Isn’t it Romantic?
Do yourself a favour and watch Isnt It Romantic? The new film with Rebel Wilson that dropped on Netflix last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4O-XZCmqcE
Isn't It Romantic? is about Natalie, who from a young age learns not to love herself and hates rom-coms. As a child she loved romances but is discouraged by her mum (Jennifer Saunders) and told that romances just don't really happen to girls like her. Meaning it only happens to pretty, skinny girls, Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts being her example.
Years later, Natalie is an Australian woman living in New York City in a crappy apartment with a filthy dog, and working as an architect. She's great at her job but her self esteem is so low that she 's stuck being the coffee bitch and afraid to pitch her ideas. Her assistant (Whitney) and co-worker (Josh, played by Adam Devine) rev her up to build her confidence to join in the 'big meeting' and to go for it with her ideas, but the illusion is shattered when she's treated rudely by billionaire Blake they're pitching designs to (played by Liam Hemsworth).
Let down, she gets into a fun conversation with Whitney, who's low key watching The Wedding Singer at her desk, about why rom-coms are so ridiculous and she hates them. Together they break it down ticking off a list of some of the more obvious tropes like waking up in full make up, having a great apartment, the only two women in the work place being mortal enemies, crashing weddings, etc. The problem though is that Natalie is so caught up in what isn't that she doesn't really take the time or effort to be open to what could be, as Whitney points out.
The catalyst for our story comes when on the subway home Natalie sees a cute guy, receives a text from Whitney reminding her to be open and almost reluctantly strikes up a conversation with the guy when they get off at the station. Next minute the guy dives for her handbag, a struggle ensures until Natalie kicks his ass (because Rebel is a badass) but runs headfirst into a column and knocks herself out cold.
Waking up in the most gorgeous ER room with a smoothie beside her, perfect makeup and a hot doctor, Natalie is immediately suspicious. It grows when he clothes are mysteriously destroyed, the lost and found offers a replica of an iconic Pretty Woman look, and she walks out into the lavender-smelling streets of the Big Apple to hear the opening chords of 'A Thousand Miles'.
In quick succession she's hit by billionaire Blake (literally), realises every time she swears something bleeps her out, Whitney suddenly hates her, Josh saves a choking supermodel (Priyanka Chopra) he decides to marry in five minutes, and that every time she tries to get a piece of Blake's hot body it fades to black.
The minor time loop scene when she keeps waking up the morning after her romantic date, complete with kissing in the rain, in Blake's bed only to realise that it will fade to black every she tries to be intimate is actually hilarious. Begs the question of how long she could stay in the loop trying to get it before giving up. I love a good time loop!
Plus there's Donny, her designated gay friend who doesn't have a job and exists solely to be around for makeovers, advice and quippy remarks such as:
'Someone said "Gay Beetlejuice" three times and I magically appeared'.
He's a super camp stereotype but he has some of the best moments in the film and is even legit looking through the bedroom window from the outside during one scene. Plus his outfits are fab.
The movie follows the typical plot line of a rom-com as it parodies the genre with Natalie trying to figure out what she needs to do in order to get back to the real world. At first she thinks its to make Blake fall in love with her, then to make Josh fall in love with her, then to break up his wedding.
But the real twist (if you could call it that) is that the only person she needed to fall in all along was herself. Anything else was a bonus.
Natalie is an extremely relatable character, who's journey to loving herself really comes from gaining confidence and realising that it doesn't matter what you look like if you can't love yourself for who you are. You need to be open to possibility and to being grateful for what you have.
Her moment of clarity comes when storming the church to declare her love for Josh, only to realise its really herself that she's fallen in love with. Elated she wishes them luck, with an aside that it probably won't last, and drives off in the red convertible parked out front at the end of her rom-com.
Back in the real world Natalie makes her pitch, dominates billionaire Blake and calling him out for being rude, confesses her affection to Josh and has him admit to being so over the moon for her always. Natalie is so happy, so content with herself, that she dresses up grand, smiles at everyone and beems with the kind of confidence that can only come from within.
By the end of the movie I was practically fist-pumping from the treadmill and had to resist the urge to dance along to both of the film's musical numbers, sung to the hits of none other than badass Madonna and Whitney Houston.
