Film Review: Isn’t It Romantic Is So Funny
Watching Isn’t It Romantic, colorfully directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, I kept on thinking of Amy Schumer’s film I Feel Pretty and the idea of self-confidence. While Schumer’s film promoted the notion that if you love yourself, you take care of yourself, particularly in terms of physicality and style, Rebel Wilson’s new comedy centers on the idea that if you love yourself, you realize who loves you as you are, as well. The concept is beautiful and spurs hilarious montages to the guilty pleasure that is “rom-coms.”
The first thing I LOVE about Isn’t It Romantic is that it shows how dumb rom-coms can be in how they present the humanity of women and men. Each gender becomes a generic version of itself, which explains why how the man and woman, who fall in love, do so superficially. You could tell that the film was written by women because it is so smart, observant, and funny as it pokes fun at the genre. Dana Fox, Katie Silberman, and Erin Cardillo have absolutely KILLED it with their writing. You laugh so hard at the absurdity, gut-punching wit, and physical comedy; all steered by Rebel Wilson.
There is a “Betty La Fea” quality to Rebel Wilson’s Natalie. From the beginning she is treated uglily; as if she is “something” to be dismissed. Yet, no one, at her work, has to call her “ugly” for her to gain harsh or degrading treatment, which I love because it shows the truth about micro-aggressions. You don’t have to wave a flag over someone and yell, “I THINK YOUR LESS THAN” to behave that way towards them. Oddly enough, though no one calls her ugly, Natalie calls herself so, and THAT is where Isn’t It Romantic births its empowering message. To this film, you do not have to be beautiful or ugly to get others to respect you. You have to respect yourself first and place boundaries and protections over how others do the same.
Throughout the film, the audience journeys with Natalie as she, in essence, falls in love with herself. Before she used to let everyone step all over her, but, little by little, she allows herself to be as fearlessly intelligent, opinionated, hilarious, and kind as she wants to be, which is so refreshing to see as a woman, especially in a rom-com. Every rom-com trope is cringingly approached by the film: “the gay, best friend (played fabulously by Brandon Scott Jones),” “love at first sight,” “the Disney standard that the Princess has to give up all her power to be fulfilled by a guy,” “how much the lead actress falls everywhere,” “random, music numbers,” “the hot guy with a rich dad that uses big words like, “beguiling” to seduce women…. etc. THE FILM HAS IT ALL! It even includes the powerful, “love square” between Natalie, her new, hot beau, Blake (played with charm and hilarity by Liam Hemsworth), her best friend she is in love with, Josh (played sweetly by Adam Devine), and the gorgeous Isabella (played as close to perfect by Priyanka Chopra).
The importance of approaching cliches is that it reveals how unrealistic we are to set a “movie standard” on real life relationships. More than ever, people are realizing that rom-com movies are not the most proper guide in how to fall in love. Some even call it dangerous, but, at the end of the day, they are loved. Still, I realize that a movie is a movie, and, perhaps, Isn’t It Romantic will help both men and women realize that, as well. To find “the one” for you is not a cinematic journey as much as an inner one. The more you see how wonderful you are, the more you open yourself to observe and receive those that think you are wonderful, as well. Isn’t It Romantic Appears In Cinemas on February 13.
