Naman Shrestha
Crafted by the creative vision of ‘Kiss Me Kosher’ director Shirel Peleg, Netflix’s ‘The Heartbreak Agency‘ is a romantic comedy film that centers around a journalist and a therapist. Powered by compelling performances by Rosalie Thomass and Laurence Rupp in the lead, the German-language tale unravels in a rather quirky fashion, bringing two polar opposite personalities, Maria and Karl, together in a bizarre situation. Maria is a seasoned therapist who runs an agency that specializes in helping individuals cope with a broken heart. Having gone through a painful heartbreak herself, the single mom understands the pain it imbues in a person and thus offers her expertise in matters that usually stem from gloomy relationships.
One fine day, Maria encounters an interesting client, Mark, who significantly changes the course of her life. Mark recently split up with his partner, who left him after the therapist helped her realize she shared an unhealthy bond with her lover. Thus, an infuriated Mark believes Maria is the reason behind his breakup and maps out a plan to exact revenge and expose her as a fraud. As part of his mission, Mark sets up a session with Maria under the guise of using her insight for his research work. As he spends more time with the charming therapist, the journalist actually begins to express his true feelings and gradually embarks on a path of self-discovery. Though the narrative carries a lighthearted tone, it is a heartwarming exploration of real human emotions and relationships at its core.
The Heartbreak Agency is Based on an Eponymous Agency and a Self-Help Book
Yes, ‘The Heartbreak Agency’ is somewhat based on a true story. In fact, the screenwriters — Malte Welding and Antonia Rothe-Liermann — under the guidance of the real agency’s funder Elena, wrote the gripping tale of romance between Maria and Karl by loosely basing it on the bestselling self-help book titled ‘Goodbye Heartache’ written by Elena-Katharina Sohn and her eponymous agency.
Die Liebeskümmerer agency is an actual lovesick consultation service that provides individual, couples, and group counseling for individuals looking to find ways to work on their selves or the relationships in their lives. With more than 11 years of experience in the industry, the agency gives lovesick people a metaphorical shoulder to cry upon from a team of competent psychologists, psychotherapists, and coaches, who help them deal with grief related to love.
Although some of the scenes and elements played out in ‘The Heartbreak Agency’ are a reflection of reality, the love story in itself is by far, fictional. The same is claimed by the Die Liebeskümmerer agency, despite their work being at the heart of the film. They further emphasized it by mentioning, “None of us would ever start a romance with a client – that would not only be counterproductive for the counseling process but of course also completely contradicts our professional ethics. But much more is allowed in movies than in real life!”
Some particular scenes such as the beginning portion involving Maria’s interview about the founding of the agency are closely tied to reality as she uses almost the same words that the actual founder of the real-life agency uses to talk about love counselors. Moreover, similar themes and elements have been touched upon in multiple movies and television series over the years, including the 2012 Dahmenah Mingo directorial ‘Love Therapy.’ Featuring impressive performances from talented actors, including Erika L. Holmes, Michael Teh, Paris Smothers, and Crystal Lee Brown, the romantic drama movie revolves around a young marriage and family counselor named AJ who provides advice to her clients with problems parallel to her own.
Dealing with loneliness all her life, AJ’s life turns around for the better when a charming stranger enters her life. So, with all the above-mentioned factors in mind, it would be safe to say that while there are certain fictional storytelling devices used throughout the film, certain elements are directly derived from reality, making it partially based on real life.
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