Ben Oliver

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film

Isn’t It Romantic

My Fit Bit sometimes vibrates and says, ‘Wanna stroll?’ But when you say it, I don’t wanna smash you.
14 April 2019

A rom-com hating architect (Rebel Wilson) gets a bash on the head and wakes up to find her world turned into that of the movies she reviles. People keep falling in love with each other over chance encounters, her apartment is three times bigger, everyone likes her at work etc etc.

Isn’t it Romantic both mocks and reveres rom-com cliches, so it doesn’t feel too hypocritical when it starts to adopt the same tropes it tries to avoid. Rather than constantly attacking the genre it embraces it and gives it new life.

Rebel Wilson is well cast as the anti-lead; funny enough to carry the comedy-centric script and relatable enough to get the audience on her side.

In a world where superheroes rule the big screen, this sort of screenplay is starting to get edged out. Perhaps Netflix is a good home for the high-concept studio comedy (if only they would do a better job of promoting their own work!). Isn’t it Romantic shows that there are still ideas out there worth exploring, so let’s see what the future holds.