George Clooney and Julia Roberts play two people who were once married, but are now happily divorced, in this easygoing rom-com that coasts along on the star power of the leads. They have character names, but it’s easier to just call them Clooney and Roberts, considering that should be the draw for most people.
The pair can barely stand to be in the same room together, but they have to put aside their differences when their daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) has a holiday romance with a young man (Maxime Bouttier) that could lead to her completely changing her life plans for the chance of blissful happiness on what seems very much like a paradise island. There’s a wedding looming, a wedding that blindsides her parents. While Roberts and Clooney DO want their daughter to be happy, they think they know better. The only way to keep her from ruining her entire life is to ensure that the wedding is called off.
While director Ol Parker has played around in this sandbox before, most successfully with his last film before this one (a certain musical sequel making use of some huge ABBA hits), and he’s a very safe pair of hands. Having co-written the screenplay with first-timer Daniel Pipski, he keeps the focus on either the interplay between our charismatic leads or the natural beauty of the island setting, and that is enough to help this play out as a perfectly enjoyable rom-com.
I would feel a bit too sycophantic if I spent much more time praising Roberts and Clooney, so take that as a given, but there’s also fun to be had with a number of the supporting cast members. Dever has to be believably exasperated by parents she also still loves very much, and she plays that well, while Bouttier manages to portray his loving husband-to-be without seeming too bland or naïve. Billie Lourd has fun as the bestie who is making the most of the sun, sand, and selection of cocktails on the island, and Lucas Bravo steals a few scenes whenever he appears as the man currently in a relationship with Roberts.
There are few surprises (okay, there are none), but this has some decent laughs throughout, enough sweetness developing within the central characters to make you eventually root for them to sort things out, and even a drinking game montage that allows older viewers to enjoy some ‘90s tunes on the soundtrack. There are also some bloopers over some of the end credits that help to guarantee you are still smiling once it’s all over (an easy enough “cheat code” for movies, but these clips are more fun than most).
It’s insubstantial and forgettable, and would not be worth your time at all if it wasn’t for the casting, but it’s good fun for the duration of the runtime. I doubt anyone will rush to rewatch it, aside from those who are seriously dedicated fans of either lead, but it’s cute and amusing enough for those wanting to add a new rom-com to their viewing schedule.
6/10
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It was fine as a throwaway romantic comedy. As you say, no surprises at all.
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