My Fake Boyfriend

I got intrigued when I read the synopsis. Creating a fake boyfriend to keep away a toxic one? That's interesting and potentially funny. And while it was pretty funny to see the reality of social media users portrayed in this film (dumb and quick to judge something or someone), but I still can stop myself from thinking that the story isn't acceptable or logical. In real life, you couldn't actually get away with creating an imaginary person, especially when it involves money. I'm not an expert in law, but I'm pretty sure it can be called fraud and it's illegal. So why did I give it a 6? Because it's not an amateur work and the comedy is still pretty good, not to mention that it's decently acted and has a good ending. I'm a sucker for good endings. So in my opinion, this movie is still good enough to watch.

Deception is rewarded and everything else in this film is vaguely incoherent and incomprehensible. At times the characters come across as if the screenwriter had never met a human.

Cast diversity is nice for pride month, just wish the film was better.

I can't imagine anyone over the age of 24 enjoying this hyperactive 2022 roundelay. The first half-hour is a confusing melange of social media machinations and superficial interactions muddied further by the overuse of trendy lingo. It eventually settles down into a standard issue romcom where Andrew, a twenty-something stuntman, tries to end a no-win relationship with a shallow actor named Nico. Andrew's best friend Jake creates a completely fictitious new boyfriend named Cristiano to make Nico jealous but instead creates a viral sensation. Andrew falls in love with a chef named Rafi, and complications ensue. The movie improves marginally when it settles down into a more predictable pattern but not enough. Memorable as the hidden love interest in "Love, Simon", Keiynan Lonsdale is an appealing presence as Andrew but called upon here to act ridiculously at pivotal plot points. Except for Samer Salem as the idealized Rafi, the supporting cast merely deliver over-the-top turns including a post-"Modern Family" Sarah Hyland as Jake's girlfriend Kelly. You can tell I'm really not the target audience here.

This movie has an entertaining storyline with characters who are a lot of fun to watch. Where it falls short for me is the lack of depth. We know that the two best friends, Andrew and Jake, are insecure and lacking confidence, but we never really learn why that is. And at the end when everything comes to a head, there's not really any self-reflection. The consequences come as a result hurting the people they cared about, but not really for lying to a ton of people. So for me, it was just missing that extra layer to have me invested in the characters. I feel like I didn't know much about them other than what was happening in their lives in that moment. Overall, the movie was entertaining enough, but it made no sort of impact on any level, at all.

I stumbled on this by accident and would have been tempted to skip with all the negative reviews. But I know Lonsdale from his small roles in Love Simon and Love Victor where he was good so gave it a shot. I think the negative reviews are nothing to do with honest reviews of a comedy film.

This was a genuinely silly and funny film. The characters were all so OTT and ridiculous. That was the point! It's not bad acting, it's brilliant acting.

I initially thought we might be heading for a bad Weird Science rip off when Sprouse announced he was going to create a boyfriend but the social media twist was clever and had some serious undertones if you want to look for any depth.

The biggest point that the haters seem to have missed is that this film was funny. I was laughing all the way through and when so many comedies fail on that simple point I give it the credit it is due.

I look forward to seeing Lonsdale front and centre in more movies. Keep it up young man and ignore the negativity. It's a thumbs up from me!