The Review Was Originally Published as Part of My Coverage of Fantasia 2023
A lonely woman gives her heart to the man of her dreams in With Love and a Major Organ. In the not-so-distant future, every aspect of people's lives is controlled by an app called LifeZapp, which consequently makes most people devoid of authentic emotional connections. Anabel (Anna Maguire) is an aspiring artist working for an insurance company, who is resisting the suggestions of her friend Casey (Donna Benedicto) to start using the app. Anabel falls for a man named George (Hamza Haq), who she sees in the park reading yesterday's newspaper. However, when George turns down her advances, it results in both figurative and literal heartbreak for Anabel.
With Love and a Major Organ Synopsis
With Love and a Major Organ is the feature debut from director Kim Albright, written by Julia Lederer, based on her acclaimed play and audio drama. The film stars Anna Maguire (Violation) as Anabel, one of the few remaining people not dependent on having their life controlled by the app LifeZapp. When Anabel first sees George, played by Hamza Haq (Viking), he is seen throwing his glowing blue heart off of a cliff. Anabel gives her heart to George after he breaks it, and it makes significant changes to both their lives.
My Thoughts on With Love and a Major Organ
With Love and a Major Organ is built around an excellent lead performance by Anna Maguire, who can progress from recording love poems in neon-lit fantasy sequences to having a significant change in personality in the second half when she quite literally becomes a heartless individual. The film is a metaphor for how our dependence on technology can prevent the development of true interpersonal connections. With its mix of comedy, romance, fantasy, and science fiction, With Love and a Major Organ is a truly magnificent film.
