British band the Buzzcocks released a singe in 1978, which was later covered in 1986 by the Fine Young Cannibals, called ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).

It’s a song that many can relate to, when love can get a little on the complicated side.

Echoing that exact sentiment is this sober comedy that sees a couple meet in, ironically enough, the city of love, Paris.

Taking pictures in Paris is young American Paul (Jérémie Galiana). It’s there that he comes across a young woman in the streets, Paulette (Marie Benati) who has a fascination for Marie Antoinette.

It’s something they soon bond over, their shared interest in the macabre side of history, as they become good friends, close friends, and perhaps even more for Paul, but Paulette is a free spirit that comes across as unlikely to fall in with the conventional ideals of a relationship, as Paul soon discovers.

This is a directorial debut for British-French director Jethro Massey, with a script he also wrote, that examines young love in various guises.

It could have been quite a generic take on the familiar scenario, but Massey’s direction has a pleasing indie edge to actions.

Certainly the boy-meets-girl story is fairly routine, but it’s the two different characters that bring it to life.

First you have Galiana, who plays the young American abroad, well-mannered and quietly spoken, with a subtle shyness about him.

And then you have Benati as Paulette, effervescent and magnetic, the type of person you could see a myriad of people fall for her charms on a daily basis.

But there’s a sweet on-screen alchemy that takes place when their friendship fuses them, making for the kind of romance that audiences would absolutely love to succeed.

But Massey, as the Buzzcocks song suggests, doesn’t make it easy for the couple, as things are a little more complicated for Paulette.

And it’s watching this relationship grow, awkwardly at times, that makes this such an impressive debut.

Both leads are superb, but Benati does sparkle that little bit more due to her savoir-faire nature and attitude, that both Paul and the audience succumb to.

It’s slightly darker tones, which sees both characters fascinated with larger-than-life characters throughout history, also sets it aside from your average rom-com. This is a more nuanced affair, making for a more well-rounded and rewarding experience.

So much so that it’s the cinematic definition of that Buzzcocks classic, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself falling for it, even when you know full well it won’t be reciprocated. But that can be love for you.