ANNA’S a Brit studying Eng.Lit. in LA. Jake’s an LA native, studying design and building furniture. Love builds after a delicious courtship. Her student visa is about to expire. Love curdles her judgement. She overstays by a week.

When Anna (Felicity Jones) decides that despite a good job in publishing and a quite acceptable pair of parents, London life isn’t fulfilling her, she flies back to the US.

Overstaying a US visa may not yet be a hanging offence but it feels like it when it bars you from returning to be with the love of your life.

Drake Doremus has written and staged a bitter-sweet screenplay for this gently-paced romance. Its ups and downs make interesting viewing. Letters, emails, phone calls, none delivers the comfort of a warm body in a soft bed. A registry office wedding, hoping that the wife of a citizen will escape the immigration barrier, fails. Sam (Jennifer Lawrence) in Jake’s office takes Anna’s place. A presentable young Londoner slides into Anna’s bed. Is this the end ?

Well, not exactly.

But even as the end credits prepare to roll while Anna and Jake (Anton Yelchin) are hugging under the shower in his apartment after Immigration finally relents, Doremus still leaves loose ends hanging. Personally, I’m most sorry for Sam, ditched not once but twice by her boss.

 At Greater Union