WHEN I PICTURE YOU

A pop star taps her high school crush, now an aspiring filmmaker, to direct a documentary about the making of her new album.

Renee Feldman is supposed to be in New York City, finishing an MFA in film, the first step toward realizing her dream of becoming a documentary filmmaker. Instead, she’s taken a leave of absence, moved back to her hometown of Fellows, Michigan, and into her mom’s garage. Renee had hoped a break would reignite the creative inspiration she needs to complete her thesis project, but she’s spent most of the last nine months slinging coffee at the local cafe and avoiding her adviser’s emails. So she’s not exactly in the mood to attend her childhood next-door neighbor Claudia Grigorian’s wedding—especially because Claudia’s sister, Lola, will be there. Lola Gray is now a mega-successful singer-songwriter with legions of fans dubbed “Lo-Lites.” But her many accolades can’t fix her broken heart—or the resulting writer’s block. Lola, who’s bisexual but closeted to the public, is still reeling from a secret breakup with her ex-girlfriend and hasn’t written a song in over a year. When Lola reconnects with Renee—on whom she harbored an intense crush in high school—at Claudia’s reception, sparks ignite a steamy hookup. Renee doesn’t expect to hear from Lola again, but when Lola rejects the smarmy filmmaker her team has chosen to direct an upcoming documentary about her new album, she has the perfect replacement in Renee. Interesting discussions about the thin line between fandom and obsession, the complexities of queer identity and queer representation in media, and the dangers of the pop-star industrial complex elevate this sweet Sapphic romance.

As heartfelt and sincere as a chart-topping love song, this take on the celebrity rom-com is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.