I Want You Back

Greetings again from the darkness. It all happens in the first three minutes. Peter gets dumped by Anne, and Emma gets dumped by Noah. We haven't even had a chance to form any opinions of these two long-term relationships, and just like that ... they are both kaput. Director Jason Orley and screenwriters (LOVE, SIMON collaborators) Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger toss us a curveball by having the dumpees form an alliance to help the other win back their dumpers. It's an unconventional approach in this genre and it works due to some sharp writing, and the extraordinary comic timing of the two leads.

Nice guy Peter (Charlie Day, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") loves kids, loves the elderly, and loves Anne (Gina Rodriguez, ANNIHILATION, 2018). She abruptly dumps him because he's a bit boring and she wants a "bigger life" ... her dream is to be a Broadway star. Peter is crushed when she dumps him. Emma (Jenny Slate, OBVIOUS CHILD, 2014) works as a receptionist at an orthodontist office, and Noah (Scott Eastwood, THE OUTPOST, 2019) appreciates her humor, but is turned off by her lack of career ambition. Mind you, he's a fitness trainer. Emma is crushed when she dumps him.

Peter and Emma have a sobbing meet-cute in the stairwell of the office building where they both work, and soon, drunk karaoke and lots of alcohol lead to quite an intricate scheme. Emma will seduce Anne's new boyfriend Logan (Manny Jacinto), while Peter will befriend Noah and talk him out of love with new girlfriend Ginny (Clark Backo). The expected results find the appropriate exes crawling back into familiar arms. It's a plan seemingly doomed to failure, but certain to provide many opportunities for laughter.

The scenes featuring Charlie Day and Jenny Slate are easily the film's best. These are two talented and funny actors who play off each other beautifully. Of course, we presume to know where all of this is headed, and it may involve a threesome and a balcony jump into a hot tub ... or it may not. The concept of sabotaging someone else's happiness in hopes they will return to you is a bit psychotic to say the least. But it's all handled with kid gloves and plays off the old adage, "misery loves company." A bit of truth and relatability occurs as both Emma and Peter dread the idea of starting over in love - a quite common dread. The film kicks off with Jimmy Durante singing "The Glory of Love", and though you'll likely laugh a few times, you'll likely notice the lack of glory in the behavior of Emma and Peter.

Exclusively on Amazon Prime Video February 11, 2022.

I wasn't expecting much out of this movie , and through the first 20 minutes I thought it would just go into a pile with the rest of the cheesy romcoms, but I am a sucker for a good one and I want you back actually is very decent. It has some funny and sweet moments and the two leads are very good. You either love or hate Charlie Day, let's be honest he's pretty much the same guy in every movie, but if you can stand him you probably will enjoy this film. Definitely a good watch with your significant other. The little shop of horrors suddenly Seymour song is great !!

Cute, sweet, and funny. A few belly laughs

Day is convincing enough but Slate is the standout.

Highly recommend if you're a fan of the genre, or want a cute romantic film.

This is one of the best rom coms I've seen in a long time. Growing up in the 90's there were so many I loved but haven't seen any in year. This was definitely a good one to watch.

I Want You Back meets the bare minimum for the rom-com genre: it's sweet and funny. Based on so many others in the genre, this is a harder bar to meet than one may think. Day is good, and Slate is a treasure; they play their friendship turned (spoiler...I guess?) romance with a When Harry Met Sally... influence and confidence that is as unashamed as it is corny. The secret weapon, though, is Eastwood; he needs to do more comedy like this and less copying of his dad's beady-eyed, masculine stoicism.