Director Michael Showalter
Genre Comedy | Crime | Drama
Cast Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks
Rating R
Release Date May 22nd, 2020 (Netflix)
“A couple experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery.”
From director Michael Showalter, the man behind The Big Sick and the extremely addictive series Search Party, The Lovebirds tells the story of a young couple who find themselves pulled into a bizarre (and hilarious) murder mystery. Working to clear their names and solve the case, they need to figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.
As soon as the trailer for The Lovebirds dropped I was already planning ahead to make sure I was at the theater on opening night. I understand that oftentimes trailers have all of the best parts and once you see the movie it is a letdown, but rarely can trailer have me laughing out loud nearly 5 times so I was ready to take the risk. Plus I am a huge fan of comedian turned actor Kumil Nanjiani, who I first became familiar with on the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley which is a must-watch for those of you who haven’t seen it. Add in the fact that Issa Rae, the co-creator and star of the HBO comedy series Insecure, is his co-star and you absolutely have something worth a trip to your local cinema.
Now fast forward multiple months and we have this damn pandemic which has shut down movie theaters and threatened the livelihood of businesses everywhere, but more importantly it threw a wrench into my grand plans to grab some beers, eat some wings and go see The Lovebirds on April 3rd. But lo and behold the movie gods heard my cries for help, and since we are all stuck confined to our homes like a wild animal at Big Cat Rescue, so the bigwigs at Paramount made a deal for multiple suitcases of cash to allow us the opportunity to enjoy the film in all of it’s glory from the comfort of our couch via the streaming service Netflix - so is The Lovebirds worth an hour and a half of your valuable time (let’s be real we all have literally nothing going on) or is this yet another over-hyped comedy with a really good trailer? Find out below!
All things considered The Lovebirds held up it’s end of the bargain, this is a comedy with a great cast, a simple yet effective premise, and enough to keep audiences engaged from start to finish. Does it cement itself as a must-watch comedy that stands above all others? Not quite, but if you’re seeking an enjoyable hour and 30 minutes with plenty of replay value look no further.
As I mentioned before I intended to see The Lovebirds in theaters opening night, and even after seeing it on Netflix from the comfort of my living room I still would have followed through on that commitment. On one hand the film suffers from the “all of the funny scenes are in the trailer” miscue, but all is not lost. Even though I knew that one of the funniest scenes in the film was from the trailer I still couldn’t help but watch with a big smirk on my face and I credit that to the hilarious facial expressions star Kumail Nanjiani is capable of - the guy is hilarious. If you have yet to see him in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, you’re missing out. From start to finish I enjoyed Nanjiani and Issa Rae as they navigated a crazy chain reaction of events completely out of their control and surely amplified from one bad decision after another made by a couple on the brink of breaking up. The chemistry between the two leads is the key to what makes this movie work and they truly could not have done a better job with the casting. Would I have preferred a few more surprises that the trailer didn’t prepare me for? Sure, but at the end of the day this is a very funny comedy that will stand the test of time.
The Lovebirds is a very funny, engaging, and absolutely over-the-top comedy which basically sums up just what the doctor (or therapist) ordered when you’re looking for a worthwhile date night movie. Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae will continue to rise as comedians turned actors, and rightfully so as they both shine. If you are looking for a Netflix movie that will not only hold your attention but will likely have you coming back for more, The Lovebirds is the movie for you. Just tell them Ted from Ted Takes sent you, trust me. Recommended.
