Isn’t It Romantic

by Hans A. Carpenter

Release Date: February 13

MPAA: PG-13

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Starring: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, and Ada DeVine

Mister Marquee Says: I Feel Pretty: Good Version

Number:4/5

Natalie (Rebel Wilson) hates romantic comedies. For girls like her, they’re just fairytales that get their hopes up. When she runs from a mugger and smashes her head on the subway, Natalie finds herself trapped in a PG-13 romantic comedy.

It’s about time Rebel Wilson got her own movie instead of being relegated to sidekick. She’s hilarious and very charming, and in this role she got to show off a little more of what she has to offer as a leading lady. Wilson is more talented than a one-note joke and hopefully will be a fixture in the comedy scene for years to come. Isn’t it Romantic is part spoof and part love letter to rom coms. Also, with a strong message about loving yourself, this is the movie that I Feel Pretty wanted to be, but failed at miserably.

Isn’t it Romantic feels more genuine, while I Feel Pretty felt disingenuous, even mean-spirited. While the rom com send ups are funny, I could have done with more spoofing. The rom com genre is perhaps the most cookie cutter on the planet (“Hold my beer”-Horror). There’s so much meat on the bone, and from time to time it seemed like the spoof aspects were so that the movie could hug convention in the guise of lampooning it. Now, granted threading that needle mostly works, but still.

Isn’t it Romantic is also very briskly paced. I was legitimately surprised when it ended, it just felt so short. It’s a regular 90-ish minute flick. Points for brevity: it didn’t overstay its welcome. On that note, neither will I. This is a witty, fun, self-aware rom com and not a bad way to spend an hour and a half.