Finding Emily (M) – 111 minutes

The founding father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud described love as a state of temporary psychosis.

Arguably that definition applies to the central figure in Finding Emily, which is set in Manchester.

Owen Brompton (Spike Fearn) works as a sound engineer at a student union bar at fictional Manchester City University.

One raucous night he meets and immediately feels connected to a young woman dressed in a fairy outfit.

She is a university student named Emily (Sadie Soverall), with whom conversation flows freely.

Unfortunately, she leaves in a hurry with her girlfriend as they are heading to a party, but not before giving him her number.

The problem is that when Owen goes to call her, he finds that she has left out one digit and he is only aware of her first name.

That sparks a wild runaround by Owen, who is convinced she is “the one” for him.

On a pretence, he even pulls an Emily (Emily Raine, played by Angourie Rice) from the midst of a university lecture.

He is, of course, hoping that she is the Emily he is desperately looking for.

Even though she isn’t, Emily Raine decides to help Owen find THE Emily.

But there is a catch, doing so will help Emily Raine finish her dissertation on how love is a form of self-sabotage.

Doing so is expected to win her placement at a prestigious firm.

Only she doesn’t tell Owen about that ulterior motive, which surely will come back to bite her, as it is clear that the pair is becoming increasingly drawn to each other.

Suffice to say that the search for the Emily goes viral and has a significant effect on Owen and Emily Raine’s lives.

Also in the mix is the fact that Owen lives with his older brother Matt (Jack Riddiford), with whom he is constantly scrapping, in the house they shared with their mum.

She passed in the last 12 months and now they have to sell the property, even though Owen doesn’t want to leave.

Finding Emily is a feel good, far-fetched, but enjoyable rom com featuring a standout performance by Spike Fearn.

His laid-back, effortless manner immediately resonates and “we”, the romantics in the audience, are in his corner as he tries to navigate his tricky situation.

Angourie Rice reverberates too as the increasingly stressed “manipulator”, caught between a rock and a hard place.

There is strength, as well, in a number of the minor characters, whose subplots add to the angst apparently throughout.

While the plotting feels manufactured, I didn’t mind, as I simply went with the flow.

It is the work of writer Rachel Hirons (A Guide to Second Date Sex – 2018) and director Alicia MacDonald, who cut her teeth on TV (this is her first feature).

MacDonald set out to combine the nostalgia of films like 10 Things I Hate About You and Clueless with the soul of When Harry Met Sally and the screwball spirit of His Girl Friday.

To some degree, she has succeeded.

Good humoured, with an alluring soundtrack, Finding Emily may not become a cult classic, but with a warm heart is an easy, “sugar coated” watch.

Rated M, it scores a 7 out of 10.