Text for You

A woman finds solace in texting her late lover in Cramer’s unsatisfying debut. It’s been two months since Clara Sommerfeld’s fiancé, Ben, died. To ward off the loneliness, Clara returns to her job and takes up painting, but nothing makes her feel whole—until she decides to text Ben’s old number one night. The catharsis she feels in imagining Ben is receiving her messages is addicting, and she continues to text him. Little does she know that the phone company has reassigned the number: her notes are actually going to journalist Sven Lehmann, who reads them without ever responding. Sven is drawn to Clara’s sentimentality and tenderness, and when he discovers she lives nearby, he decides to track her down. But will Clara forgive him when she finds out he’s been on the other side of her private messages? While Cramer beautifully captures the grief of losing a loved one, the budding romance between Clara and Sven is rushed and unconvincing, making for a lopsided narrative. It’s a commendable effort, but it misses the mark. Agent: Markus Hoffmann, Regal Hoffmann & Assoc. (Feb.)