After discovering her husband’s infidelity, Sandy moves with her two children from the suburbs to New York City, where she attempts to start over. There, she meets Aram, a much younger barista who is dealing with his own heartbreak. Aram, who is at a crossroads in life, begins babysitting for Sandy when she starts a promising new job. While Aram bonds with Sandy and her kids, Sandy goes on several disastrous dates, eventually realizing that she harbors an attraction to Aram, and he to her. Despite the 15-year age difference, the two begin to date.

I had never heard of The Rebound until I was surfing through Prime Video and came across it. I like Justin Bartha and Catherine Zeta-Jones, so I decided to watch it. I’m glad I did! The Rebound is a hidden gem of a rom-com. Catherine Zeta-Jones is wonderful as newly divorced Sandy, a forty-year-old woman determined to start over in the big city while caring for her two children. Justin Bartha is adorably rumpled and semi-awkward as Aram, a man who enjoys his job as a barista/nanny but is dealing with pressure from his parents’ expectations.

Together, they have a really lovely chemistry on-screen, and I found myself hoping they could, and would, overcome the age difference to make things work out. There is definitely a sense of authenticity to this movie, and I liked that the writer/director, Bart Freundlich, didn’t shy away from very real issues a couple like Sandy and Aram would face, not only with their age difference but also with their friends and family.

Joanna Gleason and Art Garfunkel play Justin’s parents, Roberta and Harry Finklestein. It was rather amusing to hear Art Garfunkel, of all people, talk to Sandy about a surgery he’s having for a new “butthole.” When Aram is arguing with his parents about his future, he reminds his mother, Roberta, that she once worked for Ralph Lauren – Gleason had a recurring role on Friends as Rachel’s boss Kim, who worked at Ralph Lauren. I chose to believe that it was an intentional joke.

I really liked The Rebound. I thought it was a well-acted romantic dramedy with two leads with unexpectedly good chemistry. I also appreciate that Freundlich balanced the romance with a believability that left me satisfied with the film’s ending rather than frustrated or rolling my eyes. If you want a cozy rom-dramedy, give The Rebound a watch!

Watched: 11/03/2023
Notable Song: Everytime You Go Away by Hall & Oates