Rebel Without Enough Cause

     A recurring, but recently trendy once more, plot device in Hollywood films is the main character taking a knock on the head resulting in some sort of change in their abilities and faculties, or a change in the world around them. That is in play once again in “Isn’t it Romantic”, the just-released film starring Rebel Wilson, that spoofs romantic comedies.

     Wilson can be a real force in supporting roles, but has been so successful in them that she has now begun getting leads, and is also involved in the production of the films. She will have at least a few opportunities to show that she can carry a film, but in this case, she doesn’t.

     Wilson stars as Natalie, an Australian architect, who is wildly disrespected at work, and lacks any confidence. In the initial scene in the movie we see her as a young girl watching “Pretty Woman” on TV and enjoying it. But her Mom comes home and buzzkills her, telling her in no uncertain terms that romantic comedies are stupid, and that the things that occur in them never happen to “girls like us”. Fast forward to the present, where she basically gives the same speech to her friend Whitney (Betty Gilpin), who is supposed to be her assistant, but spends most of her days at work watching romcoms.

     Natalie goes through all of the plot strategies of romantic comedies one by one and debunks them. Later, she leaves work and is mugged in a subway station, her struggle with the mugger eventually leading to her slamming face first into a pole, knocking her cold. She awakens in a dreamy hospital room, and is being attended to by a hunky doctor. She is released from the hospital into a beautifully sanitized New York City and eventually crosses paths with super-rich Australian stud Blake (Liam Hensworth, doing well with what he is given). Just moments before, the real-life American version was dissing her in a meeting, but now he finds her “beguiling”.

     Soon the self-aware Natalie realizes that she has been transported into a romantic comedy, and she hates everything about it. The set-up to this point in the film has been OK, but it is stopped dead in its tracks with the send-up of the gay neighbor (Brandon Scott Jones). The character is supposed to parody this romcom staple, instead it insults us with a flaming and wildly unfunny character. It is easily the worst thing in the film, and, unfortunately, there is plenty of it.

     Natalie returns to her apartment, transformed from a dump into a lavish penthouse suite. When she goes to work the next day, the spartan workplace is now a hipster heaven, the co-workers all love her, except her real-life friend Whitney, who is now the stereotypical bitchy adversary.

     But one character remains the same. Josh, the nerdy guy across the way who has tried without success to get out of the friend zone. Natalie is so used to being ignored by men, she can’t pick up the obvious signals that Josh has a thing for her. Josh is played by Adam Devine, and if you can steal a mediocre film, he certainly does it. Earnest, eager, and funny, Devine is a desperately needed bright light in the movie.

     Next, Josh, out on a friendly walk with Natalie, saves the life of  choking supermodel Isabella (Pryanka Chopra) in Central Park, and of course she falls in love with him. Soon after, Natalie gives into the structures of her new dreamworld, at least the part where she allows herself to accept the advances of Blake.

     Of course, after being initially smitten, Natalie realizes that Blake is a pompous phony, and that she should follow her heart to Josh. But he now is going to marry Isabella, their engagement announced at a swanky party in the Hamptons. So Natalie…ta da….must break up the wedding.

     It is when the movie swings towards its own version of a romantic comedy, that Wilson can’t bring the goods. She now really is in one, not just trashing it, and it doesn’t work. I don’t know if she will have a long run as a leading lady, but I am already yearning for smaller, funnier doses of her mean-ass characters, which she excels at.

     Director Todd Straus-Schulson winks and nods with references to many famous romantic comedies, not really with much effect. In trying to make fun of actual quality films of the genre, he pretty much just succeeds in making a very mediocre one.

     The film isn’t boring, or unpleasant (except for the preposterous gay character, who gets even worse when he tries to be serious), and there are some chuckles along the way. But many bits are overdone, especially the choreographed musical numbers, although at least they are lively.

     There was potentially a good movie to be had here, but this isn’t it. There are plenty of things to lampoon about romantic comedies, but in trying to take them down, “Isn’t it Romatic?” instead proves that there is quite an art to making a good one.

Clink Scale 5.0