2023 has already seen a flurry of romantic comedies being released, and with some striking a hotter iron than others, one can’t help but wonder if the classic age of Hollywood rom-com will return. Can these three recent direct-to-streaming additions resuscitate the waning world of laughter and swoons?
Your Place or Mine, Shotgun Wedding, and Somebody I Used to Know are three of the most recent additions to the sub-genre and all have big stars at the forefront. In all three the commonalities to past work are apparent and some chemistry sings while others remain quiet. Each takes a slightly different strategy and lingers on one aspect (romance, action, drama) more than others.
Your Place or Mine (Aline Brosh McKenna)
I have always had a difficult time not seeing Reese Witherspoon and melting under her charm. Your Place or Mine, much like Home Again, is just not the best vessel for her talent. Regardless of the predictable writing or awkward dialogue, she still manages to be a light in each scene she is in.
The same can be said with Ashton Kutcher. He also has a sort of winking allure that makes him seem silly and sincere simultaneously. The problem of the film isn’t the talent, it’s the way that the two leads never fully feel as connected as we’d like. It goes back to, in large part, the screenplay, which may start somewhat intriguing but then slides into formulaic with rapid strides.
Debbie and Peter are long time besties after one night hooking up. They’ve led different lives on opposite sides of the country but have remained close throughout. Aline Brosh McKenna writes and directs the story that starts with the two switching places so that Debbie can fulfill a dream and Peter can look after her teenage son.
During the course of the film their feelings start to become realized, especially from Peter’s POV and Debbie unearths a secret novel he’s written (a very odd and uncessary addition to the plot) that sees him in a new light as well.
I can’t say I had super high hopes when I saw the trailer, but I didn’t expect to dislike the time spent as much as I did. It felt laborious and even the supporting characters (played by Steve Zahn and Tig Notaro) didn’t add enough hilarity or substance.
It’s a shame that this one ended up feeling so flat when it had the opportunity for more. Can you get worse? Oh absolutely. Does it mean that Your Place or Mine isn’t inferior to what Hollywood can deliver? For sure.
There’s a romance with Jesse Williams and there are some other cliche directions that this goes, but for the most part, it doesn’t go very far at all.
I think that the film expected to lean on its stars more and, to no fault of any one area of this production, the adhesion wasn’t there. It felt more rigid than real.
Currently streaming on Netflix.
We deserve better. We’ve seen it.
Shotgun Wedding (Jason Moore)
This one was actually a surprising amount of fun, perhaps because it exists in that unusual space of comedy, romance, and action. It was over the top and absurd but also had me laugh out loud a few times.
Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel, doing his usual puppy dog expression) are about to get married on a beautiful, extravagant island with their friends and family. When an unexpected guest, her ex Sean (Lenny Kravitz) arrives the two’s perfect weekend begins to trend downwards. Well, he’s not the only person uninvited. A group of pirates comes to hold the guests’ hostage and steal from Lopez’s father Robert (Cheech Marin). Being that this is a wedding film there’s, of course, an assortment of characters with distinct personalities which provide ample chances for humor. One of them, Jennifer Coolidge, plays Tom’s mother and is as loud and abrasive as aloof as she usually is (I always love her).
The bride and groom to be just so happen to be in the midst of their argument away from the others which gives them an opportunity to get away, or, save the day.
Neither is equipped for this and through accidental grenades, quick thinking, and occasionally poor planning that ends up working, the two fight (and kill) their way through.
The two have solid comedic timing even if the film really is just silliness personified. There’s nothing particularly believable about it and the third-act twist is kind of sloppy. It’s also got some moments of heartfelt monologues (and a group sing-song of a 90s classic) that mostly work, somehow more than the previous film discussed, but still aren’t impactful.
At the end of the day you’re watching two stars that have chemistry and commit to the physicality and hilarity needed for this to be fun. And it is. For better or worse.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Somebody I Used to Know (Dave Franco)
This is definitely the most natural and well-written of this trio. It is absolutely inspired by films like My Best Friend’s Wedding (which is actually mentioned) and Alison Brie is as lovely as ever, even when she’s doing some things she probably shouldn’t be. All in the name of love, right?
Hubby Dave Franco directs and the two co-wrote the screenplay (will we ever stop finding them adorable?) Answer: No. Somebody I used to Know follows Reality TV producer Ally (Alison Brie) who finds out her show is being canceled. She decides to return to her hometown, a place she hadn’t been in a long time.
There she runs into her ex Sean (Jay Ellis) and they spend an incredible night together making her wonder if she had made a mistake, and begins to question her life choices. Is it her opportunity again, was this meeting fate?
When she finds out he’s getting married, in days, to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons) things become tricky. She isn’t deterred though, as she spends more time with Sean she realizes her feelings are still there, and as she gets to know Cassidy she begins to see the woman she used to be.
Luckily this film becomes more about the self-realization and our individual journeys as opposed to an ex sabotaging a wedding. That’s not to say that doesn’t exist here, but it’s not the primary focal point.
Brie is one of those actresses that seems to fill every scene with warmth and she’s the perfect lead for this role. Even when she’s doing things that make you dislike her, you can’t really, though this script will tempt you. There are some scenes that will test your frustration levels, but I couldn’t help but see the charm woven into -most- of the story. If the screenplay had been a little tighter I think the humor and heart would have burst through more.
A more mature rom-com, Somebody I used to Know doesn’t quite refreshen the genre but it brings some hope that it still has a pulse.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Are we destined to repeat?
In short, of course. It’s the way of Hollywood, trends, and the difficulty in creating something completely original. That’s not to say we can’t still have movies that promote laughs and tears and have our hearts bursting. I’m being optimistic despite these three recent streaming representations of this beloved group of movies. When they are done well, they can be a lovely experience.
When done poorly, well, at least we can go back to the classics.
Kristy recommends: It Happened One Night, When Harry Met Sally, The Lobster.
Cinematic Lovelies 
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