“Modern Love” sounds too twee to work: based on a New York Times’ column of the same name, bittersweet Big Apple-based parables illustrate that concept. But the eight episodes form a mosaic of gentle narratives crafted exquisitely. Although written and directed by a flotilla, a sense of unity pervades, no doubt instilled by the affectionate cinematography of Yaron Orbach, which casts the metropolis as its own character. The stories, too, ring genuinely true: a doorman cares for a young pregnant woman; two older folks meet while jogging; a gay couple and a nomadic mum carrying their baby; a near-broken marriage and what keeps it together; and so on. Predictably, the ensemble cast is strong but many of the actors transcend their short roles, notably Dev Patel and Anne Hathaway. Yes, “Modern Love” is sentimental, but it is unashamedly so, and the result is a gentle series that leaves a firm mark.
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