Taking a break from his antics in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Charlie Day joins Jenny Slate in this thoroughly enjoyable rom-com...
Director: Jason Orley
Starring: Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Gina Rodriguez
Running time: 116 minutes
From When Harry Met Sally… to Crazy, Stupid, Love, there is nothing quite as joyous as watching a top quality rom-com, becoming engrossed in the chemistry of an unlikely pairing of characters and having an absolute blast in the process. Yet a properly gripping rom-com is becoming increasingly hard to find. For every Palm Springs there are a thousand low-budget, low-effort releases on Netflix, with names like 'My Secret Scottish Prince in a Fancy Old Castle' or 'Oh My God These Boys Are So Cute I Could Die'. So, is Amazon Prime’s latest romantic release, I Want You Back, more of the former or the latter? Well, without hitting its intoxicatingly charming heights, it is certainly more Palm Springs than any of Netflix’s budget releases.
After both Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) are left by their long-term partners, the pair hatch a plan to try and get the loves of their lives back - forming an unexpected connection themselves in the process. It’s a familiar premise, one that leads to some borderline inconceivable moments, but it also offers a vast number of delightful beats, and lays the groundwork for Day and Slate to establish the sort of heart-warming chemistry that makes the best rom-coms really tick.
The duo may not be your go-to romantic leads, but this is exactly what makes I Want You Back work so well. Much like with Knocked Up and This Is 40, it is the slightly bumbling, bewildered approach to romance that gives this film its alluring charm. These are normal, flawed and relatable people, making it easy to get on their side and root for their success.
At a time where memorable rom-coms are like gold dust, I Want You Back feels like it can stand the test of time
Of course, Day and Slate are hilarious, as well as likeable. From It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the leading pair have proven their comedic talents on countless occasions, and they’re effortlessly funny again here. Where some rom-coms often fall short on the com front, I Want You Back brings a steady stream of laughs throughout, making it one of the most enjoyable releases in recent months.
That said, the film does begin to run out of steam near the end, a slightly convoluted storyline and needlessly lengthy runtime threatening to derail a fantastic opening hour-or-so. As more and more characters are introduced, and more and more dynamics are explored, director Jason Orley increasingly risks losing his focus on the main driver of the film - the central relationship.
Despite this, though, there are always enough enjoyable moments and unexpected twists to keep the audience entertained from start to finish. At a time where memorable rom-coms are like gold dust, I Want You Back feels like it can stand the test of time. In fact, I want to go back and watch it again already.
Did you know? Charlie Day was the only person in his nuclear family not to have doctorate degree until 2014, when his Alma Mater, Merrimack College, awarded him an honorary doctorate.
I Want You Back is now available on Amazon Prime Video
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