Review | Romantic comedy ‘Marry Me’ debuts just in time for Valentine's Day

Kat Coiro’s “Marry Me” is a 2000s style romantic comedy with a social media edge. Photo collage by DANIEL PEARSON, Photo Editor

Although it may be tempting to doubt “Marry Me” for its schmaltzy premise and ridiculous trailers, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kat Coiro’s new melodrama was more emotionally effective than I anticipated. Released just in time for Valentine’s Day, the film is sure to make for a fun night out. 

The film begins when pop star Kat Valdez, played by Jennifer Lopez, discovers that her fiancé is cheating on her moments before they are set to get married live in concert. She decides to turn him down and impulsively marries someone in the crowd. Moments later, the stranger in the crowd, Charlie Gilbert — played by Owen Wilson — is brought up on stage. 

After saying “I do,” a minister quickly makes the pair husband and wife, setting the stage for these two leading actors’ love affair.

Although the film’s interrogations of the institution of marriage are fairly basic, producer Lopez’s masterful performance as Kat, a pop star who — much like Lopez — has lived under the watchful eye of the public for quite some time, is compelling for the entirety of the film’s one hour and 52 minute runtime. 

Coiro’s direction harkens back to the romantic comedies of the late 2000s. Saturated colors and a largely static camera define the film’s visual style, bringing films like “50 First Dates'' and “Enchanted” to mind as Kat and Charlie pull each other back and forth over and over again. 

Yet not every aspect of the film can be traced back to the aughts. The way “Marry Me”  integrates social media into its narrative is genuinely interesting, as the film’s energetic editing style does its best to emulate the never-ending stream of commentary celebrities of Kat’s stature must endure online. 

Instagram stories often flash across the screen, offering shreds of commentary on Kat and Charlie’s relationship as it progresses and adding a bit of visual flair to what would be an otherwise generic film. 

Unfortunately, “Marry Me” also retains the excessive product placements of that era. Logos swirl around the frame as Kat shoots social media promos for Vitamix, participates in a gaudy photoshoot for Guess and 一 in a particularly tender moment 一 gifts Charlie’s daughter a new Coach handbag. 

If it were not for Lopez and Wilson’s charming onscreen chemistry, the film’s insistence on working subtle advertisements into virtually every scene probably would have been more distracting. 

Lopez is a near-perfect parallel for Kat, and her passion for the project is exceedingly obvious every time she is on screen. While his role is far less personal, Wilson’s portrayal of Charlie contains enough nuance to ensure that the couple’s connection remains endearing. 

It’s a pleasure to watch the pair warm up to each other as their relationship slowly progresses past its initial superficiality, yet their dynamic’s lack of originality leaves “Marry Me” feeling largely unimpressive. 

“Marry Me” is certainly suitable date night fare, but keep in mind that it by no means stands up to greats like “Muriel’s Wedding.” There are more than a few amusing comedic moments, but many of the film’s jokes failed to elicit more of a sharp exhale from me. 

If you must choose between it and “Belle” 一 the other film I reviewed this week 一 I would recommend going for “Belle” instead. While both pay homage to films of the early 21st century, Mosoda’s take on “The Beauty and the Beast” has far more interest in actually saying something new with its source material than Coiro’s film. 

"Marry Me" is now playing in theaters and also now streaming on Peacock.