Jennifer Kaitlyn Robinson’s 2019 movie Someone Great presents itself as a breakup movie, wrapped in dreamy film reel flashback scenes and fluorescent strobe lighting- not to strengthen the plot, but rather to pull the viewer into the contradiction of heartbreak and continuing life with the absence of that love. Someone Great makes one thing clear; it will operate not solely from the past, the present or the future, but rather in the emotional convergence that comes with all three. 

A nonlinear approach is crucial to the effectiveness of a breakup film as heartbreak is rarely experienced in a straightforward line. The ache of loss can be triggered by almost anything, from sounds, smells, sights and even a disruption in daily routine. Someone Great perfects its refusal of a chronological mode of storytelling because it makes the protagonist Jenny’s heartbreak feel much more personal to the audience. As we see Jenny and her best friends Blair and Erin struggling to obtain tickets to a music festival, the film’s editing contrasts moments in the present with memories of the past. Scenes are interrupted with flashes of happy moments, intimacy, and even arguments between Jenny and her ex boyfriend Nate as if to replicate the the way that heartbreak can bombard the mind with memory, even when you least expect it. However, one thing that can be noted from this style of editing is the fact that we never see Jenny being punished in the present for letting these memories play out. Rather, the past and the present are allowed to coexist, ultimately pushing a message that moving forward does not always mean that you must leave the past, or person, behind. Throughout the film, Jenny grapples with these flashbacks in real time, but it is through this that we see her process and eventually come to terms with her new reality; a reality without Nate. 

Within the bigger scope of breakup movies, the editing structure differentiates Someone Great from other narratives that present a linear plot and endings that prioritize resolution for all. A majority of breakup films will often map out a defined high tension emotional arc and end the film with some conclusion of acceptance or even reconciliation between both sides. However, the editing within Someone Great poses an even bigger question.

Where does this leave room for the limbo that unfolds before real healing can take place?

The film refuses to abide by a traditional blueprint, and instead creates a new narrative that embraces emotional complexity and the reality that breakups are indeed, messy. Jenny does not process her grief tidily, and we see the emotional rollercoaster of her thoughts throughout the movie. One second she’s dancing to her old college party playlist with her best friends, but the next she is confronted with loss, whether it’s through reflection, an unexpected wave of nostalgia, or a flashback in the middle of a liquor store to a Selena song. These flashbacks repeatedly pull her right back to the start line with the pain that she is desperate to outrun.

Another notable aspect within the storytelling and editing is the lack of an emphasis on blame. While Jenny’s flashbacks reveal moments of intimacy alongside agitation and fighting, its purpose is not for the audience to pick a side but rather to understand that the relationship was meaningful even if it eventually had to come to an end. Robinson avoids romanticizing the relationship or either person in it because it does not add anything to the narrative. While there are moments where Jenny will say “I hate Nate” and express dislike towards him, the audience has seen enough to understand that none of these statements are meant to be taken literally because Jenny and Nate’s breakup  was not solidified in betrayal or conflict, but rather in the unpredictability of life. Jenny received her dream job offer at Rolling Stone, but this requires her to move across the country and do long distance, something that neither she or Nate want to attempt. This decision is what grounds the central plot of the movie in reality, and Robinson’s refusal to romanticize it acknowledges that not every relationship ends because of a lack of love. This approach also allows for the story to be explored with a sense of nuance, one that avoids cliches that jeopardize its authenticity. 

Music also plays a crucial role in magnifying the timeline of the film, a purposeful choice given the fact that Jenny is a music journalist. Songs will play out of nowhere, pulling Jenny and the audience back into memories of loss. The most significant usage of music is in the opening scene, when “Supercut” by Lorde plays as Jenny is in a Subway station. A montage of text messages and Facebook status edits play on screen that signify the beginning of Jenny and Nate’s relationship up until the end, when we see Jenny send a message to Blair and Erin that she got the Rolling Stone job, but that she has to end her relationship with Nate due to the distance. The song reflects what is happening onscreen, with the lyrics “But it’s just a supercut of us” repeating, ultimately mirroring the direct structure of the film. This reflection reinforces the idea that heartbreak exists as a constant loop of memories that will play over and over until one day, the memories that once felt so deafening transition into an echo that fades into the background; present, but not overwhelming enough to drown out the sound of new beginnings.

Jenny, Blair and Erin Getting Ready For A Night At Neon Classic

Of equal importance to the structure of the film is how it creates space for a supportive aspect, one that can be found through its portrayal of female friendship. While Jenny processes her breakup with Nate, her close friendship with Erin and Blair unfold in the present, often grounding her back into reality every time she experiences a flashback. Their day of chaos that unfolds as they try and secure tickets for the music event almost counteracts what is going on inside of Jenny’s mind, reminding the audience that healing is not something that is meant to be taken on alone. Erin and Blair are also present for most of these flashbacks of Nate, which signifies their importance in Jenny’s life and emphasizing that they will also be affected by her moving to San Francisco to pursue her career. It is through this that her romantic relationship with Nate and what it was can coincide with a different type of equally important relationship such as the one she has with her best friends, thus placing them in a role that is on par with the importance of the flashbacks. This balance shows Jenny’s personal identity to not only be tied to someone that she loves romantically like Nate, but rather to the people that she loves as a whole, whether it is a friend or a lover. 

By rooting itself within the concept of nonlinear storytelling, Someone Great is a contemporary take of our idea of love and loss told through equal parts of raunchy comedy and heart shattering memories that remind us of one thing; to love does not always mean to lose, but rather to grow and accept new beginnings, even if we truly do not want to. Someone Great succeeds as a modern take on heartbreak and loss because it reflects on the true messy experience of what it means to let go of someone you love. Through emotional strategy, Someone Great also recognizes heartbreak as an event that will not happen in an orderly fashion. Choosing to tell the story in a non-linear way captures the uncertain feeling of moving forward and accepting a new reality, while still holding space in your heart for who you once were with someone else. The film ends where it began, with Jenny in a subway train writing a farewell letter to Nate. Jenny writes:

“When something breaks, if the pieces are large enough, you can fix it. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t break. They shatter. But when you let the light in, shattered glass will glitter, and in those moments when pieces of what we were catch in the sun, I’ll remember just how beautiful it was. How beautiful it will always be.”

This heartbreaking yet truthful reflection encapsulates the film’s message: even in our darkest moments, beauty can still be found in memories and how we choose to hold onto them in order to move forward and heal.