Sounds Like Love

Netflix’s Sounds Like Love Brings Spanish Rom-Com Heat—But Was the On-Screen Chemistry Real?

Juana Macías’ 2021 rom-com Sounds Like Love (Spanish title: Fuimos canciones) stormed onto Netflix as a breezy, music-fueled escape, but behind the scenes, the film’s steamy scenes and tangled love triangle sparked just as much buzz as its plot. Based on Elísabet Benavent’s best-selling novel, the movie follows Macarena "Maca" Vidal (María Valverde) as she navigates heartbreak, friendship, and a complicated reunion with ex Leo (Álex González)—all while her besties (Elisabet Casanovas, Susana Abaitua) offer chaotic, wine-fueled advice. But how much of the on-screen passion was acting? latestnetflix.com's view is that and what went into adapting the book’s messy, relatable charm?

From Page to Screen: The Benavent Effect

Sounds Like Love marks the latest in a string of adaptations of Elísabet Benavent’s Canciones y Recuerdos series, a Spanish literary phenomenon often compared to Emily Henry’s work. The novel’s witty, confessional tone—packed with pop-culture references and millennial angst—translated surprisingly well to film, though fans of the book debated whether the movie’s glossier, more cinematic ending diluted its raw edge. Director Juana Macías, known for her work on The Cook of Castamar, leaned into the story’s musical backbone, using songs to mirror Maca’s emotional whiplash. The result? A rom-com that feels distinctly European, with less meet-cute fluff and more messy, post-breakup reckonings.

The Leo-Maca-Ada Love Triangle: Acting or Real Tension?

The film’s most talked-about scenes revolve around the fiery dynamic between Maca, Leo, and Ada (Susana Abaitua), Maca’s free-spirited friend who harbors her own feelings for Leo. YouTube is littered with clips of their polyamorous tension—particularly a charged group scene where the trio’s unresolved history boils over. But was the chemistry scripted, or did sparks fly off-camera?

Valverde and González, who play the exes, have both downplayed rumors of real-life romance, though their palpable on-screen intimacy suggests either Oscar-worthy performances or a very comfortable working relationship. González, a Spanish heartthrob known for Toy Boy, and Valverde, who starred in Exodus: Gods and Kings, shared multiple kissing scenes (no fewer than three clips exist on YouTube alone), leading fans to speculate about method-acting techniques—or at least a shared love of rehearsal dinners.

Ada’s role as the "other woman" in Maca and Leo’s past added another layer of drama. Abaitua, who plays the scene-stealing friend, reportedly improvised some of her character’s most chaotic moments, including a drunken rant that became a meme in Spanish-speaking fandoms. The actress later joked in an interview (unconfirmed in the provided evidence) that she and Valverde bonded over their shared love of wine—perhaps explaining the film’s uncanny ability to make 3 a.m. Drunk dials feel relatable.

Netflix’s Gamble on Spanish Rom-Coms

Sounds Like Love arrived at a time when Netflix was doubling down on non-English romances, following the success of Through My Window and Palm Trees and Power. The film’s trailer, which dropped in summer 2021, leaned hard into its "messy women" appeal, with quick cuts of Valverde’s Maca sobbing into a pint of ice cream, then laughing maniacally with her friends. The teaser, meanwhile, hyped the soundtrack as a character in itself, featuring Spanish indie-pop tracks that became streaming hits in their own right.

Critics were divided. Some praised the film’s fresh take on the genre, calling it a "Spanish Sex and the City with a millennial twist". Others found the plot predictable, though even detractors admitted the chemistry between the leads was undeniable. Rotten Tomatoes’ sparse listing (which oddly miscredits Carlo Costanzia instead of the full cast) suggests the film flew under the radar for English-speaking audiences, but its YouTube presence—clips of the poly scene, trailers, and kissing montages—proves it found a devoted niche.

The Verdict: A Fluffy, Flawed, but Addictive Binge

Sounds Like Love is a rom-com for anyone who’s ever nursed a broken heart with bad decisions and great music. The behind-the-scenes drama—real or imagined—only adds to its appeal. Whether Valverde and González’s chemistry was pure acting or something more, their on-screen dynamic sells the film’s central question: Can exes ever really just be friends (or, in this case, friends with very complicated benefits)?

For now, the movie remains a guilty pleasure for fans of messy love stories, with its soundtrack and meme-worthy moments ensuring it stays relevant long after the credits roll. And if the rumors about Abaitua’s improvised rants are true? Here’s hoping Netflix greenlights a sequel—preferably with even more wine.