What to Watch This Weekend: Marry Me

Marry Me is the story of pop sensation Katalina “Kat” Valdez (Jennifer Lopez). She’s about to get married in front of 20 million people in New York City to fellow musician Bastian (Maluma) in what is being touted as not-be-missed live concert event of the season. Roped into attending is Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), a divorced dad and music teacher. When things go awry at the ceremony, Charlie is plucked out of the audience by Kat and the two unexpectedly decide to get married to each other right there on the spot. What follows next is a whirlwind tour of self-discovery for both of them as they examine what is “normal” in terms of developing a relationship with someone.

What works in Marry Me is the charm and comedy. The film sets up a ridiculous premise but does an excellent job of addressing the absurdity quickly and constantly which allows the audience to sit back and enjoy the ride. And it’s a ride of simple good-hearted fun. Lopez and Wilson both shine as incredibly likable characters that just happen to be from different worlds. Their chemistry is palpable and it’s very easy to understand why they care and appreciate each other through both complimentary traits as well as shared values. On top of that, Marry Me is genuinely funny without feeling hokey or silly. Most of the jokes come from the characters being amused at the situation; viewers will just laugh along with them, grinning.

RELATED: Marry Me Official Trailer: Jennifer Lopez And Owen Wilson Get Hitched At First Sight In This Rom-Com

Marry Me understands a simple law of film: if you cast an exceptional musical talent, use it. And Jennifer Lopez radiates. Her character of Kat could easily be interpreted as a self-aware version of Lopez, and she leans into that. This is especially true through the songs and dance numbers which are fantastic. The title song “Marry Me” is genuine pop song hit; “Church” is catchy and funny; and “Love of My Life” is touching and heartfelt.

Audiences who don’t enjoy romantic comedies with a fairly standard formula are less likely to enjoy Marry Me as much as others. The film generally sticks to the predictable narrative road map, but to its credit does avoid forced or convenient conflict. In addition, Marry Me does try to do a little too much plot-wise. A side-story involving Charlie’s daughter goes a little too deep and becomes unexpectedly important resulting in third act slight bloat. It’s a minor quibble, but the core story could have been wrapped up neatly without another thread to resolve.

Marry Me is delightful. It doesn’t offer anything novel but rather reminds audiences that watching two entertaining, decent people fall in love can be joyous. Highly recommended.

Recommended if you Enjoyed: Notting Hill, Pretty Woman, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Hitch

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