The Boy Downstairs

The captivating Zosia Mamet (Girls) takes centre-stage in this smart and sassy Manhattan-set relationship drama which channels the spirit of Nora Ephron.

The captivating Zosia Mamet (Girls) deservedly takes centre-stage in this charming, Ephron-esque indie rom-com. When Diana (Mamet) moves back to New York City after a long stay in London, she moves into a brownstone only to discover that her ex-boyfriend Ben (Matthew Shear) is living downstairs. She also finds out that the real-estate agent who initially showed her the apartment has been muscling in on her best friend. And seems to be dating Ben – more than a little weird.

Debut director Sophie Brooks delivers an appealingly fresh and uncomplicated film about love. At first offering the simplest of setups, she skilfully textures our sense of the characters through a series of flashbacks that reveals the early days of Diana and Ben’s relationship. Rather than a girl and a gun, The Boy Downstairs proves when you have two great actors with onscreen chemistry and a snazzy script, the foibles of love are drama enough.