Netflix's latest addition, "Through My Window: Across the Sea," is the second film in the young adult romance trilogy, "Through My Window". By young adult, it refers to characters barely stepping into adulthood but engaged in adult-like situations. This makes it an interesting watch. The sequel features the same creative team, from cast to director to writer. For those brave enough to endure, tread lightly.
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The plot picks up from where the previous movie left off. In case you don't remember, our lead character, Raquel (Clara Galle), is a modest young writer who falls for her wealthy neighbor, Ares (Julio Pena), due to a ludicrous wifi mix-up that culminated in their passionate rendezvous. Now, Raquel, a literature student, and aspiring author, is trying to get her much-acclaimed book, "Through My Window," published while Ares is away in Stockholm studying medicine and eschewing his destiny to run his family's colossal corporation. They haven't seen each other in what seems like eons. But has the distance sparked a more profound affection or merely bred contempt?
As the school year wraps up, Raquel gets in trouble by her professor for prioritizing her constant communication with Ares over her academics. Meanwhile, Ares is floundering academically and succumbing to depression. Their yearning for each other is mighty and vast. Raquel's best friends, Yoshi (Guillermo Lasheras) and Daniela (Natalia Azahara), are constant companions. But, she is continuously deflecting the romantic advances of her classmate Greg (Ivan Lapadula). And then, Ares appears, as if he had telepathic knowledge of Raquel's location.
Next, Ares whisks Raquel away to his opulent seaside mansion. Without asking, he's packed for her, including her most revealing swimsuits. However, their imminent moment of passion is interrupted by the arrival of his brothers, her friends, the family housekeeper Claudia (Emilia Lazo), and Ares' parents. The gathering quickly transforms into a decadent party, complete with suggestive ice-cream licking and softcore romance.
As with any plot, complications arise. Claudia wants to publicly acknowledge her relationship with Artemis (Eric Masip). Yoshi may have feelings for Raquel, and a new character, Anna (Carla Tous), seems keen on Yoshi. Greg is still smitten with Raquel and becomes acquainted with Ares. Then, Ares' childhood friend Vera (Andrea Chaparro) shows up, stirring up jealousy and putting their romance to the test.
The film is rich with perfectly shot scenes featuring young, attractive actors indulging in romance. It is the story's provocative nature and the characters' undeniable chemistry that keeps you invested.
The narrative goes on a roller-coaster of emotional chaos, peppered with a series of steamy scenes. But the film loses the chance to offer us a kitschy, tongue-in-cheek experience by taking itself too seriously. Amid the abundance of physical intimacy, the shallow emotional drama is just a veneer. What "Through My Window: Across the Sea" offers, in the end, is a cliffhanger. This sets us up for the final film and an overwhelming amount of risqué content. It is an adult romance that hinges on the sensual and may leave you exhausted more than entertained.
