New York I Love You: Review of the 2008 Anthology Film

The 2008 film New York, I Love You enlisted 11 directors to craft an anthology of romantic moments across the city, but the result left many wondering if the sum was worth far less than its star-studded parts. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 38% and a box office gross of under $10 million, it’s a film that raises as many questions as it answers about what it takes to capture urban romance on screen.

Release year: 2008 ·
Directors: 11 ·
Rotten Tomatoes: 38% (critics), 39% (audience) ·
Box office: $1.6 million (domestic) ·
Budget: $14.7 million

The numbers in the table below show a film that struggled both critically and commercially.

Is New York I Love You worth watching?

Critical reception and audience scores

The numbers don’t lie: the film holds a 38% critic score and a 39% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, review aggregator. The critics’ consensus describes it as having “the consistency problems common to anthologies while still containing some strong moments.” According to Wikipedia, community-edited encyclopedia, the film received mixed reviews. The TV Guide, entertainment listings summary presents it as a watchable title, but the aggregate scores place it firmly in the negative zone.

What makes it a divisive film

The anthology format itself is the main dividing line. With 11 directors each bringing their own style, the tonal shifts are dramatic. Some segments earn praise — the wheelchair-girl segment directed by Shunji Iwai, Japanese filmmaker often gets singled out — while others feel flat. The result is a film that critics call “uneven” and audiences find hard to love as a whole.

The pattern: anthologies live or die by their weakest link, and here the weak links outnumber the strong.

What is the point of the movie New York I Love You?

Anthology structure and theme

The film is an anthology of 11 short films, each directed by a different filmmaker. According to Netflix, streaming platform, it is “a rom-com anthology tracing several blossoming love stories in New York.” The stated goal was to capture love in all its forms across the city’s boroughs, inspired by the earlier Paris je t’aime. There is no overarching narrative — each segment stands alone, united only by the setting.

The 11 short stories and their directors

The directors include Yvan Attal, Allen Hughes, Shunji Iwai, and eight others. The cast spans a wide range of talent: Orlando Bloom, Bradley Cooper, James Caan, Anton Yelchin, Natalie Portman, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Q, and Shia LaBeouf appear across the segments (Ultimate Movie Rankings, fan site). Each segment reportedly explores a different facet of romantic connection — from a chance meeting in a park to a tense conversation in a hotel room.

The catch: the anthology format gives directors creative freedom but sacrifices the narrative cohesion that many viewers expect from a feature film.

Who is the girl in the wheelchair in New York I Love You?

Character and actress details

The segment featuring a girl in a wheelchair is directed by Shunji Iwai, Japanese director. The actress who plays the wheelchair-bound character is not confirmed in the primary sources, but the segment is widely referenced in viewer discussions as one of the more memorable parts of the film. The girl’s storyline involves a romantic encounter that challenges assumptions about disability and attraction.

Segment context

This short film is often cited by fans as a highlight. According to Rotten Tomatoes critics, the film contains “strong moments” — and the wheelchair segment is one of those moments that rises above the uneven rest.

The pattern: in a film that largely disappointed, the segments that work offer a glimpse of what could have been if the anthology had been more tightly curated.

What is the plot of New York I Love You?

Summary of key segments

The film weaves together 11 love stories set in New York City. They include a Hasidic Jewish woman (Natalie Portman) who breaks cultural norms, a writer (Ethan Hawke) who tries to pick up a woman in a park, and a call girl (Maggie Q) who has an unusual encounter with a client. Other segments feature a terminally ill man (Shia LaBeouf) looking for a last romantic connection and a painter (Orlando Bloom) who finds inspiration from a stranger (IMDb, film database).

Spoiler-free overview

There is no single plot. Instead, the film presents a mosaic of romantic encounters, some sweet, some awkward, some profound. The unifying thread is New York City itself, portrayed as a backdrop where love can appear anywhere.

The catch: viewers expecting a coherent narrative will be disappointed. The film is best approached as a collection of short stories — some you’ll love, some you’ll skip.

How many New York I Love You movies are there?

The franchise and its predecessors

There is only one New York, I Love You film (2008). It is the second installment in the “Cities of Love” anthology series, which began with Paris je t’aime (2006). According to IMDb, no direct sequels have been produced, though other cities have been proposed. Note that there is a separate Netflix title called I Love NY that is sometimes confused with this film (Netflix, streaming platform).

Related anthology films

If you enjoyed New York, I Love You, similar anthology films include Paris je t’aime and Rio, I Love You (the third installment). However, none of these share characters or continuity. You might also check out Top Movies to Stream Right Now for more recommendations.

The pattern: the “Cities of Love” franchise remains a niche experiment, not a blockbuster series. Fans of the format will appreciate the anthology approach, but mainstream audiences never embraced it.

“New York, I Love You has the consistency problems common to anthologies while still containing some strong moments.”

— Rotten Tomatoes, review aggregator critics consensus

“A rom-com anthology tracing several blossoming love stories in New York.”

— Netflix, streaming platform official synopsis

“The film received mixed reviews and is widely discussed as a commercial underperformer.”

— Wikipedia, community-edited encyclopedia

For fans of anthology romances, New York, I Love You offers a few gems buried in an otherwise forgettable collection. The film’s financial failure — earning just $1.6 million domestically against a $14.7 million budget — shows how hard it is to translate a city’s magic into a cohesive movie. If you’re curious, stream it on Netflix for the standout wheelchair segment, but temper your expectations. For those who want a more polished love letter to New York, Cast of Heart of Stone: Hit or Flop? offers a different perspective on star-driven films that missed the mark. The lesson is clear: even the biggest names cannot salvage a film that lacks a unified vision.

Fans curious about the film’s inspiration can read more in a New York, I Love You true story article examining whether the anthology is based on real events.

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