Love, Divided review: Spanish remake of a French rom-com

Love, Divided (Pared con pared) is a Spanish rom-com about two feuding neighbors who fall in love through a wall. It’s a remake of the French version of the story, called Blind Date. I remember seeing Blind Date a few years ago. The new version was written by Marta Sánchez and directed by Patricia Font. It’s very similar to the original.

Love, Divided puts game maker David (Fernando Guallar) in an apartment with paper thin walls. He needs absolute quiet to work and drives the people who move into the adjoining apartment away with scary noises.

Valentina (Aitana) and her piano move in next to David. She’s playing for hours a day in order to be ready to audition for the symphony orchestra. She’s determined not to move and suggests they create a schedule that works so she can practice and he can have quiet.

They do all this discussion through the wall. Once they start talking to each other, they keep on doing it. They really like each other, sight unseen. They share stories, play games, plan meals – all on opposite sides of the wall.

Complications arise because of David’s best friend and business partner Nacho (Adam Jezierski) and Valentina’s cousin Carmen (Natalia Rodríguez). Valentina’s mentor and tutor (Miguel Ángel Muñoz) wants control of her talent and makes demands.

Of course, they finally meet. There are several misunderstandings on the way to getting there.

One of the themes running through the film is being true to yourself and following your own dreams – not someone else’s.

There’s nice chemistry between the two actors, even through a wall. The film is pleasant, cheerful, and meant to make you feel good. Whether in French or Spanish, it does that. You can see this one on Netflix.

If the rom-com gods decide this story needs another remake with an American setting, maybe the two neighbors could both be women. Especially since nobody dies in this film.