Finding Emily

Owen Brompton is a musician and student at the University of Manchester who spends his days chasing a fantasy. He becomes convinced that a phone number he accidentally obtained belongs to Emily Raine, the girl he believes is his soulmate. This mistaken identity launches him into a frantic campus-wide search that quickly spirals out of control.

His unlikely partner in this chaotic quest is Anna Lewis, a driven psychology student who initially views the mission as a distraction from her studies. As they navigate lecture halls, music rooms, and crowded social spaces, the friction between Owen's dreamy idealism and Anna's rigid logic begins to soften. Director Alicia MacDonald crafts a story that feels both nostalgic for classic rom-coms and distinctly modern for a Gen Z audience. [edit]

The story kicks off with Owen Brompton, a charming but aimless musician studying at the University of Manchester. He is deeply infatuated with a fellow student named Emily Raine, though their interactions have been minimal and largely one-sided. After a series of awkward encounters, Owen manages to get what he thinks is her contact information. The realization hits him too late: the number belongs to someone else entirely. Instead of giving up, Owen decides to find the real Emily, believing this connection is destiny.

He turns to Anna Lewis, a high-achieving psychology student known for her strict organization and skepticism about romantic notions. Anna initially refuses to help, viewing Owen's quest as a waste of time. However, she eventually agrees to assist, treating the search as a field study in human behavior while hoping it will break her out of her own monotonous routine. Their partnership forms an immediate contrast; Owen relies on gut feelings and charm, while Anna depends on spreadsheets and logical deduction.

Together they embark on a wild goose chase across the university grounds. They interview eccentric characters like Amelie, a flamboyant theater student, and Professor Westlake, a skeptical academic who questions the validity of their entire premise. The investigation leads them through crowded student unions, quiet practice rooms, and various campus landmarks. Each false lead brings new comedic obstacles, including rival suitors and confusing social media trails that seem designed to mislead them.

As the days pass, the dynamic between the two shifts. Owen starts to see the reality behind his obsession, realizing he knows very little about the actual person he pursues. Meanwhile, Anna finds herself drawn into the spontaneity of the situation, letting go of some of her rigid controls. The film balances slapstick humor with moments of genuine vulnerability, exploring how the pressure of academia affects young adults trying to find their place.

The narrative builds tension as the pair gets closer to the truth. They encounter more distractions and face the possibility that the perfect match Owen imagined might not exist at all. The stakes rise emotionally as they realize their journey has changed them more than finding a stranger ever could. By the final act, the audience wonders if the search will end in triumph or heartbreak, and whether the original premise was just a setup for something far more meaningful.[edit]