‘Isn’t It Romantic’ leaves viewers craving more sickly sweet stories
As Valentine’s Day has passed, many people find themselves filled with joy, as they no longer are bombarded in stores by massive balloon hearts and overwhelming flower displays. Frankly, it is probably safe to say that after a certain point, most everyone can find themselves tired of all the romantic gestures and cliche gifts. While the season of rom-coms comes to a close, it brings with it the exposure of the genre — something most people may have not known they needed. “Isn’t It Romantic” is the perfect movie to watch for anyone to wrap up the season of love — whether they continue to soak in the season or are patiently waiting for the curtains to finally close.
“Isn’t It Romantic” is an exploration of the rom-com genre. The film brings the audience into the life of Natalie (Rebel Wilson), an outspoken opponent of the formulated romantic comedy genre. However, she soon faces a change in perspective when she is plunged into a rom-com nightmare after getting knocked unconscious during a subway mugging. Through the help of her friend Josh (Adam Devine) and successful entrepreneur Blake (Liam Hemsworth), she must figure out the importance of love in an otherwise hopeless romantic world.
The core of “Isn’t It Romantic” is a level of comedy constantly playing on the self-awareness Natalie possesses regarding her situation. Normally, the frequency of a single type of humor should get old fairly quickly. However, the same joke is seldom made twice, as different aspects are being realized and joked about each time. Of course, most audiences are familiar with the commonalities that most rom-coms share, but it is pretty entertaining to have them pointed out in a fashion where viewers can easily laugh about them — even if it is their favorite genre.
Throughout the duration of the film, “Isn’t It Romantic” analyzes the stereotypes often seen in any romantic comedy. The level of analysis in the film helps to provide viewers with a new perspective on the genre and opens their eyes to things that are often overlooked. Certain stereotypes represented in the film are used as satirical representations of what can be seen as borderline offensive character portrayals. This commentary serves to open the audience’s eyes to outdated methods of storytelling — a refreshing and important point to make in today’s society.
Something seen and sometimes heard in the film is the use of subtlety. The role of this concept in this and other films is to showcase a theme that is not outright said in the movie. “Isn’t It Romantic” expertly uses this to further examine romantic comedies by using musical tones and familiar camera shots to remind viewers of the film’s true nature, which is that of a romantic comedy. The cinematography used here gives audiences warm feelings of happiness and longing by playing the musical tones as a character enters or exits a room or opens a drawer. Simple tricks like this serve the dual purpose of establishing the film as an exposé and providing comedic effect.
No matter one’s opinion on the infamous holiday of love, “Isn’t It Romantic” provides a heartwarming and hilarious story regardless and leaves audiences everywhere almost craving more of the genre it picks on.
