 |
| Courtesy of Warner Bros. |
Contrary to the clichéd depiction of critics as pretentious and cynical, most of us don’t walk into the theater with our knives out, ready to hate what we’re about to watch. Where’s the fun in that?
I don’t think anyone would ever confuse me with an athlete, but I even have my own weird version of a pregame ritual: when the auditorium goes dark and the screen lights up, I whisper “please be good” under my breath. I started doing it years ago as a joke, but it slowly evolved into a genuine mantra of sorts.
Granted, sometimes past experience clouds my judgment, which is exactly what happened with Isn’t It Romantic, a terrific new parody of romantic comedies starring Rebel Wilson, Adam Devine and Liam Hemsworth that hit theaters on Wednesday – apparently with minimal studio support. The press screening was the night before, which is generally (but not always) a bad sign. More often than not, it either means studio execs think they have a flop on their hands or they’re not sure how to market it.
I was hoping for the latter scenario in this case, but when the instantly recognizable opening chords of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” began to play over the Warner Bros. logo, I had a brief moment of panic. Using that song in a romantic comedy is like – to use another sports analogy – Babe Ruth calling his shot. Start there and you better be prepared to bring it.
Imagine my delight when I realized Isn’t It Romantic was capable of doing just that. Not only is the film smart and self-aware about the genre’s most recognizable tropes, it’s also remarkably funny and sweet in its own right. In other words, it ends up being a worthy addition to the genre it’s mocking.
Wilson (from the Pitch Perfect franchise) plays Natalie, a New York City architect whose ambition is undercut by her lack of self-confidence. She’s clearly great at her job, but her co-workers view her as a glorified intern. Even the firm’s new billionaire client (Hemsworth) arrogantly dismisses her from a meeting to fetch him some coffee.
She endures her work days by cutting up with her colleague Josh (Devine), who clearly has a crush on her, and making fun of her assistant Whitney’s (Betty Gilpin) love for romantic comedies. However, Natalie’s life takes a weird turn after a fight with a mugger renders her unconscious. When she wakes up in the hospital, she’s horrified to learn she has somehow become the main character in one of those terrible (but oh-so-enjoyable) romcoms she hates so much.
Now her misogynistic client is a dreamy Australian who’s in love with her. Whitney has become her sworn enemy, since she’s the only other prominent woman at the office. Her grouchy neighbor (Brandon Scott Jones) is now her offensively stereotypical gay best friend.
Of course, Josh is still Josh, since he already fulfills the role of “guy who was in front of her the whole time.” But now he has his own gorgeous girlfriend, a model-turned-“yoga ambassador” (Priyanka Chopra), who falls in love with him after he saves her life. To her horror, Natalie discovers that if she’s going to escape this fantasy world and return to her blissfully drab real life, she has to follow the romcom formula all the way to the end.
On paper, that synopsis sounds cheesy and obvious, but a tremendously talented team of actors and screenwriters (including Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox and Katie Silberman) makes it work far better than I could’ve imagined. Wilson is outstanding in the lead role, carrying the entire premise on her shoulders and making it seem effortless. Her distinct style of humor is a perfect match for the material.
Devine is also fantastic, proving he’s just as adept at playing endearing dorks as he is arrogant jerks. His chemistry with Wilson is off-the-charts, so it was a smart move to reunite the Pitch Perfect love interests in a different scenario – although they get a couple of chances to show off their singing skills here as well.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn Hemsworth (aka Mr. Miley Cyrus) is hilarious too, especially when it comes to physical comedy. Although he isn’t quite at the same level as his big brother Chris – at least, not yet – I’d love to see him develop his skills in more comedies. Finally, it was great to see the supporting cast get plenty of chances to shine, especially Gilpin (incredible on Netflix’s GLOW) and Jones, who makes a purposely insulting character far more complex than he initially appears.
It’s clear that director Todd Strauss-Schulson did his romcom homework, especially the way the handheld cinematography and washed out lighting in Natalie’s real world changes to sweeping crane shots and bright colors once she enters fantasyland. He also incorporates a ton of references (both subtle and glaringly obvious) to genre classics and hilariously on-the-nose pop songs.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve got a soft spot for romantic comedies, especially when they’re clever and self-aware. For instance, I knew what the finale’s “big romantic gesture” was going to be within the first few minutes, but the reveal still got me. That’s just good storytelling. Also, any movie with a musical number set to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” automatically gets my full support (see also: Love, Simon).
If the last few glowing paragraphs haven’t already made it clear, Isn’t It Romantic is a fantastic, thoroughly enjoyable comedy. However, I can’t shake the nagging suspicion that diving a little deeper into the implications of genre tropes, rather than skimming the surface for easy – albeit hilarious – jokes could’ve made this an all-timer.
Instead, it’ll have to settle for second place behind the current romcom parody champ: 2014’s They Came Together, starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. A silver medal’s nothing to be ashamed of, though – especially when the two movies are built for different audiences.
Ignore the lackluster marketing and make plans to see it soon. It’s perfect for a Valentine’s date, a girls’ night or even a solo viewing for people who find this time of year irritating. There’s literally something for everyone.
Isn’t It Romantic is rated PG-13 for language, some sexual material, and a brief drug reference.)
Grade: B+
Comments
Post a Comment