Isn't It Romantic (2019)

A good idea and a charming star save Isn't It Romantic from being completely forgettable. It feels edited down to barely nothing and skimps on what could have made it rather subversive. But it's damn funny and rather entertaining.

The idea of subverting and undermining the rom/com tropes is a good one and the film flirts with this but only ends up doing it on the most basic of levels. There were moments I felt the film was going to do something a bit more radical but it never got there. Instead it just plays lovingly with the cliches of the genre, which in itself is fun, and at least sends home the right messages (spoiler alert: she needs to learn to love herself not fall in love with anyone else).

And Rebel Wilson as always is hilarious and entertaining to watch. Even when the script feels rather mundane (which is often) she is funny and she pulls off great chemistry with Adam Devine (her Pitch Perfect co-star). I also liked that the film didn't try to make her anything other than she is. She is smart, successful, and actually fairly happy with her life. The film doesn't try to make us feel she needed to change. The only change required by this plot was her falling in love with herself. Sure the story is a little hamfisted in getting her there but she still gets there.

So Isn't It Romantic could leave you really wanting more or you could just take it for the light harmless fluff it is. For me there were just too many moments when I saw it could do more, go farther, which took me out of my enjoyment a bit. But I still laughed.

Isn't It Romantic
Starring: Rebel Wilson, Adam Divine, Liam Hemsworth, Priyanka Chopra
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writers: Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, Katie Silberman