Movie Review: ‘Handle With Care’ – Love, Marriage, Divorce And What Next?

Matthew James Thompson‘s latest feature film ‘Handle With Care‘ takes a deceptively simple premise and turns it into a thoughtful examination of love, marriage, and the emotional baggage we often leave tucked away long after a relationship has ended.

It is a film that understands that divorce is rarely defined by one dramatic moment. More often, it is the long gruelling process and the mundane tasks that follow, where every shared possession carries the weight of memories that can neither be boxed up nor easily discarded.

The story follows Cole (played by Justin H. Min), a copywriter whose once-romantic outlook has been replaced by cynicism after his marriage falls apart barely a year after saying “I do.” Faced with the reality of divorce, he discovers that separating lives is far more complicated than signing paperwork. As part of the declaration of assets required to finalise the divorce, he decides to sell the unopened wedding gifts that have been sitting untouched in storage. What begins as a practical exercise gradually becomes an emotional journey, as each sale introduces him to strangers whose own stories begin to challenge his increasingly bleak perspective on love.

It is an incredibly clever premise because it transforms ordinary household objects into symbols of love. Every unopened gift represents a future that never materialised, yet in finding new homes, they become symbols of hope for someone else. Matthew James Thompson never overcomplicates this idea, allowing its simplicity to remain the film’s greatest strength.

One of the film’s most enjoyable creative choices is Cole‘s frequent habit of breaking the fourth wall. His direct conversations with the audience give the film a mockumentary-like flavour without ever fully committing to that format. These moments never feel forced. Instead, they create an intimate relationship between Cole and us, the viewers, making us feel less like spectators and more like confidants listening to someone trying to convince himself of the decisions he is taking through the divorce process. Some interesting cutaways and inserts add to the film’s documentary feel. The transitions between these addresses and the narrative flow effortlessly, giving the storytelling an engaging rhythm.

Justin H. Min delivers a wonderfully understated performance as Cole. Beneath his sarcastic observations and carefully constructed emotional walls is a man who is clearly hurting. He never asks the audience to pity him, nor does he attempt to paint Cole as a victim. Instead, he portrays someone sincerely trying to make sense of failure while clinging to whatever emotional stability he has left. That honesty makes Cole the emotional anchor of the film from beginning to end.

Nicole Brydon Bloom, as Reese, may have fewer scenes as compared to Cole, but her presence is equally important. There is no manufactured villain here. Reese is just as disappointed by the collapse of the marriage and appears equally committed to navigating the divorce with as much grace as possible. That balance prevents ‘Handle With Care‘ from becoming a story about blame. Instead, it becomes a story about two people confronting the painful reality that love alone is sometimes not enough.

Although marketed as a comedy, viewers expecting nonstop laughs may be surprised. The humour exists, but it is subtle, dry and character-driven. Rather than making light of divorce, the narrative makes the difficult conversations easier to sit through. It creates space for reflection without diminishing the emotional consequences of the story whilst also making all this entertaining.

Supporting performances further enrich the experience. From the buyers, lawyers, family and friends that Cole encounters in this film, you get to see another perspective on love, commitment and second chances. Together, they elevate the film into an engaging 90-minute dramedy that consistently rewards its audience with heartfelt observations instead of easy answers.

If there were ever a list of films people should watch before getting married, ‘Handle With Care’, I dare say, deserves a place on it. Not because it argues against marriage, but because it offers an honest reminder that lasting relationships require far more than the excitement of a wedding day. They demand patience, communication, compromise and continuous effort from both people.

With its heartfelt performances, inventive storytelling and emotionally intelligent script, ‘Handle With Care’ is both entertaining and quietly affecting. It leaves you pondering about love, marriage and divorce even after the credits roll. You are forced to ask yourself whether happily ever after exists and what it truly takes to get there.

I will score this feature 7/10. It is a warm, reflective dramedy that handles both love and heartbreak with honesty, humour and surprising tenderness. ‘Handle With Care’ would be making its world premiere at the Rhode Island International Film Festival on August 8.