It’s rom-com season, and Marry Me (2022) is the newest to drop both theatrically and on Peacock. Rom-coms are a genre that I tend to always enjoy, no matter how cheesy they can be. Furthermore, make this about a teacher and a musician, and it’s hard for me not to find joy in this film. So – while some may find it corny or silly, I found a lot of joy in watching this film with my wife the day before Valentine’s Day.
Pop icon Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is going to marry her pop-star fiance, Bastian (Maluma), live at a concert. When his infidelity goes viral seconds before the two are set to say “I Do,” she takes the stage and sees unassuming Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) holding a sign that says “Marry Me.” She agrees, and the two wed instantly…and now they have to start to get to know each other.
Sarah Silverman is having a blast in this movie. Her character, Parker Debbs, is a guidance counselor who works with Charlie, who is a math teacher. Parker is the reason Charlie is even at the concert – but the times that Parker is on screen it is clear that Silverman is enjoying every second. In fact, this film does a good job of keeping the drama down and not feeling melodramatic for most of the movie. This leaves plenty of time for the “com” part of the genre to shine. The supporting cast gets quite a bit to do with that time, and John Bradley gets his second big movie in February.
The truth is that Lopez and Wilson are really charming and a natural fit in this genre. Charlie and Kat don’t have much in common on the surface, but both are good people who have struggled with love their whole lives. They balance each other out in good ways and make for some sweet moments on screen.
There are some cheesy parts to the film – but this is truly forgivable. One major scene that felt kind of lame was at the first concert. Kat sings a song that I believe is titled “Church”, and it just didn’t sound good. The performance felt like something that Madonna would have done back in the early 90s, but it was the weakest song in the film by far. Still, there are other songs in the film that sound good, and J-Lo is definitely putting her all into this.
People who don’t love rom-coms probably aren’t going to enjoy this movie. It leans heavily on the genre and doesn’t give much in the way of reinventing it. However, if you like the cast and the general set-up of the film, there is a good chance you’ll enjoy yourself. Marry Me earns the Decent Watch rating.
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