, she arranges to meet him before departing. A car crash results in Jennifer’s memory loss, and Anthony leaves believing she has rejected him.

Laurence conceals Anthony's final letter, hoping Jennifer will forget about the affair. Eventually, Jennifer uncovers hidden letters and confronts Laurence, who deceives her about Anthony's whereabouts. Years later, Jennifer reunites with Anthony but declines to leave because of their daughter. Facing threats from Laurence concerning custody and reputation, Jennifer flees with her daughter but discovers Anthony has vanished. She entrusts the letters to an editor with instructions to pass them on if possible.

In the contemporary timeline, Ellie and archivist Rory develop a closer relationship as they piece together more letters. Ellie discovers that both Jennifer and Anthony are still alive and reaches out to them. Inspired by their story, Ellie begins a romance with Rory. She convinces Anthony to send one last letter inviting Jennifer to meet at Postman’s Park. Ellie and Rory observe their reunion discreetly from a distance.

Cast

• Felicity Jones portrays Ellie Haworth, a journalist uncovering love letters in modern London
• Callum Turner plays Anthony O'Hare, a financial journalist from the 1960s investigating Laurence
  • Ben Cross appears as the older version of Anthony O'Hare
• Joe Alwyn acts as Laurence Stirling, a prosperous industrialist of the 1960s and Jennifer’s husband
• Shailene Woodley embodies Jennifer Stirling, a socialite of the 1960s who is married to Laurence and involved with Anthony
  • Diana Kent plays older Jennifer Stirling
• Nabhaan Rizwan features as Rory McCallan, an archivist working alongside Haworth
• Ncuti Gatwa as Nick, Haworth’s colleague
• Emma Appleton as Hannah
• Zoe Boyle as Anne

Production

Augustine Frizzell was confirmed as the director in August 2019. Principal photography commenced on 14 October 2019 in Mallorca, featuring Felicity Jones and Shailene Woodley in leading roles, both of whom also served as executive producers. The production later moved to the United Kingdom, concluding after a 45-day shoot on 15 December 2019.

Release

Netflix secured distribution rights for the United States and select international markets in October 2019. The film debuted on Netflix in specific regions on 23 July 2021, with its release in the United Kingdom and Ireland following on 6 August 2021.

Reception

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 55% approval rating based on 71 critiques, averaging a score of 5.6 out of 10. The site’s summary notes that while the movie is enhanced by strong performances and impressive visuals, its heavy melodramatic elements may not resonate with every audience member. On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 from 19 reviews, signifying generally mixed or average feedback.