Bedford Park starts with a fresh premise when Audrey (Moon Choi) and Eli (Son Sukku) meet after Eli accidentally hits her mom’s car. Then Audrey starts driving him to work and Eli becomes a welcome distraction.
The audience at TIFF’s international premiere shared a few communal laughs. There are a few comical small details like throwing fruit at a house and fumbling with a retractable 4-colour ballpoint pen.
Audrey and Eli have undeniable chemistry, but their lifestyles should’ve been established quicker. Even if they felt lost, broke and frustrated, there’s no need to show all the kinky details of their sex lives before finding each other. There are too many extra characters who shouldn’t have made it into the final cut. For example, Eli’s toxic stepbrother doesn’t deserve so much screen time.
The leads are both likeable, but their heartfelt budding romance gets lost amidst too many scenes that don’t contribute to the plot. Their charming dinner date scene featured in the movie poster doesn’t happen until shortly before the credits roll!
It’s surprising that Bedford Park shares the same lead producer as Sleepless In Seattle, Gary Foster. Rewatching Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks’ romantic comedy recently reminded me why it became a classic! Every moment, conversation and scene in Sleepless In Seattle is very intentional. You continuously fall in love with the characters and become curious about their life.
It’s a shame that Bedford Park drags out cultural commentary for two hours. The length does a disservice to the story. It should’ve been much shorter, similar to how Jill Kargman’s movie Influenced unpacks Jewish culture in New York in less than 90 minutes. Discussing the concept of han and reflecting on carrying family trauma is far too delayed in the script.
The last half hour is much more interesting and fast-paced. The conclusion is actually satisfying and ties up loose ends nicely! I loved the full-circle moment of seeing Audrey on the subway again – this time much happier without headphones. When Audrey’s mom asks her about Eli, she says, “When I was with him, I could breathe.” That’s a great quote. The final scenes deserve five stars! I wish I could say the same about the movie overall.
Bedford Park would benefit from stronger editing to keep you engaged from start to finish. Audrey has a great monologue about wealth and rejecting societal pressure when she goes on a date with a wealthy Korean man! If only the early scenes were cut so you could relish it earlier.
I previewed this film as part of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
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