Movie Breakdown: Marry Me
Pre-Screening Stance:
Marry Me looks absolutely ridiculous, but then again, I guess that’s just sort of the game with most romantic comedies. So, sure, let’s dive into a world where someone like Jennifer Lopez would choose to randomly wed a total stranger like Owen Wilson.
Post-Screening Ramble:
Marry Me is a little weird, but it’s fine. The movie’s rather silly plot features a pop star, Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez), and a math teacher, Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), who suddenly find themselves coupled up after an unplanned marriage. Well, to be fair, they don’t actually get married, it’s just for show, but Kat still needs to save face after such a bizarre act and her only choice – of course, duh – is to be in a fake relationship with Charlie. At first, they’re not compatible, but you can guess what happens.
There’s a couple of things you’re going to have to push through in order to enjoy Marry Me. The first is product placement. This isn’t your usual sort of movie where everyone holds their cups with the logo facing out or something, it’s more like there’s mini-commercials disguised as just part of Kat’s day to day social media responsibilities. There’s also a lot of music in Marry Me. And sure, Kat is a pop star and that makes sense, but the songs rarely feel organically placed. Furthermore, these frequent segments are awkwardly long, and while I thought the J.Lo and Maluma tunes were generally solid, each one – like all the other products in this thing – felt like a commercial. On the bright side, if you can dig through the corporate muck, the core of Marry Me is fairly endearing. Lopez and Wilson have solid chemistry, there’s a cute subplot about a Mathalon, and the overall story keeps things pleasant and strays from throwing any dramatic haymakers. I’ve seen a lot worse rom coms. Now excuse me, I need to run out and buy a Vitamix blender.
Marry Me will hit theaters and Peacock this Friday, February 11.
One Last Thought:
Kat Coiro directed this movie and the first season of Marvel’s upcoming She Hulk series. Weird combo.
