Music, more than anything, has the power to evoke powerful emotional memories in a way that no other medium can. Boston’s song “More Than a Feeling” does an exquisite job musically describing this phenomenon. Another lesser known and melancholier example is Dave Potts’ “Old Chevelle.” The Greatest Hits (Ned Benson, 2024) is trying to capture this experience on film, but with a twist.

Synopsis

The Greatest Hits stars Lucy Boyton (Sing Street, Bohemian Rhapsody) as Harriett. Harriett is a prodigy ex-music producer who is mourning the loss of her boyfriend, Max (David Corenswet). It’s been several years since the accident that took his life, but she is unable to move on. The reason she can’t move on is that whenever she hears a song that they listened to together, she literally goes back in time to that moment.

The random time traveling forces Harriett to lead a disabled life. She can’t go anywhere where music is played for fear that it would cause her to become unconscious and go back. She attends a grief support group but doesn’t find any relief until she meets another person in grief (Justin H. Min). Together they explore different facets of not moving on.

Review

The main theme of the film is how humans move on from loss. We have to let go, but sometimes that feels both harsh and to the memory of the person we are mourning and impossible. I found the metaphor of treating Harriett’s trauma and depression as a disability very powerful. However, I don’t think the film stuck the landing at the end. The script writes itself into a corner that really doesn’t pay off as much as I wanted it to.

The performances are wonderful on all fronts. Lucy Boynton gives a pitch perfect performance in her depiction of a grieving window. Justin H. Min (whose character is not given a name in the film) also does a great job, bringing a steadying presence.

As would be expected of a film like this, the diegetic, memory-evoking songs are really great. It’s pretty clear that the filmmakers partnered with Spotify, as it’s mentioned a number of times and several of the tracks are Spotify exclusive. And Composer Ryan Lott (Everything Everywhere All at Once) successfully fills the rest of the film with a beautifully understated score.

The Bottom Line

The Greatest Hits is an earnest attempt at using the evocative power of music as a metaphor for grief. It mostly works but didn’t stick the landing.

It is scheduled to have a limited theatrical release on April 5, 2024, and on Hulu in the United States on April 12, 2024.

 

3.5