Satirical rom-com 'Isn't It Romantic' fails to impress

"Isn't It Romantic" premieres on Netflix on 28 February. Picture: Netflix

"Isn't It Romantic" premieres on Netflix on 28 February. Picture: Netflix

Published Feb 27, 2019

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The opening scene to Netflix's latest rom-com, "Isn't It Romantic," was like deja vu — yet another cliche romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't see herself as "lovable".

Starring Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam DeVine and Priyanka Chopra, the film is meant to be satirical but falls dismally short as the plot is heavily reliant on the very thing its meant to be poking fun at. 

"Isn't It Romantic" focuses on Natalie (Wilson), an Australian-born architect now living in New York. Although talented, she struggles to be taken seriously because she's a people pleaser with self-worth issues that stem from her boozy mother who told her at a very young age that Prince Charming and happy endings don't happen for people like "them". 

The knock-on effects of her mother's poor advice leave her with a damaged self-image and cynical view about love. However, all of this changes when she gets knocked unconscious during a subway mugging and magically wakes up to find herself in an alternate universe. 

Natalie's worst nightmare soon comes true when she suddenly discovers that she's playing the leading lady in a real-life romantic comedy.

Wilson's take on Natalie is entertaining but not memorable. The script is witty but predictable, and you might find yourself checking how many minutes are left on the runtime halfway through the movie. 

The biggest letdown is that the storyline has become pretty much standard for Netflix rom-coms ("Sierra Burgess is a Loser" and "Nappily Ever After"), and doesn't really leave me hopeful for future offerings. 

"Isn't It Romantic" premieres on Netflix on 28 February.

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Rating: 2/5

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