Over the years, we have witnessed the creation and progression of the quintessential cliché that has become the romantic comedy.
From How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, to Love Actually, to even 10 Things I Hate About You, we have seen the broad spectrum and anatomy of what makes a rom-com.
The balance between cheesy vs. romantic vs. funny (with a touch of cringe) in a romantic comedy can be a hard formula to crack.
But with Gen-Z’s insatiable hunger for all-things pop culture drama, it is only right that our rom-coms are updated to meet that same level. The way we consume, enjoy, and relate to entertainment has been completely reformed within our social-media-crazed world.
I feel that we are entering a new era completely redefining the romantic comedy, with Kat Coiro’s latest movie Marry Me laying the groundwork.
If you are not familiar with the film, Marry Me, allow me to introduce you to the basic plot:
An adaptation of the Marry Me graphic novel by Bobby Crosby, Marry Me tells the story of international pop-star Kat Valdez on the day of her wedding to her equally famous fiancé, Bastian, in front of millions. Disaster strikes when Kat, played by Jennifer Lopez, learns of her fiancé’s infidelity moments before exchanging vows. After receiving this news, she now has to stand in front of a live audience in a heartbroken daze. In her shock and sadness, Kat scans the audience, finding a stranger, played by Owen Wilson, standing there with a ‘Marry Me’ sign. She impulsively says yes, inviting him up on stage to get married in front of millions, only seconds after meeting each other.
Right off the bat, I know. It sounds preposterous.
Following watching the film, I witnessed a lot of online backlash about the movie’s outlandish plot.
I am by no means disagreeing that the storyline is farfetched, but I also wouldn’t say I go to see a rom-com for the complex and relatable plot points.
A good rom-com, in my opinion, is all about spontaneity, unbelievability, and a little bit of insanity.
The plot continues to explore the impacts of this spur-of-the-moment decision. From press conferences to companionship and potential romance budding, this movie checks all the boxes when it comes to rom-com plot development.
One thing that Marry Me does extremely well: It is undoubtedly entertaining.
Jennifer Lopez brings her talent as a performer to Marry Me, performing elaborate numbers with outrageous costumes and killer choreography. J-lo plays the role perfectly.
Never in a million years did I think there would ever be an Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez collaboration, but I guess crazier things have happened.
Owen Wilson, who plays the stranger named Charlie, also fits his role perfectly. Wilson does a great job of portraying a regular guy who is completely inept in the world of social media and pop culture.
That being said, the antithesis of these two polarizing characters builds up that romantic comedy factor of finding love where you least expect it.
My final thoughts?
I liked Marry Me. I thought it was a good balance between a classic cheesy romance while still showing conflict and struggle.
The only drawback for me falls within the comedy factor of the movie. Marry Me was amusing, but don’t go to the theater expecting a barrel of laughs.
In fact, my main critique of the film would be that there were times that I was unsure if I was laughing with the movie or laughing at the movie.
Either way, I was still thoroughly entertained and would definitely recommend this movie to rom-com connoisseurs and movie-goers alike.
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!