When it comes to smart and thoughtful romantic comedies, the genre doesn’t always get the love and respect it rightfully deserves. Revitalized in the late ’80s and early ’90s by rom-com queen Nora Ephron with iconic film moments timelessly quoted and feel like magic, too many among the genre today are amplified through clichés that become derivative. But while many are few and far between lately, the Amazon Studios Original is Amazon Prime Video’s latest gift for Valentine’s Day and by far one of the best romantic comedies in years. Equal parts funny and heartwarming, the film might look like your usual rom-com, but it elevates the genre with a charismatic charm and warmth.
Directed by Jason Orley of Big Time Adolescence and written by This Is Us producers Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, who create a realistic and believable charm to the story’s plot, I Want You Back follows two total strangers, Emma (Jenny Slate) and Peter (Charlie Day). They bond after unexpectedly getting dumped by their partners, played by Scott Eastwood and Gina Rodriguez, respectively. The broken-hearted pair, who are incredibly likable characters and have the most refreshingly honest dialogue, worry they have lost their shot at a happily ever after. Through their conversations, the pair decide to win their exes back with each other’s help turning into a well-paced comedy of shenanigans and heart.
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While Peter works to manipulate Emma’s ex Noah (Eastwood), as his new best friend, and divert his attention from girlfriend Ginny, Emma attempts to break up Peter’s ex Anna (Rodriguez) with high school theatre director Logan (Manny Jacinto). Through the saying “misery loves company,” the pair’s commiseration as the “sadness sisters” turns into a mission they are dead set about as they eagerly work to win back their “soulmates.”
Artfully dodging genre clichés with a charming familiarity last seen in When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle, Amazon Prime Video’s I Want You Back redefines those romantic elements for a new-age romantic comedy that feels contextually relevant and adds a significant amount of dimension to the usual offerings. While the writing is so solid and mindful of how real romance unfolds in that “slow burn” kind of way, the performances are delightful for a completely heartfelt romantic comedy loaded with big laughs.
Slate and Day shine as one of the most charming on-screen duos of 2022, with their infectious chemistry being just undeniably perfect. It’s hard to believe this is their first film as romantic leads together, but every scene with them is a delight, making the movie all the easier to fall in love with. Add in the supporting cast that is incredibly well-rounded, and you’ve got the perfect romantic comedy that is an actual gem. Eastwood and Rodriguez play their characters with charm and appeal, along with Backo and Jacinto, who add so much flair to the film with their roles. Because of these performances and the writing from Aptaker and Berger, I Want You Back truly captures the best of the romantic comedy genre to stand out on its own as a new-age classic.
With Orley’s direction, I Want You Back helps defy those genre stereotypes we often see for an authentic movie-watching experience. Complete and rounded out with memorable scenes that are sprinkled in with witty dialogue and a “will-they-or-won’t-they” struggle that integrates the best of love and friendship through realism, I Want You Back works so well because while it’s reminiscent of a type of humor and love seen in Ephron’s classics inspired by real-life.
Far from the syrupy blueprints, I Want You Back is a genuinely funny, relatable and refreshingly original script from the producers of This Is Us that makes this romantic comedy so easy to fall for. Playing to the old-school charm, I Want You Back — thanks to its brilliant and talented cast, writers, and director — stands out on its own and sits most comfortably as one of the best feel-good movies of 2022 that will stick with you for years to come, whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not.
