Picture This

My wife and I were looking for some interesting entertainment and settled on this movie, made by Amazon and streaming on Prime. The past few years we have watched lots of, I am reluctant to admit, very marginal "made for streaming" movies and were skeptical, but this is a really fine and entertaining movie.

I had never seen Simone Ashley before, she plays the main character Pia. I just couldn't take my eyes off her, she is gorgeous, but best of all she is a really good actress and her performance here is very authentic.

The basic story is this - she is single and soon turning 30, her younger sister is getting married soon, the sister and her mother are strongly encouraging Pia to find a suitable husband. But she has a career as a photographer and co-owns a studio with her gay friend. But business isn't great and they may go under.

The story has many complications but most things are resolved in good, meaningful ways. We found it to be a worthwhile, entertaining movie.

I watched this purely to see Simone Ashley. British movies, especially rom-coms, rarely come out with actors/actresses from a South asian background. So the representation was really important to me. However the whole storyline was so underwhelming and flat. The characters lacked depth. There were cringey lines all over the place.

You know that feeling when you really want the leads to end up together? It just felt so empty! The leads didn't have any chemistry, whatsoever. Even between 'Pia' and her sister 'Sonal'. I've got to give it to the actor who played 'Jay' who did a great job considering the circumstances. Really wish it wasn't this bad!

Some parts were very funny, others the comedy felt forced and was too much. Jay was the best comedic character and the actor is very talented.

Charlie and Pia really lacked chemistry (does nobody screen test anymore?) which alongside the minimal amount of screentime really didn't make the romance element exciting.

I did love the character of Pia and some of her family moments but it was a bit try hard.

Best part of the film was Jay & Pia's friendship! So if you're looking for a classic romance which makes you feel warm inside, this isn't the one due to the lack of romantic scenes & chemistry alike!

I do not mind a good adaptation, but atleast work on it! How do you manage to get the comedy AND the chemistry wrong? This movie is a prime time example of that. Indian representation doesn't make everything good, Bollywood has much better romcoms if you want to see the culture. Peak overacting, loud expressions, the only saving grace is its colourful aesthetic! Wasn't expecting much from the actor, but even Simone fell flat in this, the dialogues were okay but their execution was bleh, the closing dance was cool but of course you have to have one because it's stereotypical, plus you already know the premise from five blind dates so this movie is giving nothing.

This film had all the ingredients of a great Rom Com. It had beautiful and talented actors and actresses. A funny and sweet story line. A gay best friend, a lovely crazy Indian family but the over acting in it was just awful. It completely ruined it. It was a real shame.

Hero Fiennes was barely in it. Still it would have been acceptable if the acting wasn't so overtly odd. The main characters were constantly at each others throats in quite an agressive way. It did not give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I struggled to watch it all the way through the first time. I won't be watching it again. I know the actors are good. So it must be bad directing. Costumes and design were great, music was fun! Could have been good..... but it was sadly pretty awful.