The Love Test: A workplace comedy that’s mostly just charmingly outdated

Is it worth your time?

Honestly? Maybe. If you like old, snappy British films where everyone talks a mile a minute, you’ll probably find The Love Test a decent way to kill an hour. If you’re looking for a serious look at workplace dynamics or something that isn't wildly dated, you should probably skip it. It’s a relic, plain and simple.

The whole plot is basically a prank gone wrong. Mary Lee is the new boss at a lab, and the men working under her act like absolute toddlers because a woman dared to take the top desk. They decide the best way to get rid of her is to make her fall in love with John. Because, you know, falling in love apparently turns your brain into total mush and makes you forget how to do your job.

The Chemistry of It All

Watching these guys try to orchestrate a romance is… weird. It’s got that weird, stiff energy you get in movies from this era. Sometimes the dialogue feels like it was written on the back of a napkin five minutes before the cameras started rolling. It’s not necessarily bad, just very specific to its time.

There is a scene where they are all hovering around the lab equipment, and it just looks so clean. Like, way too clean. I kept waiting for someone to spill a beaker, but it never happened. It’s like the movie was terrified of making a mess.

It kind of reminded me of the lighter moments in Caravan, where you just go with the flow because the characters are so busy being dramatic about nothing. Except here, the stakes feel lower. Much lower.

Odd Moments

• The way they talk about 'chemistry' feels like they are reading from a science textbook they skimmed at a train station.
• The office dynamics are so petty it’s almost impressive.
• The lighting makes everyone look like they are constantly standing in front of a giant, glowing refrigerator.

I caught myself looking at the background extras more than the actual leads. There’s one guy in the back who spends half the movie pretending to write on a clipboard, but he’s clearly just drawing loops. Classic.

The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to act like a high-stakes corporate drama and just leans into the silliness. It’s a bit thin, sure. But it’s got enough of that old-school charm to keep you watching if you’ve got nothing else to do on a rainy Sunday. Don't expect to be changed by it, though. It’s just a movie, right? 🧪✨