Isn’t It Romantic (Review)

Isn’t It Romantic Puts the Comedy in Romantic-Comedy

This time of year can make it hard for some moviegoers not to feel cynical and jaded when it comes to romantic comedies, which is why Isn’t It Romantic is hitting theaters at just the perfect moment. The film knows that the genre is filled with terrible cliches and absurd tropes that make most rom-coms absolutely insufferable and because it lets audiences know that it knows early on, it’s impossible to be mad at it when it fully embraces all of them. Of course, such a risky move can only pay off if you’ve got the talent to see it through and Rebel Wilson manages to prove herself just the woman to pull this off (despite her ignorance on the genre).

So many romantic comedies show an over-simplified view of a woman’s perspective of the world. For them, the cure to anything that ails a woman is to fall in love with a guy. Because of this, I’ve come to resent the genre over the years because it tends to not only be insensitive at the best of times but also sets up unreasonable expectations for what “true love” should look like. Needless to say, I’m a bit of a crotchety bastard these days when it comes to love, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be sitting down for a rom-com right before Valentine’s Day. However, within moments of Isn’t It Romantic starting, I was chuckling to myself and before I know it I could hardly contain my laughter.

The film follows Natalie, played by Wilson who wakes up trapped in a romantic comedy after a head injury at the hands of a mugger in the New York subway. What sounds like an enchanting adventure that any stereotypical woman might enjoy though is given the perfect twist because Wilson has become disillusioned with the lies perpetuated in rom-coms thanks to some “supportive” words from her mother. This new world she finds herself grants her a huge new apartment, beautiful wardrobe, and a cliched gay best friend (wonderfully played by Brandon Scott Jones) to ensure all possible needs outside of love are met. With her life (and the entire city) given a make-over, it seems like the perfect time for a handsome billionaire to fall right in her lap (Liam Hemsworth). Of course, Natalie isn’t buying what this new reality is selling but figures the only way to get back to the real world is to reluctantly play by its rules.

What makes Isn’t It Romantic stand out is the brilliantly snarky writing. However, that’s probably because it was written by… Women!? Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, and Katie Silberman come together to offer insightful jokes from a female perspective regarding this strange new world they’ve created for Natalie to navigate. Because of this, it feels a lot more real and genuine than most of the drivel out there where men try to get inside a woman’s head. They’re not afraid to fill their heroine with traits that might seem like flaws while pointing out the absurd social expectations that so many movies in the genre perpetuate for women. Natalie isn’t a size 2 who just needs a make-up, a haircut, and a new dress to discover she was beautiful all along. She isn’t all aflutter whenever a guy gives her the time of day. She isn’t going to put logic on hold even when the world is trying to sweep her off her feet. Instead, she’s a real living, breathing woman and it’s her supposed flaws that make her so endearing and relatable to the audience. Funny how having women write women for women tends to work out so well.

Of course, even the best script in the world can be ruined by terrible acting. Luckily, the entire cast of Isn’t It Romantic are perfect for the roles they take on. I was especially fond of Wilson and Adam Devine, who is quickly proving himself adept at rom-coms after 2018’s When We First Met. However, the performances by those who become props in this new reality for Natalie shine the brightest. Hemsworth might not be quite as funny as his brother, but he proves to be cringy in the best possible ways over and over again. Priyanka Chopra shines as a yoga-ambassador/model/romantic rival who embodies all the impossible ideals of what men seemingly desire most in women. The entire cast though comes together flawlessly to pull off what could have easily been a brilliant concept gone terribly wrong.

Isn’t It Romantic is hardly a perfect movie and tends to falter most when it tries to “get serious.” However, it’s a fun film that audiences will genuinely feel good watching. I was not expecting much from it and found that it turned my whole day around. It’s a perfect movie from those who are in on the absurdity of romantic comedies and want to get away from the fact that they mostly remind you how trashy and lonely the real world. Isn’t It Romantic gets that the person in the world worthy of love the most is you and because of that, you have to love yourself. It might sound gaudy and derivative, but damn it, Isn’t It Romantic pulls it off.