Isn’t It Romantic – Movie Reviews by Ry!
Isn’t It Romantic – Cleverness of the Cliché Heart
In the world of film, there is always a chance that the obvious is what you need. No matter the genre, seeing something flip the script on clichés/tropes makes the journey a fun experience. With Rom-Coms, there is a sense of knowing the outcome before the journey starts. Sometimes, the expected needs to be given a spark of creativity. Isn’t It Romantic takes what you know about the genre and gives you something with a twist. By blending high concept ideas with romantic tropes, this is a Rom-Com that delivers a true sense of originality.
The story focuses on an architect in New York named Natalie (Rebel Wilson), someone who believes that Rom-Coms are a false representation of society. After a quick introduction, some over-explaining exposition and the ‘accident/mishap’ plot device as the catalyst, Natalie is thrust into a different version of her life. Once in this alternative reality, the film becomes a huge retrospective of what defines the genre. As she attempts to navigate this world and find a way out, that contrasting elements highlights the oddities that are presented through the clichés of forced romance, dance routines and overtly cheesy puns. Every scenario of obviousness plays against her version of reality, creating a satirical presentation for Natalie of what she believes right and wrong. The direction does a great job molding the ‘fish out of water’ plot device with the high concept of the narrative, creating an ideal perspective of the reality of emotional worth. This brings about a uniqueness to common storytelling. We see that Natalie gets a dose of being everything she dislikes, but it also drives a mirror that shows her what character flaws she has in the other world.
As the film begins to dig deep into her character, Natalie begins to see the parallels of truth of this Rom-Com world. The reflection of reality highlights a thematic moment of the current situation. This characterization of general plot devices ironically reveals her own personal flaws. Once you get to the climax, it drives a compliment between the realism of individual worth and the ideal versions of love. By turning clichés into relatable traits, it makes a predictable happy ending feel ever more real. Isn’t it Romantic is a Rom-Com at its core, but it turns the genre on its head through a compliment of satire and actuality. If you’re a fan of newness in the old, or like a date film, this is one for you. It is worth seeing at the theaters, as a matinee.
Final Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)