My favourite of the two dance numbers you can watch a portion of here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCocubmMdbY
Whitney's banger 'I wanna dance with somebody', a song I've heard and absolutely sung and danced to a million times, kind of hit me in the face a little tonight watching this movie. Particularly the line 'I need a man to who'll take a chance on a love that burns hot enough to last' - damn right I do!
The film ends with a more modernised version of 'Express Yourself' by Madonna and that drove home the film's final message - you're great, love yourself, and don't settle for second best. An extremely important message to all of us today, including myself, and something to aspire to. Rebel Wilson's character, Natalie, at the end of this film is who we should all aspire to be. Dancing in the streets of New York City might not necessarily be logical, or safe, but the feeling in wanting to sing at the top of your lungs about how great you feel is how we should feel every day.
I realised that I had been settling for second best, wasting time on someone who couldn't meet match me or take a real chance on a love that could last, and I sacrificed my love for myself to compromise more than I should have. I need to love myself better.
I deleted all my dating apps today. I decided that I have to stop wasting time on people who don't make the effort for me. If people want me in their life or they fancy me then they have to put in the work for it. I'm no one's second choice, no one's rebound, no one's 'kind of interested' and I'm sure as shit worth a lot more than some half-assed attempt to date. If someone wants to be with me in the future they'll have to show it and put in the effort, not deliberate for a century and remain perpetually unsure.
I've got amazing friends and family; I don't need any man to complete me.
I think Isn't It Romantic? is definitely a fun and surprisingly meaningful watch that I recommend. If you're needing a pick-me-up, a bit of a laugh, or you're going through some shit I think it might help. Give it a go - its a great, light-hearted take on the rom-com genre and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end.
Love yourself a little better.
Sam xox
I've said it before and I’ll say it again: Rebel Wilson is a national treasure. You can’t change my mind.
The movie is a hilarious parody of the rom-com genre and it succeeds everywhere Amy Schumer’s I Feel Pretty failed. Plus it was exactly what I needed.
Let me tell you that now after almost 3 months, hundreds of conversations, tears, rage moments, a new tattoo, casual sex, a barrage of tinder dates and various blog posts I am so goddamn sick of my break up drama that I literally want to shoot myself in the face. I’m over it!
I mean don’t get me wrong I’m not over the break up itself, that’s still going to take some time, but I’m over being held back by it. *deletes sentence about them kissing my skinny ass*
My new thing is to watch movies on the treadmill; last week I watched Velvet Buzzsaw (which I actually really liked) and this week I watched Isn't It Romantic?
I got a McFlurry and a Coke Zero on the way and just set up the movie for round two, so let's talk about it before I pass out from exhaustion.
Spoilers ahead. Trailer here:
My new thing is to watch movies on the treadmill; last week I watched Velvet Buzzsaw (which I actually really liked) and this week I watched Isn't It Romantic?
I got a McFlurry and a Coke Zero on the way and just set up the movie for round two, so let's talk about it before I pass out from exhaustion.
Spoilers ahead. Trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4O-XZCmqcE
Isn't It Romantic? is about Natalie, who from a young age learns not to love herself and hates rom-coms. As a child she loved romances but is discouraged by her mum (Jennifer Saunders) and told that romances just don't really happen to girls like her. Meaning it only happens to pretty, skinny girls, Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts being her example.
Years later, Natalie is an Australian woman living in New York City in a crappy apartment with a filthy dog, and working as an architect. She's great at her job but her self esteem is so low that she 's stuck being the coffee bitch and afraid to pitch her ideas. Her assistant (Whitney) and co-worker (Josh, played by Adam Devine) rev her up to build her confidence to join in the 'big meeting' and to go for it with her ideas, but the illusion is shattered when she's treated rudely by billionaire Blake they're pitching designs to (played by Liam Hemsworth).
Let down, she gets into a fun conversation with Whitney, who's low key watching The Wedding Singer at her desk, about why rom-coms are so ridiculous and she hates them. Together they break it down ticking off a list of some of the more obvious tropes like waking up in full make up, having a great apartment, the only two women in the work place being mortal enemies, crashing weddings, etc. The problem though is that Natalie is so caught up in what isn't that she doesn't really take the time or effort to be open to what could be, as Whitney points out.
The catalyst for our story comes when on the subway home Natalie sees a cute guy, receives a text from Whitney reminding her to be open and almost reluctantly strikes up a conversation with the guy when they get off at the station. Next minute the guy dives for her handbag, a struggle ensures until Natalie kicks his ass (because Rebel is a badass) but runs headfirst into a column and knocks herself out cold.
