‘Marry Me‘ is a romantic comedy directed by Kat Coiro. It is based on a 2012 graphic novel by Bobby Crosby. It was originally supposed to be distributed by STX Films before being picked up by Universal Pictures who released it on Peacock.

Pop star Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is about to marry fellow singer Bastian (Maluma) on stage at a concert while performing their hit duo song “Marry Me.” At the concert, math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) brings his daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman) hoping to connect with her after being given tickets by his friend Parker Debbs (Sarah Silverman). When Kat discovers that Bastian is cheating on her, she spots Charlie in the crowd holding a “Marry Me” sign. She says, “yes” to him and he awkwardly says “okay,” feeling bad for her. Later, she and Charlie decide to make a deal to stay together for a short time, and in return, she will donate money to his school. As the two grow closer, they soon discover they have more in common than they realize.

The movie definitely tries to riff off the romantic comedy genre with all of the trimmings. Two vastly different people meet and are thrust into an awkward dating situation. There is a gay best friend, a former lover who is a jerk, a misunderstanding, old music, and a transportation issue. Yep, it hits all of the high notes. Of course, with J. Lo producing it, there is Hollywood feminism mixed into it. We get to hear the revisionist history of marriage and the tired talking points. It was not too bad, but it did make you cringe.

That does not mean the movie lacks charm. It certainly has much of it. There are some genuinely funny moments, especially the “fish out of water” portions of the film with the two of them learning about the others’ occupations.

As for the acting, everyone did a decent job. No one was “breakout,” but everyone put up an excellent performance for the film. Of course, Jennifer Lopez is an amazing singer. Say what you want to, she has a good singing voice and she utilizes it very well in this movie.

Now, the film does have some unearned moments with the characters and I cannot expand without dropping spoilers, but you know it when you see it. It was also too long. It is rare that a rom-com can keep my attention past 100 minutes, sometimes shorter and with some trimming, this one could have passed a little better.

Bottom line, Marry Me is a charming romantic movie that just needed a little bit of trimming and some cringe removed so it could work.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Some foul language, Inappropriate humor, Suggestive themes

FAVORITE QUOTE: Yeah, everyone knows that.

Check out the trailer below:

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