Jennifer Lopez is the queen of romantic comedies, and Marry Me bridges her successful career as a singer with her love for making fun movies. The odd pairing of Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez makes for a story that has you rooting for the underdog.
Romance stories aren’t at the top of my list when it comes to movies unless the film stars Jennifer Lopez. The stories always warm my heart and make me smile. Marry Me gives audiences a character who lives the busy pop star lifestyle (Kat Valdez, Lopez) with an equally high-profile boyfriend (Bastian, played by Maluma). Lopez is no stranger to the high-profile life, so she is in her essence for this film. It also feels like the perfect opportunity to release some new music in a way that delights movie and music fans. Marry Me includes nine original songs.
While some of the songs come off as forced, one song stands out, and it’s not the title song ‘Marry Me.’ ‘On My Way’ is a power anthem that Lopez really shines performing.
“‘On My Way’ is the film’s love theme,” Producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas says. “What I love so much about it is that it says, ‘Everything I did, I now realize I was on my way to you—and you are on your way, too.’ It embraces the mistakes of your life and the fact that you couldn’t see the truth until you took a jump off a cliff.”
What drew me to like this film was the ability to see two characters change for themselves and their partner. Kat Valdez has been in the spotlight for a very long time, and that includes being hyperconnected with her fans. It takes a look at how some celebrities spend every waking second creating content beyond just the music they make. Live streaming and documenting every second of their lives, so they stay relevant and at the top of the publics’ watchful eye.
When Kat finds out about Bastian cheating on her with her assistant, her heart leads her to a spontaneous decision to marry the first guy in the audience holding a ‘Marry Me’ poster. Owen Wilson plays Charlie, a middle school math teacher who is divorced and a father to Lou (Chloe Coleman). He’s just trying to be a cool dad to his middle schooler and agrees to join a fellow teacher (Sarah Silverman) at the concert. Life is turned upside down for the teacher as he said yes to help Kat in a moment of empathy.
The relationship between Charlie and his daughter begins to grow as they connect more and more with Kat in their lives. Coleman always plays excellent characters. The only thing that bothered me about some of the portrayals regarding children was the decision to award bullies for poor sportsmanship instead of disqualifying the team. Just like the industry has a role in shaping stories about women, disabilities, race, or LGBTQ+, the same can be said for bullying. More writers and directors need to shape that narrative better to showcase adults stepping in and consequences for the actions.
As Charlie and Kat grow closer, the two start to rub off on one another. Charlie opens up to the idea of social media, and Kat tries to disconnect from her always hands-on lifestyle. Showcasing the give and take aspects of the relationship that you sometimes don’t see in a film.
Marry Me was a refreshing step back into the J-Lo Rom-Com world. It brought audiences new music to dance to and a love story that flips the scenario of typical romance films.
Marry Me is in theaters and streaming on Peacock on February 11th.
‘Marry Me’ Bridges the Rom-Com Queen with the Music Star
Summary
Marry Me was a refreshing step back into the J-Lo Rom-Com world. It brought audiences new music to dance to and a love story that flips the scenario of typical romance films.
