“To Love a Narcissist” follows Charlotte and Roberto, a couple whose deep connection masks a dark reality: one of them is a covert narcissist.
Apparently, 2026 is the year of narcissism. In March, “You’re Dating a Narcissist!” released. Now, in May, there’s “To Love a Narcissist.” While the earlier release was more of a comedy, writer-director Raffaello Degruttola’s film leans into the drama.
The early stages of “To Love a Narcissist” effectively showcase the duality of relationships, with one in its aftermath and another in the beginning. Between Charlotte and her ex, there is bitterness and an inherent awkwardness that lingers after every word. However, between her and Roberto, they “feel like teenagers again.” Love is an interesting thing, forming and fizzling away due to a variety of factors. By showing both sides of it, the film introduces several aspects of the lead character to the audience.
Not every part of Charlotte is “likable.” She’s overly harsh (including toward her children), and has seemingly shut everyone out from her life. And the film knows this. With every decision she makes or word she delivers, viewers are supposed to judge her.
The characters brush off each other’s flaws in the film’s initial segments, much like how any new relationship works. But as the runtime progresses, more anxieties and arguments come to light. Like the synopsis says, one of them is ultimately a narcissist… right? “To Love a Narcissist” does realistically portray Narcissistic Personality Disorder. And it’s typically uncomfortable to watch — seeing the exploitation, arrogance and self-destruction that come along with it.
Lyndsey Marshal (Charlotte) has a wide-ranging performance. In almost every scene, she channels a plethora of emotions that keep the character unpredictable. Marshal has been on a roll lately, delivering a similarly impressive performance in 2025’s “Restless.” While she was very upfront there, Marshal showcases more subtle tricks here to bring Charlotte’s personality to the screen. Raffaello Degruttola (Roberto) also stars. More often than not, he’s the calmer counterpart to Marshal. Though, there are still many moments where he brings emotion.
It’s these performances that elevate “To Love a Narcissist.” Exploring a complex mental health condition, there are many ways in which the film could have fallen flat. But because Marshal and Degruttola are so good, the core concept doesn’t feel like a gimmick.
On a technical level, “To Love a Narcissist” isn’t flashy. The cinematography from James Burgess and Ivan Righetti is usually bare-bones. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the performances themselves take up most of the spotlight. Mike Cassedy’s original score is also tame. The music complements key moments, but it’s never overdone. It’s an indie production — one that knows its priorities.
Following a chaptered format, the film contains different segments distinguished by month. Because of this, large stretches of time move by very quickly in “To Love a Narcissist.” It’s an interesting creative choice, one that results in viewers missing monumental sections of the characters’ lives. Charles Lort-Phillips’ editing helps keep the movie grounded in reality. When reflecting on life, you don’t remember every day, only moments in time. And in moments, you can learn a lot about a person. Each progression is more intriguing than the last because only fragments are ever seen.
This approach largely works, but does lead to some pacing issues. Throughout the beginning of the 100-minute runtime, months pass by in a blur. As it furthers, however, the tiny glimpses into Charlotte and Roberto’s life grow much longer. This causes the second half of “To Love a Narcissist” to move much slower than the first 45 minutes.
Despite the slow-moving buildup, “To Love a Narcissist” nails the ending. This is by no means a thriller, but by the time the credits roll, it’s chilling, really. Degruttola cements the film’s identity in these closing moments, putting a bookend on the character study. At the same time, the story resolution isn’t “clean.” But this messiness is part of what it’s like… to love a narcissist. It’s an ending that will likely be overlooked — like the movie itself — but there’s plenty to admire here.
“To Love a Narcissist” is a grounded examination of a relationship plagued by narcissism. Instead of proving ostentatious, it shows restraint to deliver an unabashed portrayal of the condition.
Rating: 4 out of 5
