Streaming rom-coms to get in the holiday mood
None of these are about to become the next “When Harry Met Sally,” but to paraphrase a line that’s probably in one of these movies, sometimes love comes when you least expect it.
Valentine’s Day is upon us, and I’m offering mini-reviews of four new and newish streaming rom-coms.
None of these are about to become the next “When Harry Met Sally,” but to paraphrase a line that’s probably in one of these movies, sometimes love comes when you least expect it.
“You’re Cordially Invited”
(Prime Video original)
The premise: Jim (Will Ferrell) is a goofy widowed dad whose daughter Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) has gotten engaged; Margot (Reese Witherspoon) is an uptight businesswoman whose younger sister Neve (Meredith Hagner) has gotten engaged. Due to a complication so unbelievable that I suspect nobody involved in this movie has ever planned an actual social event, the weddings turn out to be double-booked at a posh Southern island resort. Complications ensue, and if you are not sure who ends up together at the end, congratulations on watching your very first rom-com!
The chemistry: Let me simply say that there is a CGI alligator in this movie — I hope it’s CGI; if it’s real, that alligator will never hold his head up again — and that the fake alligator has far better chemistry with its co-stars than Ferrell and Witherspoon have with each other. To be fair, it’s hard to have chemistry when your acting instructions are, presumably, “yell a lot.”
The life lesson learned: Apparently, it’s possible to completely remake a wedding dress an hour before a wedding by adding a cute peplum? Also, PSA: double-check your wedding venue. Rating: 2 hearts
“Prom Dates”
(Hulu original)
The premise: Two high school seniors and best friends — Hannah (Julia Lester), who’s gay, and Jess (Antonia Gentry), who’s straight — ditch their dates just before prom, and have just 24 hours to find new partners for their long-planned epic prom night. This also includes an Italian vampire dude (which Jess thinks she can handle, as she knows some Italian after watching “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” a lot), a musical number, actor John Michael Higgins putting a condom on his head, and the truly excellent all-purpose retort “I would rather get into a Lyft with Thelma and Louise.”
The chemistry: The friend vibes here are off the charts; Lester and Gentry are funny and absolutely believable as besties, and it’s fun to watch both of them bumble their way through encounters with potential romantic partners (most of which turn out to be disasters) while knowing they have safe harbor with each other.
The life lesson learned: Love comes and love goes, but your best friend will always be there for you. Oh, and don’t go off to a bedroom with an Italian vampire, unless your Italian is very good.Rating: 3.5 hearts
“Find Me Falling”
(Netflix original)
The premise: John (Harry Connick Jr.), a world-famous rock star who once dated Cameron Diaz and Tyra Banks (both of whom have the good sense to not show up in this movie), has relocated to a small seaside cabin on a cliff in Cyprus, in order to flee problems in his career. And yet life has a way of catching up with him, including his ex, Sia (Agni Scott), who lives in this small town and who he once wrote a song about (“Girl on the Beach”) many years ago. Will they try again? Will he write another song about her and will it turn out to be truly terrible? Will he ever explain his many tattoos? Watch and find out! (Or maybe don’t, time being the precious thing that it is.)
The chemistry: Meh. Sia is a no-nonsense doctor and you’d think she’d have better sense than to get involved with John, who honestly seems like a bit of a dolt as he thinks that putting up a makeshift fence — which spans only a small fraction of the cliff — will stop any jumpers, not realizing that they can just, oh, step around it.
The life lesson learned: If you are in a position to buy a home in Cyprus, get yourself a good real estate agent. Rating: 2 hearts
“A Little White Lie”
(2023 movie, new on Netflix)
The premise: Simone (Kate Hudson), an English professor at a Midwestern college, tries desperately to keep her program’s writing festival alive by inviting Shriver (who doesn’t seem to have a first name), the acclaimed, reclusive author of the excellently titled novel “Goat Time” — but the invitation is accepted by a down-on-his-luck handyman (Michael Shannon) who shares the writer’s name. This sounds like a rom-com, right? Particularly the presence of Hudson? Well, it’s kind of a rom-com crossed with a toothless version of “American Fiction,” in that it both satirizes the book world (in this case, academia) and shows off Hudson’s cutely flowing hair.
The chemistry: Hudson is a pro at this sort of thing, and Shannon is a sufficiently interesting actor that the pairing sort of works, in a how-could-this-possibly-work sort of way.
The life lesson learned: Double-check the IDs of people you invite to your conferences. Rating: 2.5 hearts
Moira’s guide to streaming rom-coms:
1 heart — Not even worth hate-watching
2 hearts — If there’s nothing else to watch, try this
3 hearts — Watchable, some semblance of plot
4 hearts — Cute, heartwarming
5 hearts — Cult classic
, who was born and raised in a rural motel called Motel California. After escaping her hometown, she returns home after 12 years and winds up reconnecting with her first love and childhood friend Cheon Yeon Soo (Na In Woo).
Spoilers
In the last broadcast, Yeon Soo confessed his feelings to Kang Hee, signaling the official start of their romantic journey and leaving viewers eager to see what happens next for the two.
In the newly released stills, Yeon Soo cannot hide his smile when he finds Kang Hee hiding in his room. Yeon Soo’s affectionate gaze and bright smile as he looks at Kang Hee, who is hiding behind a teddy bear, clearly reveal his undeniable affection.
The stills also capture a significant shift in Kang Hee’s attitude toward Yeon Soo. Previously, she had been pushing him away with harsh words, but now that they are officially a couple, she openly expresses her feelings for him. The sweet affection between Kang Hee and Yeon Soo, captured in the stills, builds anticipation for how their relationship will unfold in the broadcast.
The production team of “Motel California” teased, In the upcoming episode, Kang Hee and Yeon Soo, who have kept viewers on edge, will finally express their affection for each other as an official couple. They added, Please stay tuned to see if Kang Hee and Yeon Soo can enjoy a sweet date under the radar in town and how they will showcase their chemistry as an official couple rather than just friends.
The next episode of “Motel California” will air on February 7 at 9:50 p.m. KST.
Catch up on “Motel California” on Viki below:
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/40832c-motel-california]
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