Directed by: Jason Orley
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
IMDB synopsis: Newly dumped thirty-somethings Peter and Emma team up to sabotage their exes’ new relationships and win them back for good.
Watched via: Streamed on Prime Video
I Want You Back (2022) is an Amazon original romantic comedy that was released earlier this year (February 11th) on Prime Video starring Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, and Scott Eastwood. Charlie Day as a lead in a romantic comedy? Definitely different, so of course I wanted to see how he would fare.
When Peter (Day) and Emma (Slate) happen upon each other in their building’s stairwell, each dealing with just being dumped, they decide that misery does in fact enjoy company. After getting to know a bit more about each other, they hatch a plan to get each other’s exes back.
Peter and Emma putting their plans into action kicks off a snowball effect of unintended consequences. Will the plan work? Will new feelings make the plan impossible to carry out? What will the aftermath of their plan look like in their respective lives?
If you have ever seen a romantic comedy before, you know what to expect and how things wind up. But sometimes that is not an awful thing. Sometimes, it is nice to know where the road leads and to just enjoy the ride getting there. I Want You Back does not reinvent the wheel. It knows exactly what it is, leans into every trope, and succeeds in being an enjoyable romantic comedy.
Charlie Day and Jenny Slate have great chemistry together. And it is their comedic strengths that helps save certain scenes throughout the movie. Yes, you could sit and nitpick the script, the runtime, or even the chemistry between certain characters. But, at the end of the day if you are looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy, I Want You Back will be there for you.
What say you?! Have you seen I Want You Back? What were your thoughts? Comment below or reach out on social media and let me know “I’ve Scene That!”