'Marry Me' Review: Say 'I Do' to this Adorably Wholesome Rom-Com
PG-13: For some language and suggestive material
Runtime: 1 Hr and 52 Minutes
Production Companies: Nuyorican Productions, Perfect World Pictures, Kung Fu Monkey Productions, Belle Hope Productions
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Director: Kat Coiro
Writers: John Rogers, Tami Sagher, Harper Dill
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, John Bradley, Sarah Silverman, Chloe Coleman, Jimmy Fallon, Utkarsh Ambudkar
Release Date: February 11, 2022
In Theaters and Peacock
Kat Valdez (Lopez) is half of the sexiest celebrity power couple on Earth with hot new music supernova Bastian (Maluma). As Kat and Bastian’s inescapable hit single, “Marry Me,” climbs the charts, they are about to be wed before an audience of their fans in a ceremony that will be streamed across multiple platforms. Divorced high-school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) has been dragged to the concert by his daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman, Big Little Lies) and his best friend (Sarah Silverman). When Kat learns, seconds before the ceremony, that Bastian has cheated on her with her assistant, her life turns left as she has a meltdown on stage, questioning love, truth, and loyalty. As her gossamer world falls away, she locks eyes with a stranger — a face in the crowd.
Would you look at that? We got the first American webcomic adapted into a full-blown motion picture. For the longest, I assumed Marry Me was an original concept, but nope… it’s based on a comic book. Oddly enough, this was the first movie of 2022 that I was actually anticipating. It’s been a long time since we got a studio romantic comedy that didn’t feature heavy traumatic content or try to be raunchy. Marry Me delivers that light, sweet simpleness that we hardly see in studio romances these days. It’s as light as a PG-13 rom-com can be to the extent that if you played this on local television, they wouldn’t have to censor or cut any content, which is a good thing.
Charlie (Owen Wilson) is a simple, easy-going Brooklyn math teacher who is fresh out of a divorce and now shares joint custody of his daughter (Chloe Coleman), who perceives him as a bit too safe. Kat Valdez is the biggest pop star in the world and is about to marry the suave artist Bastian, with whom she has a dope duet song. Charlie’s co-worker and daughter convince him to go to see Valdez's concert. As Kat is about to head on stage, she finds out her spouse is cheating on her with her assistant through Page Six (how authentic right?!) just before they’re supposed to exchange vows. In the middle of an emotional breakdown in front of her fans, she spots Charlie in the crowd holding a “Marry Me” sign and invites him to go on stage and get married.
The film authentically explores the busy life of a celebrity in modern times through Charlie’s perspective as he has to participate in photo shoots, dates, and every PR move Kat does. It’s supposed to be even more contemporary than your Notting Hill, but the writers nail that aspect of it, especially with Charlie’s dissonance from that entire culture. Their budding romance hinges on their long-distance relationship, making their authentic contrasting worlds immersive through phone calls and conversations.
In a Hollywood system that pays dirt to performers, especially women, after a certain age, it’s so comforting to see two beloved leads like Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson starring in a rom-com where they are each other’s love interest. There’s hardly an age gap between them, their star power is as high as ever, and the movie never focuses on age. Lopez and Wilson are so delightful in their respective roles and their natural charisma easily sweeps you off your feet as you buy into their budding romance.
Lopez radiates that classic movie star grace, especially regarding Kat’s wide-eyed view of love. I was thoroughly surprised that the writers didn’t make Wilson’s Charlie a contrasting cynic. He’s just a simple everyman who isn’t materialistic, content with his position in life, and doesn’t feel the urge to be on social media to the point that he has a flip phone. He’s not even anti-social media, just prefers using a flip phone because he enjoys the simple things. Wilson is such an ideal, dreamy dad who makes dad jokes, has an unexpectedly sentimental taste in music, and has a grounded perspective on life that you respect. There were so many areas where I feared it would fall into trappings that would cause the film to overexert itself beyond its premise, yet it walks the fine line of being naturally wholesome and mature without needing to be over the top.
Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but don’t expect Marry Me to reinvent the wheel of rom-coms, for it’s riddled with every predictable romantic cliche in the book. Through its structure and pacing, you know just about everything that’s going to happen… if the trailer itself didn’t spoil you already. It’s not about what the story is, it’s about how it’s told… and it’s told rather well. The only major leap it didn’t seem to resonate with is the predictable falling out that Charlie and Kat have, which comes off as unintentionally funny. Not to give much away but the presence of Maluma’s Bastian is so strong, it causes Charlie to have imposter syndrome and give everything up. Bastian didn’t even need to put much effort; just the sight of him and the duet of the titular song he has with Kat is enough to make a grown man break down and give up the best thing he ever had. Charlie and Kat’s inevitable falling out is as egregiously forced as the movie attempting to convince its audience that Jimmy Fallon is funny. At that point, you know the third act has arrived but it’s transparently rocky.
If you want something richer and deeper, watch Beyond the Lights because you ain’t gonna get that with Marry Me. Marry Me is a sweet, breezy, warm blanket of a romantic comedy that wraps you up in its irresistible charm. Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson are so delightful in their respective roles and their chemistry carries the film. They really don’t make rom-coms like this anymore.
