Marry Me
It is perhaps safe to say that nobody expects Marry Me, the pop music-infused romcom starring Jennifer Lopez, to be a masterpiece of filmmaking. Its redeeming feature, however, could have been the entertainment factor. Sadly, the film is more interested in desperately trying to make its protagonist (and, by default, Lopez herself, who is also the producer) look as cool and appealing as possible in what feels like an extended promotional video rather than a movie.
The plot sees megastar Kat Valdez (Lopez) prepare for a special concert, in which she will perform with her fiancé, fellow singer Bastian (played by Colombian star Maluma), before they pronounce their wedding vows live on stage. In the moments preceding the ceremony, which is being viewed by millions of people worldwide, the news that Bastian has cheated on Kat goes viral, causing the shocked protagonist to make an impulsive decision: she picks a random man from the audience and marries him instead. The man in question is Charlie (Owen Wilson), a maths teacher and single dad, who couldn’t be more detached from the glitzy celebrity world she lives in. Rather predictably, what starts off as a vindictive whim soon turns into something more.
The main objective of the feature does not appear to be to deliver a worthwhile story, but rather of promoting Jennifer Lopez’s image and new music through Kat Valdez, an alter ego who has plenty in common with the star. Through the protagonist, Lopez takes the opportunity to voice her frustration at never being nominated for awards, she defends her choice to have married multiple times (and specifies she didn’t tie the knot as many times as has been suggested – only thrice) and she even makes space for advertising the fashion brands she habitually promotes. At one point, between one love scene and another, a collection of designer handbags is brought in to be briefly discussed, named and admired, further cheapening the already questionable scope of the production.
Aside from a painfully formulaic plot, there is no real acting by the leads, as Lopez essentially plays herself and Wilson puts in minimal effort, and there is no chemistry between the two (nor between Lopez and Maluma). The music is purely manufactured, and the attempted humour falls completely flat. In short, Marry Me can only really appeal to Lopez’s die-hard fans.
Mersa Auda
Marry Me is released nationwide on 11th February 2022.
Watch the trailer for Marry Me here:
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