'Hold Me, Softly' Review: A Tender Look at Solitude and the Courage to Connect
- Romey Norton
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
By Romey Norton - May 30, 2025
In Hold Me, Softly, directors Ina Tiernan Bailey and Carlos Berber have crafted a quiet, contemplative drama that gradually unfolds with emotional honesty. This is a story about loneliness—not in a grand, dramatic sense, but in the soft, everyday ache of keeping the world at arm’s length. And slowly, gently, it becomes a story about what happens when someone finally reaches back.
What is 'Hold Me, Softly' about?
At the heart of the film is Snow (played with gentle restraint by Jasmine Berber), a woman who has spent much of her life on the side-lines. She isn’t bitter or broken, just distant. When new neighbour Calvin (Andrew Kogolenok) moves in next door, their conversations start to melt the quiet barrier she’s built around herself.
Their relationship isn’t rushed. There are no grand declarations or sweeping romantic moments. Instead, we get long silences, meaningful glances, and the occasional unexpected laugh. It’s refreshingly grounded and feels all the more.
Jasmine Berber gives a performance that’s all about the details, from a flicker of hesitation, the way she holds a teacup, to the stiffness in her smile. It’s a beautifully internalised portrayal of someone trying to re-enter a world she’s long been hiding from. Andrew KoGolenok, meanwhile, brings a comforting steadiness to Calvin, making their connection feel believable. Their chemistry might be sweet, but the film is not compelling to watch. The script/dialogue is simple and doesn’t have many arcs to entice and engage the audience.
The film is only one hour long, which is enough, as the pace can be quite slow. This is intentional, I believe, as the film is asking and trusting the viewer to sit, listen, and become part of Snow’s world. But viewers who care more about action and drama from the films might find this one a dull experience.
Production is simple, and the sound can be up and down level-wise, and sometimes sounds shoddy, but it’s not bad for an indie film.
The film is a lot of conversations on the side of the road (the modern kitchen-sink maybe), and you may wonder where the film is going. Will Snow get her happy ending, or will she still feel as lost and frustrated as when the film first started? I won’t give too many spoilers, you’ll have to watch the film to find out.
Is 'Hold Me, Softly' worth watching?
Although gentle in tone, the film delves into profound emotional truths. It asks what it means to be known, and whether healing always requires speaking your pain aloud, or if sometimes, it just needs to be witnessed. There’s no dramatic twist or big climax, but there doesn’t need to be. Hold Me, Softly is a slow burner, one for audiences who want something to sit down and lose themselves in. For action-drama fans, this film will feel very slow.
'Hold Me, Softly' is out now on digital platforms
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