Set It Up Synopsis: Harper and Charlie are two overworked and underpaid assistants who decide that the best way to get their ambitious, workaholic bosses off their backs is to set them up with each other. Set It Up was one of my favorite movies to watch in 2018. The premise might not be overly original, but the writing and chemistry between the two leads make the rom-com feel like it’s triggered a rejuvenation of the genre. There are genuine laughs in Set It Up and some naughty humor that toes the line quite perfectly between hilariously raunchy and just plain over-the-top raunchy. Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell have some incredible chemistry, and you see it almost from the very first scene they share together. There is no insta-romance or quick attraction between Harper and Charlie. Their ‘meet cute’ is the two of them fighting over who will get the lone take-out meal during a late night at work to return to their demanding, hungry bosses. From there, the relationship shifts to the two of them plotting to set up their bosses, and in the process, they become friends, and from there… well, the pizza scene comes. Oh, the pizza scene. If I created a list of my top ten rom-com moments, you would most definitely read about the pizza scene. Another plus is the development of the secondary characters. Lucy Liu is a badass woman, strong and unapologetic, but plays that yearning to be a bit softer with emotional nuance. Taye Diggs is gorgeous and charming with just the right amount of smarminess that you’re almost willing to forgive… almost…okay, not really, since he’s a bit of a jerk! They’re both demanding and stubborn, caught up in their own personal and professional worlds that one might think they’re completely oblivious to the plights of their overworked assistants. Thankfully, Set It Up doesn’t stick to the one-dimensional stereotype of a ‘workaholic boss,’ and they give Kirsten and Rick plenty of moments where their personalities and chemistry can shine through. Set It Up plays the rom-com tropes to a T, but it works. It works so well. Those of us who watch these movies know how most of them will end, but the really special ones will have us feeling the happy endings right to our core. Set It Up is one of those movies. Watched: 08/18/2018Notable Song: Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits
‘When We First Met’ (2018) Review
When We First Met Synopsis: After spending a night with the girl of his dreams only to become just friends, a man gets the opportunity to travel through time and alter that night over and over again until he gets everything perfect and makes her his. I have found I love Adam Devine as a romantic lead (or comedic lead… or both). He has the right charm and ‘nice guy’ persona without being bland or wooden. He’s proven he can be funny and a bit arrogant (Pitch Perfect), and When We First Met showcases his ability to carry a movie as a likable lead. I’ve also been a fan of Shelley Hennig for a while and was pleased when I realized she played much more than just the typical rom-com best friend. She and Devine have an easy rapport, and you can immediately sense that their chemistry is much more interesting than Noah and Avery’s (Alexandra Daddario). When We First Met plays on the Groundhog Day trope, shifting back in time repeatedly as Noah tries to find the right things to say and do to win Avery over as more than a friend. As one might predict, nothing really works out the way Noah plans, and while the various scenarios are amusing, the plot doesn’t kick off until Noah realizes that maybe he’s been chasing the wrong girl all along. Daddario’s Avery and Robbie Amell’s Ethan are woefully underdeveloped as characters. Not that they’re essential to the plot, as the movie shines when it’s focused solely on Noah and Carrie (Hennig), but it would have been nice to see why Noah was so enthralled with Avery beyond that one night at Halloween. Despite some silly moments – and a horrible ‘fat suit’ that looks more like a pillow shoved under Noah’s shirt – I really enjoyed this one and was a big fan of the ending, which, admittedly, I saw coming in the first 20 minutes, but that didn’t ruin it for me. Watched: 08/18/2018Notable Song: Shout by Adam Devine and Alexandra Daddario