When it comes to the subject of Nashville, you essentially get two different kinds of films – those about outsiders making their way to the notorious Music City, or those bursting to get out of there and explore the wider world. Regardless of the specific approach, it is almost impossible to find a film set in the country music capital of the world and not have it be about musicians in some way. This is the starting point for The Thing Called Love, a wonderfully endearing romantic comedy that focuses on a quartet of outsiders that find themselves getting to know one another as they seek fame and fortune, genuinely believing that they represent the next generation in country music stars, only to learn that it takes much more work to achieve status than just having a few good lyrics and a lot of ambition. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, who is returning to the southern states where some of his best films were set, The Thing Called Love is a charming film, one that may not be particularly serious or meaningful, but does carry itself with the confidence of a film that genuinely believes that it is the natural heir to Nashville, the gold-standard of films that focus on young people trying to make a living by following their passions, only to find their lives constantly intersecting with those who have come before them, many of whom have yet to see their dreams manifest in anything close to success. It all forms the foundation for this charming and enticing glimpse into the life of people determined to follow their dreams, regardless of the obstacles they may encounter along the way.

We can categorize Bogdanovich’s career into two broad groups – those on which he had authorial control, and those for which he was specifically hired to produce someone else’s vision. Like many of his peers, he did his fair share of director-for-hire work – the difference being that he would occasionally return to this when necessary, being one of the most well-regarded filmmakers who could be hired on short notice to bring any film to life, since he possessed both the raw talents to pull together any story, and the deep knowledge of the industry to make even the most paltry scripts interesting. Replacing the original director, Brian Gibson (who dropped out in favour of directing What’s Love Gotta Do with It?, an incredibly wise choice), Bogdanovich was clearly not the first person that springs to mind when thinking of a charming romantic comedy set to the unforgettable sights and sounds of Nashville – yet, he also feels like the perfect fit, since not only does he have experience with these small, intimate stories of young people falling in and out of love in southern surroundings. His style is adaptable and always consistent with the register of the screenplay, which was here written by Carol Heikkinen, who has often crafted stories set within the world of music, particularly from the perspective of younger and more enthusiastic characters that have broad aspirations to become a part of the industry that they have admired all their lives. It converges in this wonderfully endearing and unexpectedly moving romantic comedy that has a lot heart, and even more nuanced when we look beyond the smaller imperfections.

Undeniably, The Thing Called Love can be seen as an attempt to replicate the success of The Last Picture Show, which we can all acknowledge is nearly impossible (not even the director’s own effort to revisit the world created by Larry McMurtry decades later in the film Texasville fell victim to overblown expectations), and while such a comparison is pertinent to the discussion, since the films do share common themes, it doesn’t feel particularly useful, nor is it constructive in any conceivable way. This film stands on its own, and it shares many ideas with similar projects, particularly when we notice how this is a relatively conventional and unassuming work. The origins of the inspirations that went into the writing of the screenplay are vague (but as we’ve mentioned, it was written by someone who clearly has a strong interest in the music industry), so it really is a case of Bogdanovich taking a relatively vague story and turning it into an enchanting romance. Not to discredit Heikkinen’s efforts, since this is a wonderfully sweet film filled with lovable dialogue, credit must also be given to Bogdanovich for taking a story that really doesn’t have much of a clear or consistent direction, breathing life into it and reconfiguring it as a much more enduring film than just the run-of-the-mill comedy it could’ve been in less capable hands. There’s always value in a film that knows how to approach its subject matter in a way that feels genuine and insightful, and this film owes a lot of its success to the director and his magical touch, which he uses to elevate (but not dominate) the more simplistic writing that needed an assured hand to bring it to the screen in a way that had value.

Part of the appeal of The Thing Called Love comes in the cast, which is comprised of some of the most promising young actors working at the time. Samantha Mathis plays the film’s lead, a daring and ambitious young woman who travels from New York City to Nashville to not only realize her dreams of becoming a country music star, but also honour the memory of her father, with whom she had a strong bond over their shared love of various artists. River Phoenix is her love interest, the dashing and dangerous young songwriter who has a penchant for stirring trouble. Mathis and Phoenix are both wonderful, the former being a charming lead that exists mainly to be the foundation for some of the more eccentric characters, grounding the film while still being very good all on her own. The Thing Called Love was unfortunately the final film released in Phoenix’s lifetime, and while it would be foolish to think he was a revelation here (since nearly every film in which he starred was incredible), he proved what an effortlessly gifted and charismatic actor he could be when given the right material. The pair play off each other exceptionally well, with Sandra Bullock and Dermot Mulroney entering the fray as their equally-passionate friends that they make while trying to find fame in Nashville. The Thing Called Love is not a film built solely on the need for strong performances, with most of its charm coming in how Bogdanovich uses these actors to capture a very particular image of youth through this easygoing comedy of manners that uses its characters to create scenarios that may border on cliched, but still serve a significant purpose in the broader sense of the narrative, which is beautifully showcased by the director throughout this film.

The Thing Called Love is understandably not the most well-known or beloved film Bogdanovich ever directed, since there’s nothing particularly unique or engaging about it outside of a few lovely moments, which are frequent but unremarkable. As a whole, the film is a minor entry into Bogdanovich’s iconoclastic career, but it is still wildly entertaining – it plays like an old-fashioned romantic comedy in which the stakes are almost non-existent, the characters are only a few steps away from being outright archetypes, and the humour is stilted and awkward, but yet we still are so heavily invested in the narrative, we can excuse (or perhaps even embrace) these shortcomings, since they evoke that unmistakable feeling of warmth and joy that comes with a very traditional but adorable romantic comedy. It’s not a major work, but it is one with a sufficient amount of humour and heart to make up for its flaws. It’s often very funny (especially when it comes to the strong chemistry between the actors), and has an abundance of compassion for its characters, which makes for a suitably sweet and good-natured comedy that takes its time and simply exists to provide us with the opportunity to see exactly how a film like this can be made, where originality may not be the main priority, but rather the sense of genuine joy and unimpeachable romance that may be unrealistic, but is still so profoundly moving when done correctly.