2018 romantic comedy, dir. Victor Levin, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder:
IMDb /
allmovie. Frank and Lindsay
have each been invited to San Luis Obispo for the flashy wedding of
someone they don't much like. She's the groom's ex; he's his
half-brother; they're both bitter people. Naturally, they meet.
One of the very refreshing things, to me, about romantic comedy
as a genre having been done, is that there are now plenty of the
things that don't feel the need to follow the standard pattern of
meet-cute, lust, big misunderstanding, reconciliation and perfection.
Instead, the actual romance here is a slow increase, but it's the
principals who make it: Frank and Lindsay snark constantly to each
other, despising everyone around them… and, crucially, depising each
other and themselves too, without which this would just feel
mean-spirited.
They just let anyone officiate at a wedding?
Not anyone. You need a credit card and an Internet connection.
But these people are broken and they know it and they accept it, and
that's what makes the thing work. The framing is always round them as
they go through the motions of rehearsal dinner, foot massage, winery
visit, and so on; theirs are the only two speaking parts apart from
some announcement voices. And, to be fair, if you can't join in with
the spirit of the snarkiness then you probably won't much enjoy the
film.
This is the fourth film in which both Ryder and Reeves have had parts,
and the third in which they've played some sort of couple; they've
known each other since the 1980s, and this shows as Frank and Lindsay
become immediately comfortable with each other (even while arguing) in
a way that they aren't with other people. Yes, it's a very wordy
script, and not much happens, but that's rather the point.
Something of a change in direction from my usual viewing, and from the
usual track of romantic comedies, but recommended. (Also contains the
least sexy sex scene I've ever seen.)
Comments on this post are now closed. If you have particular grounds for adding a late comment, comment on a more recent post quoting the URL of this one.