Directed by Analeine Cal y Mayor 
Written by Analeine Cal y Mayor and David Quantick
Starring Sam Claflin, Verónica Echegui, Horacio Garcia Rojas, Lucy Punch
Runtime: 106 unfunny minutes
Unrated
Available to watch on Prime, February 4

by Gary M. Kramer, Staff Writer

Henry Copper (Sam Claflin) is a tweedy British writer, whose novel, The Sensible Heart, is described by its author as, “a love story…between a man and a woman.” When asked if it is saucy, Henry is offended; he writes about love not sex. But his book, which is getting terrible reviews and is on sale (buy 1, take 3) is also not finding an audience — except in Mexico. Apparently, El Corazón Sensible has become an instant bestseller. As a result, Henry’s publisher, Jen (Lucy Punch), sends him on a book tour where his Mexican translator, María (Verónica Echegui) will escort him. What Henry soon discovers, is that María has “freely” translated his love story into a torrid romance. 

Book of Love should have more fun with this premise than it does. María is of course reluctant to disclose that she embellished (and as a result, improved) Henry’s novel. But the film, directed by Analeine Cal y Mayor, who cowrote it with David Quantick, does not take advantage of this situation once the guise is revealed. The opportunity to play with words and meanings and mistranslate things, such as in Henry’s first public interview, are not very clever. Likewise, a scene involving Henry’s efforts to comfort María’s son, Diego (Ruy Gaytan) by speaking bad Spanish, is meant to amuse but falls flat. Most of the humor is strained.

Part of the problem is that Henry, who is British, and therefore stereotypically uptight, doesn’t really get the makeover he should once abroad. He is seen as a sex symbol in Mexico—he is sent flirty messages on social media—but he looks stiff and acts stuffy, signaling that once he gets laid, he will blossom. He also tells María that he doesn’t know how to talk to women, because he went to an all-boys school, which seems a little far-fetched. (Especially for a man as handsome as Sam Claflin.)

In true rom-com style, Henry and María are forced to collaborate on another novel while the flame is hot, and through their working relationship, they, of course, fall in love. (A nice subplot addresses how she does the work, but he gets the credit.) The sweet romantic scenes involve the couple having a few drinks, and attending a Carnival afterparty, but complications ensue when María’s ex, Antonio (Horacio Garcia Rojas), gets jealous and tries to jeopardize the relationship. It’s a plot right out of a romance novel, which is wholly appropriate. But Book of Love never quite goes into the telenovela territory it could have. A soapier, campier approach may have infused this dull film with some real laughs. 

Verónica Echegui enlivens the mediocre material because María is smarter than all of the men around her. The actress has real verve when María tells Henry off for having an easy life, and her impassioned speech—spoken while changing a tire, no less—is empowering. Likewise, she may be a doormat when Antonio disappoints her for the 300th time, but she reads him later, which is satisfying. Echegui brings a good energy to her role and is the best thing in the film. 

Sam Claflin, in contrast, fails to make his clueless chap funny. He is also far too good-looking to play nerdy here, as a handful of scenes that show off his chiseled chest prove.

Book of Love should have been María’s story. This vibrant, vivacious woman should have rewritten the film’s flimsy script.