(Credits: Netflix)

Everyone remembers the first time Omar Sy glided through the streets of Paris as Assane Diop in Lupin, and attractively stuck around to ensure you clicked play again.

And why wouldn’t you? Sy was smooth, clever, and impossible not to root for. That role didn’t just make him a Netflix star but also turned the series into a global obsession. All the book lovers saw their favourite character not only come to life but also top the platform’s most-watched charts in two different slots.

And now, Sy is back on Netflix. However, this time, he has swapped disguises and heists for romance and comedy.

He is appearing in a new French film called French Lover. It feels like the kind of project made to show off a different side of him. Sy is playing Abel Camara, a famous actor who looks like he has everything but is actually stuck in the rubble of a personal crisis. In the midst of this circus enter Marion, played by award-winning actress Sara Giraudeau.

Marion is a sharp and grounded waitress who is unimpressed by his Camara’s celebrity status, reminiscent of notes of Notting Hill with an ordinary human meeting a celebrity. And believe me when I say this: the trailer clearly shows that Camara has the same hype Julia Roberts’ character had in Notting Hill, despite being a mere mortal. Both seem to be on the same path of wanting something beyond their current statuses.

Honestly, is it not a refreshing rhythm of the traditional rom-com that’s been missing from this generation? Not a love triangle or a dying protagonist, just a simple rom-com where a larger-than-life star crashes into someone who refuses to play by his script. And of course, he falls for her.

If the trailer is anything to go by, French Lover leans into both the laughs and the heart. Abel is used to being adored, but Marion couldn’t care less about his fame. That’s exactly what flips his world upside down.

Marion brings a warmth that makes the story more than just glossy escapism. The visuals are so aesthetic that they transport you to the postcard land of the narrative’s setting.

The supporting cast includes Alban Ivanov and Agnès Hurstel, both from die-hard stand-up comedy backgrounds, rounding things out in the film, along with promising plenty of sharply timed quips and laughs. In case you didn’t know, this isn’t Sy’s first Netflix feature venture, where he appeared in 2022’s The Takedown and pulled in over 78million viewing hours in its first month.

If you have missed Omar Sy charm his way across your screen, mark September 26th on your calendar. Because that’s when French Lover is landing on Netflix, and it might just be the film to remind everyone why Sy remains one of Netflix’s most magnetic stars.