We can learn a thing or two about relationships from Sylvie's Love [1], which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Set in the 1950s and early 1960s, the movie tells the classic story of a young woman who falls in love with an aspiring saxophone player while working at her father's record store in Harlem. Tessa Thompson plays the titular Sylvie [2] and Nnamdi Asomugha stars as the charming saxophone player Robert. A somewhat unconventional love story, Robert and Sylvie face their fair share of trials and tribulations, which include Sylvie's fiancé Lacey and the ever-changing landscape of the music industry in New York City. At its heart, Sylvie's Love captures what it's like to truly fall in love — then feel as if you've lost that love, only to get a second chance. Below are the love lessons we learned from watching Sylvie and Robert's story unfold.
Stay True to Yourself
Sylvie is absolutely miserable when trying to be the woman she thinks her husband Lacey wants, Lacey is miserable trying to be Robert for Sylvie, and Robert is miserable after breaking things off with Sylvie for a "real" job. Even though we don't know what happens to Lacey after him and Sylvie separate, we do know that both Robert and Sylvie are happier when they're being true to themselves.
When it comes to a relationship, you should never have to fully alter yourself to make someone else happy. You also shouldn't try and "fix" someone to fit your ideals. Like Sylvie and Robert, you should be happiest with your partner when you're both being your truest selves and playing to your strengths.
Sometimes the Timing Just Isn't Right
This was one of the hardest parts about watching Sylvie's Love. You know Robert and Sylvie are right for each other the moment they meet, however, they don't reconnect until years later. For them, it is all about luck and the chance to do things over again. Sometimes you can find the right person for you, but the timing just doesn't work. This doesn't mean it won't ever work, it might just need the time for both of you to mature and grow, similar to Sylvie and Robert.
Don't Waste Your Time on Things You Don't Love
When Sylvie breaks things off with Lacey, she tells him, "Life is too short to waste time doing things you don't absolutely love." Although she initially meant it in regard to spending more time at her job, it was also the catalyst needed for her and Lacey to talk things over and realize they weren't meant for each other.
Relationships are hard and require work. However, there comes a time when you need to reevaluate whether or not it's the right relationship for you. For Sylvie, the right relationship was with Robert, even when she realized he'd lied to her about not wanting her in Detroit.
Honesty Is Important
If Sylvie and Robert had just been honest with each other from the start, Sylvie's Love might have been a much shorter movie. The pair did lie for the right reasons; Sylvie lied to let Robert live out his dreams as a musician, and Robert lied so she wouldn't choose him over the job she loved. By not being honest, they effectively made decisions for the other. Honesty is what allows Robert and Sylvie to be together in the end, and it is the foundation of most functional relationships.