Netflix The Lovebirds (2020)

[Jake Lipson]

Title: The Lovebirds (2020)

Tagline: All they wanted was a quiet night out

Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance

Director: Michael Showalter

Cast: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Nicholas X. Parsons, Kyle Bornheimer, Barry Rothbart, Catherine Cohen, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Robert Larriviere, Lisha Wheeler, Shannon Nicole, Moses Storm, Nelson Rafael Cepeda, Casey Hendershot, Aaron Abrams, Joe Chrest, Blaine Kern III, Briana Liu, Matthew Rimmer, Jaren Mitchell, Betsy Borrego, Kelly Murtagh, Rob Eubanks, Mahdi Cocci, Joe Camp III, Gralen Bryant Banks, Bobby Bonsey, Monique Brogan, Iman Marshall, Gianni Reid, Edward Spots, Kenneth Kynt Bryan

Release: 2020-05-22

Runtime: 86

Plot: A couple experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme – and hilarious - circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Has anyone else watched this yet?

Paramount scheduled it for a theatrical release prior to the pandemic but ended up selling it to Netflix.

I just watched it tonight and I thought it was cute. Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae star as a couple who are at each other's throats until they witness a murder.

It's not great. It takes some pretty out-there turns, and it sometimes feels like the writers are throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall just to see if any of it will stick. Some of it works and some of it doesn't. But Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae are so funny and effortlessly charming that I went with it and ended up enjoying myself quite a bit. If other actors were doing this, I'm not sure it would be as effective, but they're so charismatic that they elevate the material a lot.

Of course, it's also the first new release I've seen since March, so that novelty definitely worked in its favor. I haven't rented any of the premium VOD stuff for $19.99, but was glad to see a new movie that's just included on Netflix.

It's empty calories, and I mean that in a good way. I probably won't remember much about it a month from now, but it was a very enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half. If you've got Netflix and you like either Nanjiani or Rae or both, it's definitely worth a look with your expectations in check.

Also -- especially since it's not like you have to decide whether to go to the theater and pay money for this -- don't watch the trailer. As is often the case with trailers for comedies, it gives away most of the funny bits, and I'm glad I wasn't overly familiar with it before watching the movie. If you're curious about the movie, just hit play on Netflix; I think you'll enjoy it more without the trailer than you would if you saw the trailer first.