LOVE OF YOUR LIFE came in at #4 on the 2024 BlackList - a list of the most loved unproduced screenplays in Hollyweird.
STORY SUMMARY
"Love of Your Life" is a deeply emotional and intimate love story that follows Maya, a sharp, introspective nurse, and Charlie, an eccentric, kind-hearted academic. Their love story is filled with charm, humour, and philosophical discussions about the nature of sound, memory, and fate. Their romance unfolds in a rich, layered way—small moments building into deep connection.
But then COVID hits. Maya, working in a hospital, is on the frontlines of a war zone. Charlie gets sick. And just like that, the love of her life is gone.
The film’s second half shifts gears—Maya, shattered by grief and guilt, disappears from her old life, reemerging years later in Lisbon, unmoored and reckless. The contrast is stark: the woman who once found beauty in small moments now drowns herself in distraction.
It’s a story about love, loss, and what happens when grief fundamentally alters who you are.
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Maya (Protagonist)
What works:
- Complex and layered: Maya is intelligent, wry, and quietly intense. Her career as a nurse grounds her in a sense of purpose.
- Strong empathy factor: Her emotional depth makes her immediately engaging. Her love for Charlie is palpable, and her grief is devastatingly real.
- Compelling transformation: We see her at her highest (deeply in love) and her lowest (numb and self-destructive).
What could be improved:
- More active decision-making in Act 3: Once Maya is lost in grief, she becomes a bit too passive. She reacts to things rather than drives them. We need a stronger sense of her pushing forward in some way—even if it’s misguided.
Charlie (Love Interest)
What works:
- Immediately likable: His boyish enthusiasm for the world is infectious. The way he describes sound, memories, and small wonders makes him utterly unique.
- Real chemistry with Maya: The dialogue between them crackles with authenticity. They feel like a real couple.
- A sense of inevitability: From the moment they meet, it’s clear they belong together.
What could be improved:
- Less perfection, more flaws: Charlie is almost too perfect. He’s funny, smart, emotionally available, kind… Give him one genuine, slightly selfish trait. Something that reminds us he’s human.
Ruth (Charlie's Mother)
What works:
- Complicated but believable: She adores Charlie, and her eventual grief is raw and real.
- The confrontation with Maya: Her reaction to Charlie’s death is brutal but understandable. It adds real emotional weight to Maya’s guilt.
What could be improved:
- More grounding in early scenes: We don’t get enough of Ruth before tragedy hits. A stronger sense of her relationship with Maya early on would make their later confrontation even more gut-wrenching.
STORY STRUCTURE ANALYSIS
What works:
✅ Strong first act – The romance builds naturally, with wonderful moments of connection. The “mystery” of whether Maya and Charlie met before adds a light, intriguing layer.
✅ Devastating midpoint – COVID is a seismic shift. It’s brutal. Charlie’s illness is slow, agonising, inevitable.
✅ Contrast between acts – The vibrant, romantic first half vs. the stark, lonely second half makes the story hit even harder.
What could be improved:
❌ Act 3 lacks momentum – The Lisbon section is visually and emotionally striking, but it meanders. Maya feels aimless, and while that’s intentional, the story would benefit from a stronger pull toward resolution.
❌ A stronger sense of Maya’s internal journey – We see her grieving, but how does she begin to heal? What is the moment that makes her want to live again?
DIALOGUE ANALYSIS
What works:
🔥 Maya and Charlie’s banter – Their conversations are electric, funny, and full of meaning. This is rom-com-level good.
🔥 Charlie’s monologues about sound and perception – These aren’t just quirks; they reveal character and deepen our connection to him.
🔥 The fight before Charlie’s death – Raw and real. It’s small and human—Maya is exhausted, Charlie wants her to meet his family, and the tension is understated but devastating in hindsight.
What could be improved:
- Post-loss Maya is too muted – Her dialogue in Lisbon feels flatter than it should. Give her sharper edges or some remnants of her old self.
- Ruth’s accusations are a bit too harsh – We already feel Maya’s guilt. Maybe Ruth could show more sadness before the anger hits.
STORY ENGINE ANALYSIS
Goals (Open vs. Closed)
- Act 1-2: Maya and Charlie’s goal is clear—build a life together. This is a closed goal with a clear trajectory.
- Act 3: Maya’s goal is vague. She isn’t actively seeking anything. Giving her a small but tangible goal (even self-destructive) would help.
Stakes
- Romantic stakes are high: Charlie and Maya’s connection feels important.
- Life-and-death stakes hit HARD: The hospital scenes are chaotic and terrifying.
- After Charlie’s death, stakes vanish: The Lisbon section needs more urgency.
Urgency
- First half? Excellent.
- Second half? Needs more drive.
Mystery
- The “Have we met before?” mystery is nice but underused. If Charlie’s old memory of Maya played a bigger role in the climax, it could be devastating.
ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE POSITIVE EMPATHY
✅ Maya actively cares for people as a nurse.
✅ She actively loves Charlie and shows warmth.
✅ The hospital scenes show her working tirelessly for strangers—huge empathy boost.
BUT—once Charlie is gone…
❌ She becomes passively tragic.
❌ We need one moment in Lisbon where she actively does something good for someone.
ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE NEGATIVE EMPATHY
✅ Ruth’s grief is active—her confrontation is painful, but it makes sense.
✅ Maya’s self-destruction in Lisbon is passive—she lets life happen to her rather than choosing to self-destruct.
Fix? Give her a self-destructive CHOICE. (Sleeping with the wrong person, burning a bridge, etc.)
COMMERCIAL VIABILITY
Comparison Films:
🎥 Blue Valentine (2010) – Deeply emotional love story turned tragedy. $16M box office
🎥 One Day (2011) – Romance spanning years, ending in tragedy. $56M box office
🎥 Pieces of a Woman (2020) – Devastating loss, grief-focused. Acclaimed but limited release.
What works commercially?
- Romantic drama with a hook (love story through COVID)
- Deep character work
- Strong lead roles for awards potential
What hurts commercial prospects?
- Slow, meditative Act 3
- Lack of a traditional resolution
Verdict:
💰 Indie awards darling? Yes.
💰 Commercial hit? Maybe—but needs a bigger emotional payoff in Act 3.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This script is beautifully written, deeply moving, and rich with character. But the third act needs more direction, and Maya needs a stronger active role in her healing.
If the ending delivered a stronger catharsis, this could be a modern classic.
Final rating: 7.5/10.
STORY NOTES
I’m a professional, working screenwriter/director/producer.
I have worked with Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption), Harvey Keitel (Pulp Fiction), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum Of Solace), Matt Doran (The Matrix).
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- Page Read Notes. These are beat specific notes that arise as I read your script. These focus on the minutiae of your story as it unfolds.
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