Cannes Review: The Man I Love Features a Carefully Crafted Universe but Falls Short in Lead Performance

      In Ira Sachs’ latest film, Peter Hujar’s Day, the director employed a strict framing method—a deliberately mundane interview from 1974 between the titular New York photographer and writer Linda Rosenkrantz—to provide insight into Hujar’s life and creative journey. Returning to Cannes with The Man I Love, Sachs presents another sketched portrait, this time of a fictional character from the same New York queer scene, set about a decade later during the peak of the AIDS crisis. In this film, Sachs broadens his perspective to include the friends, lovers, and acquaintances surrounding Jimmy George (Rami Malek) during the final weeks of his life before a crucial performance. The period details are even more immersive and meticulously crafted than in his previous project, yet it doesn’t fully capture its subject with the same depth.

      Naturally, the two films would make a good pairing for a double feature, and I would not be surprised if Sachs aims to conclude it as a trilogy. After moving to New York as a young filmmaker in 1989, he has continually examined this world in various forms: first through the non-fiction short Last Address, which showcased the exteriors of buildings where artists like Hujar, who succumbed to HIV-related complications, resided, and later in his breakout feature, Keep the Lights On, which portrayed a New York couple living in the shadow of the epidemic's darkest days. The Man I Love marks his first narrative film focused directly on that period, and although the film evokes this milieu in rich detail, something in the performances prevents it from resonating fully.

      Over the years, Sachs has directed a diverse array of actors including Alfred Molina and John Lithgow (Love Is Strange), Franz Rogowski (Passages), and Paulina García (Little Men), leading them to nominations at the Indie Spirit Awards. However, with Malek in the lead, the director doesn’t quite strike the same chord. Jimmy George (likely a blend of various figures from the queer theater scene) impresses in two notable moments—first entertaining a crowd celebrating his survival after a near-miss (thanks to an early version of AZT), and then at a bar, where he delivers a musical performance infused with gentle eroticism. Nevertheless, the performance struggles to escape the lingering association with Malek's Oscar-winning, still-debated portrayal of Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. While the film occasionally convinces us of Jimmy’s magnetism, it is frequently undermined by an unusual lack of chemistry between the lead actors—particularly Tom Sturridge, who plays his partner, and Luther Ford, a younger British man who travels to New York to meet him.

      If one can overlook the awkwardness in some sequences, Sachs’ passion for the era is as touching as ever. The film revels in this atmosphere with a soundtrack featuring Talking Heads and Ronee Blakley, and includes some beautifully crafted scenes in the bar where Jimmy performs, as well as a remarkable moment in a steamy sex club that captures a balance between nostalgic dreaminess and gritty realism. Also returning is Rebecca Hall, following her impressive role in Peter Hujar’s Day; she plays Jimmy’s sister Brenda, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach portrays his brother-in-law. Their dynamic is intriguing, and the film would have benefited from more focus on them.

      When all these elements are stripped away, as happens frequently, we are left to evaluate the central performance. While Malek certainly embodies the character and is well-costumed throughout, it’s doubtful this role will win over critics. For Sachs, this represents a robust return to Cannes after the letdown of Frankie in 2019. Although The Man I Love is not the "musical" suggested by promotional materials, it is well worth watching nonetheless.

      The Man I Love premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.