ARTIFACTS OF AN EX

An art lover turns her ex-boyfriend’s breakup box into a collaborative exhibit about teen heartbreak.

Soon after Type A 16-year-old Chloe Chang and her parents abruptly move from New York City to Los Angeles to live with her Taiwanese grandmother, who’s struggling with dementia, Chloe’s boyfriend, Jake, an up-and-coming Black artist, breaks up with her via a mailed shoebox full of mementos. Devastated, the teen paper-planner influencer and aspiring curator finds inspiration from a classmate and fellow artist to create Heartifacts, an exhibit of breakup memorabilia collected from teens who’ve experienced heartbreak. At the exhibit’s opening night, Chloe meets a young Korean American filmmaker named Daniel, whose best friend’s breakup is featured in the show. Daniel—who knows Chloe’s grandmother via her family’s cafe—encourages Chloe to utilize his filmmaking skills to strengthen the exhibit and familiarize herself with L.A.’s art scene. As the two grow closer, Daniel insists they remain friends, because Chloe’s obviously not over her ex, and he doesn’t want to end up being a rebound guy for the sixth time. Equal parts romance and tribute to Los Angeles, this charming debut combines a strong sense of place and community with well-developed supporting characters, a lovely intergenerational family, and a just-kiss-already love story. The diverse adolescent ensemble includes strong queer representation.

An endearing exploration of loss, love, and the transformative nature of art.