Film Review: ONLY WHAT WE CARRY: Jamie Adams’ Film is a Touching, Yet Slight, Look at Human Connections [Tribeca 2026]

Only What We Carry Review

Only What We Carry (2026) Film Review from the 25th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Jamie Adams and starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Simon Pegg, Sofia Boutella, Quentin Tarantino, Lizzy McAlpine and Liam Hellmann.

Only What We Carry is filmmaker Jamie Adams’ heartfelt testament to the frailties of the human condition. This is a touching, yet ordinary, movie about human interactions where some people get together and spend a bit of time together. Even though their long-term plans may not necessarily include these people they share their most intimate thoughts with, the moments in the film help shape the characters’ lives, for better or worse.

Sofia Boutella plays a Moulin Rouge dancer named Charlotte Levant who is facing some opinionated commentary from an educator named Julian Johns (Simon Pegg). A dancer fan of Charlotte’s named Jacqueline (Lizzy McAlpine) tries to let Charlotte know she’s a big fan and, pretty soon, Jacqueline gets to hang out beside her.

Also on board is Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Josephine Chabrol, Charlotte’s sister, who gets to know the ordinary John Percy (played by film director Quentin Tarantino) over the course of a brief period of time. This pair connects, but will Josephine find it worth her time to include him in her future endeavors, or will she choose to pursue her independence? Liam Hellmann serves as Vincent, a young man who grows close to Jacqueline and further develops his bond with her over the course of the picture.

Set on the Normandy coast, this film is usually intriguing to watch. Sofia Boutella has the film’s most juicy role as the woman who has come to a crossroads in her life and starts to develop interest in the critical, but caring, Julian. Charlotte has been let go from her job and is on a path to find the next steps in her life which is complicated, given her very delicate situation.

Simon Pegg plays his role with a great deal of depth as his character comes into view a little more and more as the story line develops. The plot, or what there is of one, consists of a lot of dialogue that develops the characters, but doesn’t necessarily serve to maintain audience interest at all times.

Tarantino is fun to watch. Here’s a filmmaker who never quite made it as a believable actor, faltering in his supporting work in films like Destiny Turns on the Radio back from 1995, just a year after he made Pulp Fiction. Surprisingly enough, Tarantino and Gainsbourg create some chemistry on-screen that makes them believable as potential romantic companions.

One scene in Only What We Carry has Tarantino’s character referencing Robocop in a way that would only work for a renowned filmmaker turned actor such as Tarantino. No other actor could pull this type of mundane reference off, but for some reason, Tarantino is plausible in his role despite his lack of expertise in the field of acting.

Tarantino’s John Percy is trying to figure out his future and wonders if it could include Josephine in it. Percy talks about selling his home and moving on and it’s bittersweet to see the character trying to make the next step in a life that has occasionally disappointed him as much as it has rewarded him.

Without giving too much away, the development between Julian and Charlotte’s bond is certainly not without surprises. They may not be a pairing that makes sense on the surface, but the characters do have a lot of similarities which they bring to the table in their conversations together. Pegg hits it out of the park in a scene where he reveals a past situation that has haunted him and the actor has never been so vulnerable on-screen than in these moments.

Boutella has the great distinction of being able to adapt to any character she attempts to play, and this role is no exception. She lights up the screen even when her character is severely depressed. Boutella is so easy to relate to as a woman trying to find the next chapter of her life and it’s a joy watching her on-screen opposite Pegg and beside the other performers in this film.

Don’t forget the younger couple, played by Hellmann and McAlpine. The camera loves McAlpine in such a way that she blends into the scenes extraordinarily well. While the believability factor of her being able to be a part of this crew is problematic, there’s no reason to fault McAlpine for her vulnerable and successful performance. Hellmann has some charm to spare in his role and is a good match for McAlpine.

Only What We Carry has its pluses and its minuses. Whatever one hopes to learn about their own lives while watching these characters go through their emotions will come to surface as the characters discuss many facets of life and the way curve balls are thrown at us in a heartbeat that change people’s lives forever.

There is the issue of the pacing of the film that remains a problem with the picture. Had the movie been more quickly paced, it may have worked just a tad bit better. It moves along slowly and while that can work in its favor at times, occasionally one may wish there was more action in the slow-moving story line.

That being said, Only What We Carry is an exercise in daring acting by the principal players in the movie, Tarantino included. While I wouldn’t want to see a lot more of Tarantino acting these days, he makes this performance a particularly memorable one. Only What We Carry is about heartbreak and moving forward even when the next steps seem overwhelming in their uncertainties. This film shines in its most important moments which makes it recommended viewing for fans of these performers.

Rating: 7/10

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