Our take
A few minutes in, it’s easy to dismiss The Flatshare as typical romcom fare. It’s brimming with cliches and cutesy flairs, plus the premise sounds like a contrived way to set up a “Will they or won’t they?” romance. But as it goes along, The Flatshare carves depths to its seemingly simple story. The timeshare aspect speaks to the growing housing insecurity in the UK, where even a materialistic girl like Tiffany is pushed to share a flat. Meanwhile, her disturbing relationship with her ex is an accurate portrayal of how innocuous abuse can seem to outsiders. And of course, there is the unjust incarceration of Leon’s brother, which the show sensitively handles. The Flatshare has a darkness to it that can slip away if you focus too much on its romcom sheen, but if you can appreciate both, then the show comes as a welcome surprise, one that’s equal parts serious and sweet.
The story
Tiffany and Leon are two cash-strapped twenty somethings who share a bed, but have never met. The question is, can you fall in love with someone you've never set eyes on?
In order to save money, journalist Tiffany (Jessica Brown Findlay) and nurse Leon (Anthony Welsh) agree to own a timeshare apartment, where they communicate exclusively via Post-It notes.
What is it with romcom leads writing *specifically* for publications? I’m not annoyed, just genuinely curious.
If you remove its romcom sheen, this is actually a chilling cautionary tale about the worsening housing crisis.
The details
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.