Adrianna Chlebicka
Monika Grabarczyk
Overview
A celebrity journalist and renowned womanizer starts to rethink his life choices after he falls for a mysterious model who leads a double life.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readLove in the Time of Algorithms
I’ll admit it: I went into Squared Love expecting a Polish rom-com that would play like a lighter, glossier cousin to The Hating Game or Crazy, Stupid, Love. What I got instead was a film that feels like it was assembled by an algorithm trained on a thousand Hallmark scripts and a handful of TikTok trends. It’s not bad in the way a trainwreck is bad—there’s no pleasure in watching it derail.
It’s bad in the way a microwave meal is bad: technically edible, but you’ll forget you ate it ten minutes later.
Filip Zylber’s film follows Monika (Adrianna Chlebicka), a celebrity journalist whose life is a carefully curated performance of wit and detachment, and Enzo (Mateusz Banasiuk), a self-proclaimed "king of seduction" who treats love like a sport he’s already won. Their meet-cute is less When Harry Met Sally and more Tinder bio come to life: she’s interviewing him for a puff piece, he’s flirting with the efficiency of a man who’s memorized a script.
The premise—two commitment-phobic people who secretly crave something real—isn’t inherently flawed. But Squared Love treats its own setup like a math problem it can’t solve. The film’s title, Miłość do kwadratu ("Love to the Power of Two"), promises some kind of exponential romance, a love that multiplies instead of divides.
What we get is a series of equations that never balance.
The first act moves at a clip, buoyed by the kind of snappy banter that’s meant to feel effortless but lands with the thud of a punchline telegraphed three lines early. Monika and Enzo trade barbs like they’re auditioning for a Polish remake of Gilmore Girls, but their chemistry has all the spontaneity of a corporate icebreaker. Chlebicka and Banasiuk are both charismatic performers—Chlebicka, in particular, has a way of delivering a line with just enough side-eye to make you think she’s in on the joke—but the script gives them nothing to work with beyond surface-level quips.
There’s no subtext, no hidden current pulling them toward or away from each other. Just two people saying things because the plot demands it.
And then there’s the film’s visual language, which seems to have been designed by someone who’s seen La La Land but missed the point entirely. The cinematography leans heavily on the kind of soft-focus, pastel-drenched aesthetic that’s become shorthand for "romantic" in the age of Instagram filters. Every frame looks like it’s been run through a VSCO preset, as if the filmmakers were afraid that a single unfiltered moment might expose the emptiness beneath.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 6.5/10
"A lighthearted but formulaic romantic comedy with charming leads that struggles to stand out."
The film’s playful tone and the chemistry between Adrianna Chlebicka and Mateusz Banasiuk are the main draws, offering enough charm to keep it engaging. However, the predictable plot and lack of depth in supporting characters leave many wishing for more originality or emotional weight.
What viewers praise
- Charming lead performances Adrianna Chlebicka and Mateusz Banasiuk deliver lively and endearing performances that carry the film’s romantic core.
- Playful and lighthearted tone The movie’s breezy and upbeat style makes it an easy watch for fans of feel-good romances.
- Visually appealing The cinematography and aesthetic choices give the film a polished and attractive look.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows well-worn romantic comedy tropes without adding much freshness or surprise.
- Underdeveloped supporting cast Side characters feel thin and underutilized, adding little to the overall narrative.
- Lacks emotional depth While fun, the film doesn’t explore its themes or relationships with enough substance for deeper engagement.
Recommended for
Fans of light romantic comedies Adrianna Chlebicka enthusiasts Viewers seeking undemanding entertainment
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s Squared Love (2021): The Polish Rom-Com That Sparked a Sequel and a Fan Frenzy
Polish director Filip Zylber’s Squared Love (2021) arrived on Netflix as a breezy, formulaic rom-com—but its chemistry-heavy leads and unexpected sequel hook turned it into a sleeper hit. Starring Adrianna Chlebicka and Mateusz Banasiuk as mismatched lovers Monika and Enzo, the film leaned into classic tropes: opposites attract, meddling friends, and a meet-cute that spirals into chaos. latestnetflix.com's view is that Yet behind the predictable plot, the movie’s real draw was its leads’ undeniable on-screen spark, which fans couldn’t get enough of.
The Chemistry That Stole the Show
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From the first trailer , it was clear Chlebicka and Banasiuk had electric chemistry. Their characters—Monika, a disorganized free spirit, and Enzo, a rigid, rule-obsessed lawyer—were written as polar opposites, but the actors’ playful dynamic made their clashes feel fresh. YouTube clips of their kiss scenes racked up views, with fans dissecting every lingering glance and awkward-but-charming moment. Chlebicka, already a rising star in Poland thanks to Netflix’s Operation Hyacinth (2021) 
, brought a natural charisma to Monika, while Banasiuk’s deadpan delivery as Enzo provided the perfect foil.
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The film’s reliance on their chemistry paid off. While reviews were mixed—SensCritique users rated it a lukewarm 4.3/10 —audiences latched onto the duo’s banter. The movie’s success even spawned a 2023 sequel, Squared Love All Over Again , proving that viewers were invested in Monika and Enzo’s will-they-won’t-they saga.
A Netflix Romance with Polish Flavor
Squared Love wasn’t breaking new ground in the rom-com genre, but it stood out as one of Netflix’s early Polish-language originals. The film’s Warsaw setting and local humor gave it a distinct identity, even if the plot followed a familiar blueprint. Director Filip Zylber kept the tone light, prioritizing comedic timing and the leads’ rapport over complex storytelling. Supporting players like Agnieszka Żulewska and Tomasz Karolak added depth, but the movie belonged to Chlebicka and Banasiuk.
The Netflix effect was undeniable. The streaming giant’s algorithm pushed Squared Love to global audiences, turning it into a low-stakes binge for rom-com fans. While it didn’t earn critical acclaim, its commercial success—enough to warrant a sequel—spoke to its appeal as comfort viewing.
Behind the Scenes: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
Details about the film’s production are scarce, but a few tidbits stand out:
- Adrianna Chlebicka’s breakout year: 2021 was a big one for the actress, who starred in both Squared Love and the darker Operation Hyacinth . Her ability to pivot between rom-com charm and thriller intensity made her a standout.
- Sequel speculation: The 2023 follow-up, Squared Love All Over Again, suggests the original’s popularity caught Netflix by surprise. Trailers for the sequel teased more of the same—with added stakes for Monika and Enzo’s relationship.
- Rumor mill: No confirmed reports about on-set drama or casting conflicts exist in the available evidence. If there were behind-the-scenes tensions, they haven’t surfaced publicly.
The Verdict: A Guilty Pleasure with Staying Power
Squared Love won’t be remembered as a groundbreaking rom-com, but its easy charm and lead chemistry made it a hit with Netflix’s global audience. The fact that it spawned a sequel—rare for a mid-tier rom-com—proves that sometimes, all a movie needs is two leads who make sparks fly. For fans of lighthearted, bingeable romance, it delivered exactly that.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.