'Somebody I Used To Know' Review: Sharp and smart romantic comedy trips as it tries too hard
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dave Franco's romantic-comedy 'Somebody I Used To Know' just dropped on Prime Video. The film stars Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons, and Danny Pudi in the tight-knit lead. Although it is a romantic-comedy, the film whose name is a word away from 'Somebody That I Used to Know' song by Gotye, is much more than a romantic-comedy. Dave Franco and Alison Brie wrote the movie with a twist of something that's far away from a typical American satiric comedy, but still gives off a heavy Julia Robertsian vibe from the movie 'My Best Friend's Wedding'.
The expectation was high with 'Somebody I Used To Know', as Brie is known for many great movies like, 'The Disaster Artist', 'The Rental', and 'The Post'. But, it didn't quite beat the right bush with this one. Although Dave Franco had the heart in the right place, it just didn't show on the screen.
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An overworked TV producer goes back home
The story follows protagonist Ally, who is an overworked TV producer in Los Angeles, and whose life revolves around a show about desserts. The gig is not something she saw herself doing as a passionate filmmaker, but it pays the bills and provides a roof over her head. When Ally's show gets cancelled, she thinks of taking a break and moving back to her hometown of Leavenworth to ponder over her life. Instead of pondering, old ghosts of the past come to haunt her and make her think about the life she left and the life she could have had. After landing in Leavenworth, Ally arrives at her house and finds her mom in a compromising position with her 3rd grade school teacher. In a way to avoid the awkwardness, she goes to the nearest bar and runs into her ex-boyfriend Sean. Sean invites Ally to lunch, which turns into drinks, which turns into dinner, which turns into an evening drunkenly frolic across town. After having the entire day with Sean, Ally starts to feel a connection and re-thinks her choices and her life back in Los Angeles. She confesses to Sean her doubts about moving to Los Angeles to pursue dreams that never took off. While he admits that he has also wondered what would have happened to them.
But the whole idea of getting back together is a no-go, as Sean is getting married and In true rom-com-leading-man fashion, Sean is a coward and hid his wedding plans from Ally, which she accidently finds out about when Sean's mother invites her for dinner for his engagement party. The footprints of classic ’80s and ’90s romantic comedies are all over 'Somebody I Used to Know', whose central plot, of Ally trying to win back Sean, is reminiscent of 'My Best Friend’s Wedding'. But there is also a strong desire to shape the movie in a modern sense, in a way that doesn't scream "copied".
The writing is intelligent, but not very showy
'Somebody I Used To Know', a baby project for both director Dave Franco and wife Alison Brie, is a sharply conceived and smart romantic comedy, which tries too hard to set its own place at a higher bar and make an example out of it. The writing although intelligent, isn't very showy and doesn't come out the way it should. The visual feels more natural and documented than flowy and slow-paced. It seems like Franco wanted to set an example by writing a script that stands-out, but seemed to write something that gives us second-hand embarrassment for the protagonist than empathy.
In the first half of the movie, you might think that the story is about a love language between Ally, her former lover Sean and his soon-to-be wife Cassidy, but its far away from it. The story rather is a fight of the lead characters with themselves and their place in the world. The best part of the story is that it asks the bigger questions through the characters, where they chose a person they feel comfortable with over their own selves. The movie takes you on a journey of self-love and describes a great definition of "being alone". 'Somebody I Used To Know' is exclusively available to watch on Prime Video.