From the makers of the super hit show “Elite,” we have Netflix’s answer to the Sally Rooney TV adaptation, “Normal People.” Maybe that’s a bit of a long shot, but the story explores the lives of young people over the course of time, combining the complexities of fluctuating relationships and the anxieties of being a young person in the real world. What can be appreciated about the series is its attention to detail, which makes it appear as if you’re truly transported to the early 2000s. Even the ringtones bring nostalgia. This show is seemingly refreshing with its take on modern love in the recent past, but it lacks a little bit in the character development department, making it average rather than fantastic. “In Love All Over Again,” tells a non-linear story, constantly shifting from past to present, to encapsulate a toxic relationship that has gone on too far and too long. Yes, we all love a good, flawed character, and while we do want to root for our lead characters to end up together, at some point, it feels a bit wrong seeing everything they’ve been through. On the other hand, what it does really well is maintain our attention even if we don’t understand some of the cultural references. If the despicable leads had better character arcs, maybe we wouldn’t be shocked by the cliffhanger at the end of the show. It seems quite clear that the entire series is only meant to set up the premise for more seasons to come. What is Irene and Julio’s fate? To smash or to pass, that is the question.
Spoilers Ahead
Love Amongst A Train Wreck
Irene is a film student from a small town in Spain at a university in Madrid. She’s left her boyfriend back home to follow her big dreams of becoming a fancy director someday. She lives with a bunch of cool people from her course: Da and Jimena, and Matt, the resident foreigner. Irene is immediately close with Da and Jimena, making what seems like lifelong friends in an instant. Da takes Irene out to see the premiere of her favorite director’s new movie (how incredibly sweet!). There she sees a man crying just as she was after the film is over. She tells Da that that is the guy she would like in her short film because you want to know what he’s thinking behind those beautiful eyes (ah! “Love at first cry.”) At the after-party, Da and Irene find the “mystery boy,” and Irene decides to talk to him. Da interrupts them because he’s been shamed by the famous director. The mystery boy, whose name is Julio, decides to take his pants off to grab the attention of the director because Irene wants to have two words with him. That’s when he gets invited to the home after-party, and Irene and Da go with him too. Unfortunately, Da has had too much to drink and retches on some expensive-looking furniture. Irene, Julio, and Da leave together. They get on the train to take Da back home. Irene and Julio find each other, locking eyes, and just as they’re about to share a sweet kiss, there is a massive explosion. It’s March 11, 2004, and bombs have gone off in Madrid.
The Ex-lover And A Series Of Misfortunes
Julio and Irene find each other at the hospital, but Fer, Irene’s boyfriend, is also there. Irene has decided to go back to Castellon to recover from the impact of the explosion. Her eye also needs surgery. In Madrid, Julio continues to hang out with Da when, one fine day, Irene’s father sends a message to Da and Jimena to read Irene’s script. Da and Jimena surprise Irene with a visit, and they all head back to Madrid because going back to college is what is best for Irene. Fer drives them back, and Julio is waiting for them at the apartment. They all have food and drinks together. They set up their mattresses in the living room so they could all watch films together like one big slumber party. Things escalate when everyone falls asleep, and Irene finds herself alone with Julio in the kitchen. Fer walks in on them in a compromising position and immediately decides to end things with Irene. Julio, on the other side, is left high and dry by Irene.
A Tragic Tryst Turned Opportunity
Irene, Da, and Julio get invited to do an interview regarding the train incident. Irene can make her short film if she obliges and does the interview. Julio tells the journalist all about the incident and how the blast occurred just when Irene and his lips were about to meet. The poetic tale is so sensationalized that Romano, the director of the film whose premiere they had been to, invites Julio to do an audition. On the other hand, when Irene sees Julio’s audition for her short, she’s flabbergasted at how bad he is. She tries to hide these feelings when she finds out about the audition with Romano, but Julio realizes how she feels. She helps him with the audition, but he ends up blanking in front of Romano because he can only hear her voice in his head. He thinks he’s a fraud. Irene wants to do everything she can to help him and decides to send in his audition tape to Romano. Romano loves it, and Julio gets the role. Since Julio believes Irene thinks he’s untalented, they’re separated again. He’s made to sign a contract for the film with Romano, so he asks Jimena for help to understand it. Julio makes amends with Jimena but not with Irene just yet. On the other hand, Irene is trying to get back with Fer, but he has other plans, or should we say another roommate, in mind. Fer and Jimena begin to see each other with the excuse that Fer knows no one else in Madrid. The first shoot for Irene’s short is miserable because of the lead actor, so Julio finally comes to the rescue. He’s actually pretty good in the role, and Irene is satisfied.
Julio’s Imposter Syndrome
Julio begins to feel weary after agreeing to shoot both Romano and Irene’s films. He’s exhausted with the workload and can’t understand why he’s doing any of it. Because he gets delayed on set, Romano decides to cut out his scene. Julio proves to him by getting entirely naked (so much for a guy who’s insecure about his acting skills because of his objectification, but okay) that he is the right guy for the film and that he should be in it. This happens when Irene is waiting for him at the celebratory party for the short film. She’s frustrated because he’s left her high and dry again and decides to get back with Fer, whom she doesn’t know is currently seeing Jimena. After it’s done, Julio comes to visit Irene to tell her the good news, but Irene doesn’t let him in because, of course, Fer is still there. Jimena, in an angry fit, tells Julio about Fer and Irene “hooking up.” It turns out she’s pregnant (yes! with Fer’s child).
