If you’ve seen the trailer for Marry Me, the new romcom starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, then you’ll remember how ludicrous the plot is. Lopez portrays three-time divorcee superstar pop singer Kat Valdez, who plans to marry her boyfriend and fellow superstar Bastien (played by Grammy-winning Colombian singer Maluma) during one of their shows in front of millions of fans worldwide. But seconds before they exchange vows, Kat learns Bastien has been cheating on her. In the spur of the moment, Kat decides to “try something new” and marries a stranger in the crowd, instead—Wilson’s Charlie Gilbert, a middle school teacher.

A lot of people likely rolled their eyes at the movie trailer, passing it off as another disposable romcom in a sea of bad romcoms. But something about the film’s blatant preposterous premise made me want to see it even more, and to give it a chance. And I didn’t intend to hate-watch it, I genuinely expected to enjoy the film if it went where I expected it to go. And it did! I’m happy to report back that Marry Me is a great romcom that’s come just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Marry Me feels like the type of film that would’ve been made in the late ‘90s or early 2000s, and I mean that in the best way possible. Directed by Kat Coiro (A Case of You) and adapted for the screen by writers John Rogers (Catwoman), Tami Sagher (30 Rock), and Harper Dill (The Mindy Project), based on the graphic novel of the same name by Bobby Crosby (yes, graphic novel!), the film is extremely corny and melodramatic, filled with the usual romcom cliches, contrived conflicts, and tropes, and, yet, it does all of these things so well that you can’t help but accept it for what it is and let it quickly win you over.

Sure, the film has paper-thin characters (Kat and Charlie don’t really have much dimension to their characters) and an underdeveloped story (a character says late in the film that they’d been rooting for Kat and Charlie’s success the entire time, which didn’t ring true), and the prerequisite montage of the two getting closer comes way too soon, but that hardly matters when the film is this enjoyable.

The key to Marry Me’s success is its earnestness, which it wears on its sleeve like a badge of honor. The film is 100% taking its ridiculous premise seriously; there’s not a cynical bone anywhere to be found. Kat is a woman who’s tired of being the punchline, wants to be taken seriously, but who’s also a hopeless romantic. The fact that Lopez is also a three-time divorcee who’s no stranger to having her love life being the talk of tabloids, and that she didn’t stray from this role, gives the film a sort of metatextual bent, allowing us to believe in the character and root for her (and JLo’s) happy ending.

The film coasts through its familiar story beats with a lot of charm thanks to the strong chemistry between Lopez and Wilson. They’re supported by a memorable cast that includes Sarah Silverman as Charlie’s best friend and fellow teacher Parker; Chloe Coleman (My Spy) as Charlie’s daughter Lou; Michelle Buteau (Someone Great) as Kat’s assistant Melissa; and John Bradley (Moonfall) as Kat’s manager Collin. Each character has their moment to stand out, making you laugh with genuinely funny jokes, or cry during a genuinely emotional moment. And lest not forget about the soundtrack, which features 8 new songs from Lopez and Maluma, almost all of which are pop gold (I especially love “Marry Me,” “Love of My Life,” and “On My Way”).

Marry Me is a meat and potatoes romcom. It’s simple, not to a fault, but in a way that makes it a refreshingly joyful theatrical experience in a time when it’s dominated by countless superhero flicks and derivative blockbusters. Like Kat Valdez, I think Marry Me is worth saying “yes” to and taking a leap of faith for. You never know who, or what, you may fall in love with. 

Three out of four Kents.

‘Marry Me’ is not playing in theatres and streaming on Peacock.

Like what you’re reading? Consider supporting me on Ko-fi by donating just $3!