Waking up in the most gorgeous ER room with a smoothie beside her, perfect makeup and a hot doctor, Natalie is immediately suspicious. It grows when he clothes are mysteriously destroyed, the lost and found offers a replica of an iconic Pretty Woman look, and she walks out into the lavender-smelling streets of the Big Apple to hear the opening chords of 'A Thousand Miles'.
In quick succession she's hit by billionaire Blake (literally), realises every time she swears something bleeps her out, Whitney suddenly hates her, Josh saves a choking supermodel (Priyanka Chopra) he decides to marry in five minutes, and that every time she tries to get a piece of Blake's hot body it fades to black.
The minor time loop scene when she keeps waking up the morning after her romantic date, complete with kissing in the rain, in Blake's bed only to realise that it will fade to black every she tries to be intimate is actually hilarious. Begs the question of how long she could stay in the loop trying to get it before giving up. I love a good time loop!
Plus there's Donny, her designated gay friend who doesn't have a job and exists solely to be around for makeovers, advice and quippy remarks such as:
'Someone said "Gay Beetlejuice" three times and I magically appeared'.
He's a super camp stereotype but he has some of the best moments in the film and is even legit looking through the bedroom window from the outside during one scene. Plus his outfits are fab.
The movie follows the typical plot line of a rom-com as it parodies the genre with Natalie trying to figure out what she needs to do in order to get back to the real world. At first she thinks its to make Blake fall in love with her, then to make Josh fall in love with her, then to break up his wedding.
But the real twist (if you could call it that) is that the only person she needed to fall in all along was herself. Anything else was a bonus.
Natalie is an extremely relatable character, who's journey to loving herself really comes from gaining confidence and realising that it doesn't matter what you look like if you can't love yourself for who you are. You need to be open to possibility and to being grateful for what you have.
Her moment of clarity comes when storming the church to declare her love for Josh, only to realise its really herself that she's fallen in love with. Elated she wishes them luck, with an aside that it probably won't last, and drives off in the red convertible parked out front at the end of her rom-com.
Back in the real world Natalie makes her pitch, dominates billionaire Blake and calling him out for being rude, confesses her affection to Josh and has him admit to being so over the moon for her always. Natalie is so happy, so content with herself, that she dresses up grand, smiles at everyone and beems with the kind of confidence that can only come from within.
By the end of the movie I was practically fist-pumping from the treadmill and had to resist the urge to dance along to both of the film's musical numbers, sung to the hits of none other than badass Madonna and Whitney Houston.
My favourite of the two dance numbers you can watch a portion of here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCocubmMdbY
Whitney's banger 'I wanna dance with somebody', a song I've heard and absolutely sung and danced to a million times, kind of hit me in the face a little tonight watching this movie. Particularly the line 'I need a man to who'll take a chance on a love that burns hot enough to last' - damn right I do!
The film ends with a more modernised version of 'Express Yourself' by Madonna and that drove home the film's final message - you're great, love yourself, and don't settle for second best. An extremely important message to all of us today, including myself, and something to aspire to. Rebel Wilson's character, Natalie, at the end of this film is who we should all aspire to be. Dancing in the streets of New York City might not necessarily be logical, or safe, but the feeling in wanting to sing at the top of your lungs about how great you feel is how we should feel every day.
I realised that I had been settling for second best, wasting time on someone who couldn't meet match me or take a real chance on a love that could last, and I sacrificed my love for myself to compromise more than I should have. I need to love myself better.
I deleted all my dating apps today. I decided that I have to stop wasting time on people who don't make the effort for me. If people want me in their life or they fancy me then they have to put in the work for it. I'm no one's second choice, no one's rebound, no one's 'kind of interested' and I'm sure as shit worth a lot more than some half-assed attempt to date. If someone wants to be with me in the future they'll have to show it and put in the effort, not deliberate for a century and remain perpetually unsure.
I've got amazing friends and family; I don't need any man to complete me.
I think Isn't It Romantic? is definitely a fun and surprisingly meaningful watch that I recommend. If you're needing a pick-me-up, a bit of a laugh, or you're going through some shit I think it might help. Give it a go - its a great, light-hearted take on the rom-com genre and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end.
Love yourself a little better.
Sam xox
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