With Valentines Day rom-com releases you can be sure to always get bombarded with a batch of sickeningly sweet romance films that take us nowhere new. I know, because I usually have to sit through them.
When I finally get the opportunity to review a film that surprises me, one I really enjoy, it's just great. The 'JLO' Rom/Com Marry Me is just such a film. It hits all the right notes. It's terrifically musical, doesn't take itself too seriously, it isn't too heavy, preachy, or over-wroth with emotion, it just slides right into that "this is fun to watch" category. You might feel like you've seen this film before, but you really haven't, it just feels that way because it's so dang comfortable and easygoing. JLO definitely retains her title of Rom/Com Queen with this one.
As expected, the film asks some simple questions about "Love", what it is, what it might be, what it could be, but it does it in such a soft way that every dreamer can answer the questions for themselves. Just to find me talking about Love, a day after I saw the film says a lot about it.
Of course, the biggest feature of the film is its music; it's loaded with original songs by Jennifer Lopez and Latin Megastar "Maluma", who by the way are great together. The last time I loved the music in a film this much was in the movie The Bodyguard and Whitney Houston was singing it.
Here's The Storyline...
Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez; The Wedding Planner), a music superstar, and the hot new Latin performer Bastian (Maluma) are about to be wed on stage right after singing their duet "Marry Me" in a ceremony that will be streamed across multiple platforms. In the audience with his daughter, Lou (Chloe Coleman; My Spy) and best friend Parker (Sarah Silverman; Wreck-t Ralph) is Math Teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson; Wedding Crashers).
Moments before the ceremony, a video of Bastian being unfaithful with Kat's assistant is released online, leaving Kat on stage, in her wedding gown with the whole world watching. Out of desperation she spots a stranger in the crowd and asks to wed him instead, saying "If what you know lets you down, then perhaps what you don't know is the answer." The stranger, of course, is Charlie and for some insane reason, he says yes. What follows becomes a love story played out in the public eye with all the inherent problems of celebrity, media attention, and marriage.
As I said the superstars are both great in this film, their obvious chemistry is front and center. Wilson does his usual 'everyman' stuff, but it comes off as sincere here. Sarah Silverman does a fun Sarah Silverman, and Chloe Coleman is cute as a bunny. All in all, it's a nice romp.
For the home entertainment release, the 1080p resolution is good enough as opposed to a 4K release with all the "bells and whistles" that involves. The concert scenes are grand without being over the top. The glitzy and glamourous details of Kat's wedding dress, her apartment, etc. are sharp and clean without looking overproduced.
Equally as important, especially when making a musical film, the DTS-HD Master Audio needs to be outstanding. Luckily, the sound and dialogue tracks are rich and layered bringing depth, not only to the music but to the film overall. Details such as these make Marry Me a solid purchase option for JLO and Maluma fans worldwide.
Besides the Blu-ray disc, DVD disc, and Digital HD, the pack offers several extras that are as enjoyable to watch as the movie itself. The extras include Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, Jennifer Unveiled, Behind the Camera: The Making of Marry Me, Turn it up: the Music of Marry Me, Live at Madison Square Garden, Married with Style, "On My Way" Lyric Video and Feature Commentary.
My take... Marry Me is a musical treat, with a lot of romantic story to like. I think you might just fall in love with this one. Check it out.
Grade: B
