3/5
Given their previous outings together bringing together fan favourites Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine (from the pitch perfect films) into their own romantic comedy almost feels like a lazy move from Netflix, but this spin on a rom com provides enough substance to keep this film entertaining.
Rebel Wilson plays the lead Natalie, an architect living in New York. The only thing more desolate than her apartment is her outlook on romantic comedies. She explains at length all the tropes of the genre to her colleagues Whitney and Josh (Adam Devine) before a meeting with her wealthy rude and dismissive client, Blake (Liam Hemsworth). Crisis then occurs when, during a mugging, Natalie gets knocked out and wakes up in a land where the doctors are models, flowers are everywhere and even ‘New York doesn’t smell like sh*t’. Natalie realises that she has found her way into an alternate rom-com reality and that the end of any romantic comedy is the confession of love. She sets out to seek love and find a way out of this alternate reality she despises so much.
The spin on the genre is the only truly exemplary thing about this film. That’s not to say the rest of this film is bad, it’s just quite ordinary. Rebel Wilson and Adam Devine play respective characters from any of their other films. They play them, as always, very well with both physical and verbal humour throughout. Rebel Wilson especially shines in some of the musical numbers, however again this feels ordinary given the three ‘Pitch Perfect’ films she has already been in. However, the fact that this film manages to hold a film mocking romantic comedies whilst also being one is clever and does work well, providing a good platform for gags along the way.
And with that being said, the film does have some good laughs, despite most of the writing being relatively derivative (although I suppose that is part of the point). Unfortunately, the film also suffers from the same fate as the genre it is trying to mock. Once the plot turns from the original idea and set up to the more traditional ‘will she get to the wedding in time’ trope, the film becomes quite forgettable. I would never criticise a romantic comedy for being predictable (they will obviously end up together…) but I had hoped from the clever meta idea that the film starts with that the ending would be somewhat more satisfying and original… it’s not.
Overall a perfectly funny and watchable romantic comedy that’s clever take on the genre provides a solid platform to keep you entertained throughout, if not blown away by the end.
Written by Will
Hughes Reviews 