I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, especially the ones where the underdog who is entirely out of his league gets to be with the love of his life. While most are formulaic and predictable, all have the cheesy goodness that we crave, whether we like to admit it or not. So whenever a rom-com like “Marry Me” comes along, we recognize the pattern and the character trajectory. But one of the surprising things about Kat Coiro’s film is that it rewrites that narrative while weaving in some new hit songs from Jennifer Lopez and Maluma. And that average Joe charm can only come from a guy like Owen Wilson.
Pop sensation Kat Valdez (Lopez) is minutes away from marrying fellow pop idol and fiance Bastian (Maluma) before thousands of her fans. The two wrote and sang the international hit “Marry Me,” hence what brings these two together for the most prominent wedding ceremony the world has ever seen. But before the two could even say “I do,” Kat learns about Bastian’s infidelity and has a justifiable emotional meltdown. Meanwhile, single dad Charlie Gilbert (Wilson), who was dragged to the same concert, is holding a sign that reads “Marry Me” – one of Kat’s signature songs. And in an inspired moment of spontaneity, Kat locks eyes with Charlie and says yes.
While some may say it was an impulsive reaction to the shock of learning about her finance affair, Kat decides to see where this newfound relationship can take them. What happens next surprises them both as they find themselves falling for each other. But forces conspire to separate them, and soon the two find that their social status may drive them apart.
You know what happens next.
While “Marry Me” may be predictable, Lopez and Wilson play their parts well enough to keep things together and audiences fully engaged. Kat is an international superstar who had to work her way up the ladder to success. Though the backstory is enough to humanize Kat, she embraces the embarrassing and humiliating situation by taking that leap of faith in accepting Charlie’s proposal. Sure, the story may be a fantasy set in the age of social media, and how the marriage came to be may be very unbelievable, but much of the film’s charms come from how it humanizes the couple. Kat’s interactions with Charlie, his friends, and his family reveal a more down-to-earth celebrity and one that prefers to live out of the spotlight. And Kat’s manager (John Bradley) reluctantly goes along with her plan to stay married. It’s also a bit refreshing to see a manager who isn’t in it for his selfish reasons but to protect his client who has already been through enough.
It’s actually refreshing to see “Marry Me’s” have such a clear perspective on the modern-day idea of marriage. Rather than try to sweep things under the rug and pay Charlie off, Kat is interested in seeing things all the way through to the end and spontaneity of the moment because, at this point in her life, nothing else has worked.
As for Charlie, a single father with plenty of charm and personality, he’s the perfect everyman. But’s he clueless when it comes to the game of love and very out of touch with pop culture, social media, and technology. In an effort to show that he’s still hip and cool to his daughter, who is at that phase where she doesn’t want to be seen with him, Charlie begrudgingly joins his daughter (Chloe Coleman) and friend/guidance school counselor (Sarah Silverman) to a Kat Valdez concert. A spirited Coleman acts as a counterbalance to Wilson’s calm and relaxed demeanor. At the same time, Silverman brings in some added comic relief.
Much of the tropes that you would regularly see in a typical rom-com are here in “Marry Me.” There are talks about finding the one in a complete stranger and making a big commitment like marriage. Kat says something about banking a moment on a moment because if you get enough of those, you get a lifetime. At one point, the film embraces the situation’s absurdity during a press conference that was quickly put together in response to the impulsive marriage between Kat and Charlie. Journalists berate the two about how the sudden marriage looks frivolous and taints the sanctity of marriage. Sitting through all of that, Kat and Charlie provide cynical and fluff answers, hoping that they can make it all work.
And it goes up from there, as the film also has cheesy lines where Kat asks Charlie to make a wish, with Charlie responding that he already has. These grand romantic gestures where one person reserves Coney Island just for themselves. Those deep soulful looks into each other’s eyes as they dance to Robert Goulet. Or the fact that Charlie jokingly doesn’t want to presume to have the best night of his life by listening to Goulet. Or how Kat’s superstar presence impacts Charlie’s social status with his daughter, school, and the entire world. Sure, it’s a relationship that is an over-the-top fantasy and very hard to believe. But it’s one that you can’t help but watch because it moves like a modern-day fairy tale. As such, audiences watching are falling in much in love with the idea of Charlie and Kat falling in love with each other.
But it wouldn’t be much of a romantic comedy without a little added drama. And that drama comes with Maluma’s Bastian, who uses his Marry Me song collaboration with Kat as a means to get back together. But the refreshing part about all of this is that this doesn’t make Charlie jealous. Instead, it gives him the epiphany that he may not be good enough for her because the two live such different lives. But something like celebrity status shouldn’t get in the way of true love, right. Don’t answer. That’s a rhetorical question.
If anything, “Marry Me” is a delightful rom-com that puts a modern-day twist on the classic fairy tale love story. Again, it may be formulaic. It’s also very predictable. But Lopez and Wilson make for a terrific on-screen pair. Considering that Lopez has that star power in her name, and Wilson comes off as an average joe who oozes charm and personality, it’s easy to see how they fall into their roles as a singing sensation and the single dad/math teacher with very little effort. They all look the part. And it’s how they get together, sustain that relationship through all the ups and downs, and see it to the very end with plenty of laughs and maybe a few tears that keep us hooked.
8/10
In theaters and Peacock on February 11, 2022