Friends Before Lovers
Everyone finds out about Jimena’s pregnancy by accident. Da knows who the father is but doesn’t say anything to Irene. Unfortunately, Irene tells Fer about Jimena’s pregnancy. In the meanwhile, Jimena finds out that she has a cyst in her uterus, so she may never be able to have babies later. Julio gets two new scripts to read and asks Da to help him decide if he should do the films. Jimena has sent Irene’s film to a festival, and Irene is exasperated. In her anger, she makes the most terrible comment toward Jimena, leaving her for the summer without reconciling. She also came up with the genius idea of having Fer stay with Jemina in the house so that the run is covered and someone can take care of her. Da gets a job as a writing intern. Irene is completely devastated because everyone is doing better than herself. Her film doesn’t get through the festival either. Jimena comes to see her and tells her the truth about everything. In the summer camp, Irene’s movie plays, and all the kids clap. Hearing the applause and seeing all her friends there for her, she forgives Jimena.
Quitting For Infatuation
Through Da, Irene is able to get an internship at a film set as the only female director in the Spanish film industry. Da tells her Julio is in the film, but she won’t get such an opportunity again. She reluctantly accepts. She’s been trying her best to “get over him,” but to no avail, because his face is plastered across the streets of Madrid. Seeing Irene on set, Julio messes up a few times, but because she laughs, she’s sent to do road blocking away from the shoot. Julio even mistreats her, and she hooks up with another crew member. Fer proposes to Jimena because he really wants to be a part of the baby’s life, but she declines. On the other side, Da is with Gonzalo, Julio’s closeted friend. Later, Irene is able to calm Julio down when he has a panic attack, and they share a moment together. This makes her excited in vain. It turns out Julio is still a jerk, and she finds him fooling around with the actress in the film. In her frustration, she quits the internship on a sour note with the director.
Right Person, Wrong Time
Jimena has a scare and is asked to take bed rest. Their friend Adri, who is also an intern along with Irene on the set, tells Julio that that’s probably why she’s not picking up his calls and that he should go meet her. Julio visits Jimena with flowers, and she helps him get back with Irene by telling him to write “I love you” on a card to her. It works, and for a few months, they share a very passionate relationship. Julio decides to join an acting course and also gets nominated for a Goya. Slowly, Julio’s insecurities start to come back, and Irene tells him some things he is unprepared to hear, but this happens when he’s intoxicated. Julio asks Irene to the Goya, but she backs out at the last minute because she doesn’t want to be a trophy girlfriend. Julio calls her selfish and leaves with Adri. He loses the Goya and also leaves the acting course. Irene finishes writing a script that we can only imagine is about the two of them and all their friends. She leaves it at Julio’s door. Jimena has the baby, and Julio comes to visit. He tells Irene he loves the script and wants to be with her. That’s the only thing that makes him happy. He can do anything when he’s with her.
‘In Love All Over Again’ Ending Explained – 20 Years In The Future
In 2022, Irene was back in Madrid and met Julio at a cafe. He asks her if she’s seen his movie, and she says no. Julio is not doing great, having been in rehab a couple of times already. Da and Jimena seem to be working with Julio, whereas the only films Irene is making are advertisements. Irene invites Da and Jimena to her wedding with Fer (but how would Jimena not know when this man is the father of her son?) Da can’t find Julio, so he asks Irene for help. Irene says she will not watch the movie and will not help find Julio. But Da convinces her to go, and they find him overdosing at a party. On the way to the hospital, he wakes up and has a little fight with Irene but tells her that he’s happy she’s there. Julio is then sent to rehab, which is 10 minutes away from Irene’s house. She’s infuriated because she’s getting married in 3 weeks, but Julio is the one she desires. She visits him in rehab, and they find themselves wrapped around each other again. She realizes her mistake a little bit too late and returns home to Fer, asking to speak with him. Unfortunately, wedding plans are in order, and she gets a panic attack hearing the number of important people that will attend. She can’t handle it and tells Fer they should marry the next day! Fer agrees. At night, she finally watches Julio’s film. It’s their story, the one she had wanted to make. She sends him an emotional voice note, saying that she watched it and that the only thing that was holding her back before was the fact that it would evoke some hidden emotions in her. Truthfully, that’s what happened anyway. Julio is in the middle of taking a line off of his phone when he receives the voicemail. He blows the coke away, but before he can hear the message, she deletes it. He tries to call her, but she doesn’t pick up. Jimena visits Julio, telling him there’s some good news. She tells him on their way to Irene’s. At Irene’s, Jemina is hit by the shocking revelation that her wedding is today. She tells Julio to wait outside, going in to talk to her supposed friend Irene. Irene tells her that there was no time to tell anyone because everything was decided at the last minute. Julio barges in and tells Irene that there’s a film he’s been offered, and he’s agreed to do it only if she will be the creative director. It’s an adaptation of “The Wind From The East,” a book that Irene knows like the back of her hand (According to Julio, at least). We’re left with a zoom-in on Irene’s face, breaking the fourth wall. Will she do it or not?
What Do We Expect In ‘In Love All Over Again’ Season 2?
Although we have a pair of despicable lead characters, we still want to know, “Will they or won’t they?” How did Fer end up with Irene again? Wasn’t he trying to be a good father to his future son? What about Jimena and Da? Why are they running around Julio and not Irene? What happened after Irene and Julio kissed last? Did they fall apart yet again, like the dozen times before? Or was it something much bigger this time around? It is frustrating to see so many questions unanswered, but it is a clear sign that Netflix wants to make more seasons of this show. The more viewership in the first month, the more likely it will happen. So will you support season 2 of “In Love All Over Again”? Or would you rather skip this one for the sheer annoyance it caused over the eight episodes.
