Isn't It Romantic

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 7 Day 7
Isn't It Romantic

Oh the romantic comedy, the bread and butter of my high school years. I love getting butterflies in my stomach every time my dream couple has their first kiss, especially if it's on top of the Empire State Building. I held my breath when Harry finally told Sally how he felt. I cried when Julia heard Robbie sing I Wanna Grow Old With You in The Wedding Singer. I knew I had to see Isn't It Romantic when Rebel Wilson posted pictures on Instagram during production. I followed the production online and was so excited to see the trailer. Added bonus, it's the week of Valentine's Day! On this snowy, cold morning I fought the icy roads and treated myself to Isn't It Romantic. My favorite place is the movie theater and it's even better when you are the only one in the room. I had the entire theater completely to myself. I could laugh or cry as loud as I wanted. Talk about pure Heaven on earth!

Isn't It Romantic stars Rebel Wilson as Natalie, Adam Devine as Josh, Liam Hemsworth as Blake and Priyanka Chopra as Isabebella. Natalie is an architect  living in New York City, she is shy and incredibly self-conscience. Her best friend is her coworker Josh who tries to tell her how great she is. One day Natalie hits her head and wakes up in an alternative universe where her life is a PG-13 romantic comedy. She is the only person who knows what's going on and everyone else is in a dream state. Even the city of New York is filled with flowers carts, charming cupcake shops and smells like lavender. If you have ever been to New York City, you know that it not the case. Natalie meets a rich billionaire named Blake who wants to sweep her off her feet. Josh meets a supermodel yoga ambassador named Isabella and they start dating. Natalie must decide how she wants her life to play out in the fantasy world. Does she want a traditional romantic comedy ending or does she want something real?

Relating to Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson is one of those actresses that you want to be best friends with. I want to have a few drinks and sing a karaoke duet with her. She brings a joy and glow to every character she plays. She looks like she is having fun and we want to have fun with her. I respect her because she looks like a real woman. It's so hard to watch a movie where the leading lady is a size 2, it feels like an unachievable standard. There is a moment at the beginning of the film where Natalie's mother tells her that she will never be like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Natalie is not some small blushing beauty and handsome men don't want average women, they want Julia Roberts. It's a heartbreaking moment but it's what women are taught. If we don't look a certain way, if we don't have perfect hair, money, and a yoga body then we are seen as less than other women. We are taught to always compare ourselves to someone else. Isn't It Romantic says no to the perfect body standard, it says embrace who you really are. Love yourself because we love you!

The casting in Isn't It Romantic was hilarious and perfect. Liam had no problem making fun of himself, he just went for it. It was so funny to see this sexy man fall into all the cheesy romantic comedy cliches. He dramatically writes his phone number on rose pedals and dropping them on the ground for Natalie. Who does that!? Priyanka Chopra does a brilliant job keeping up with Rebel Wilson. I had no idea how funny Priyanka was! She has perfect comedic timing and I hope we see her in more comedies. Then there is Adam Devine, I swear I like him more and more with every film. He has this charming way about him, call it the "It" factor. You want to give him a big hug and we all fall a little in love with him, well I did! He's the cute boy next door you slowly fall in love with because he's genuinely there for you. Oh be still my beating heart!

Some slight spoilers ahead.....
Isn't It Romantic asks the question, would life be better if we lived in a romantic comedy? When you have everything you thought you always wanted, are you truly happy?  Natalie takes a hard look at her life and sees that the only person holding her back is herself. She doesn't believe her work or ideas are extraordinary, so no one else does either. She assumes all the men she meets only see her as a friend. She hold herself back from loving herself. The real moral of the story is accepting who you are and not being afraid to create your own true happiness. It's a beautiful story and it's something that women and men need to remind themselves of all the time. One of my favorite Charlie Chaplin quotes is, "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up but a comedy in long-shot."  Isn't It Romantic fights the stereotypes with humor and grace. Teaching us that loving ourselves and creating our own happiness is what is most important.

If you are looking for a movie to make you laugh or if you have a passion for romantic comedies, Isn't It Romantic is for you. BONUS: Musical Moments! Director Todd Strauss-Schulson does a masterful job of finding cliche songs from romantic comedies and featuring them in Isn't It Romantic. Let's talk about Todd. Todd took as story that could have been so cheesy and made it into something poignant about love and life. Thank you Todd from reminding the audience, all we need is to love ourselves. We are responsible for our own happiness and we are perfect just as we are. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Grab a girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, sister, aunt, or mother and enjoy this wonderful romantic comedy. May you leave the theater with a smile on your face and a little dance in your step!