Linnea Saasen and Alex Holdridge in Meet Me in Montenegro (The Orchard)

Writing and directing partners (and real-life couple) Linnea Saasen and Alex Holdridge star in a film about whether love can stand the test of time in the contemporary moment. Kinetic and colorful, Meet Me in Montenegro is a charming tale of modern love. While at moments it tends to drag out its themes and becomes a bit too meta (one character, a filmmaker, uses the term “McGuffin” in a critical analysis of his life), the likeable couple makes this a charming, if sometimes contrived, romantic dramedy.

Holdridge narrates the story as Anderson, a director/screenwriter who has just broken up with his girlfriend in Los Angeles. A meeting with an actor who could potentially secure funding for his long-in-development screenplay brings Anderson back to Berlin. He spent time there years ago, and it was where he met Lina (Saasen), a Norwegian dancer. They started an instant whirlwind six-week romance, which brought them to a getaway in Montenegro. Despite being seemingly a perfect match, Lina suddenly left Anderson, with only a note and no explanation. This event has haunted Anderson ever since.

Back in Berlin, he stops by one of Lina’s favorite movie theaters in hopes of seeing her. She’s there, of course, and they reconnect. She’s about to leave for Budapest for a dance program and invites Anderson to her going away party. After a surprisingly prosperous meeting with the star actor, Anderson gets the courage to attend. Anderson and Lina hit it off once again and spend the night together. Both now have to reconsider whether this relationship is worth another shot.

Simultaneously, Anderson’s friend Stephen (Rupert Friend), with whom he’s staying, is having trouble with his longtime girlfriend, Friederike (Jennifer Ulrich). She wants a more adventurous sex life and, on top of her more successful career, Stephen is feeling pretty insecure after failing as an entrepreneur. Stephen and Friederike’s relationship contrasts with Anderson and Lina’s; the latter demonstrates a short-lived, wild romance, while the other focuses on the struggles of the long term. The “pink elephant” in the room, as Anderson calls it, remains, why did Lina abruptly leave him in Montenegro?

Anderson’s narration brings the film to life with wonderful graphics and animated drawings visually sprinkled throughout. Short scenes of Lina dancing displaly the passion and artistry of the dancer. The true star of the film, though, may be Europe itself. From Berlin to the Balkans, the filmmakers focus on brightly colored rocky beaches, a seaside town, and graffitied buildings. The film boasts an international cast and cameos from Josh Ritter and Deborah Ann Woll as well.

Holdridge and first-time filmmaker/actress Saasen shine. There’s a playful chemistry between them. Though the film attempts to challenge the standard modern romantic comedy, it never quite pushes the envelope far enough. With quite a few twists and turns involving the relationship and their perspective career paths, there’s a lot of ways the film could go that would make this a more compelling story; things tend to fall into place a little too easily. While Rupert Friend stands out as the comedic best friend, Stephen and Friederike’s story casts a cloud at times; their storyline feels oddly placed. All in all, however, Meet Me in Montenegro is a good-natured statement on love, even if you don’t agree with the optimistic sentiment.