The Lovebirds Movie Review

This is an article “The Lovebirds” by Marc Primo

Release date: 22 May 2020 (USA)

Director: Michael Showalter

Language: English

Production Companies: Paramount Pictures, MRC, 3 Arts Entertainment, Quinn’s House

Producers: Tom Lassally, Oly Obst, Martin Gero, Todd Schulman, Jordana Mollick

SPOILER ALERT-- It’s not far-fetched how Netflix’s new romcom The Lovebirds may be compared to the Sandler-Aniston team-up Murder Mystery (also on Netflix), or the Carell-Fey flick Date Night, but there’s more to this hilarious adventure than their co-formula counterparts that won’t steal 87 minutes of your life for nothing.

The movie starts off like any other romcom would. Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) meets Leilani (Issa Rae) and the two develop a typical relationship that quickly escalates into petty arguments. Establishing how the couple debate past their cute phase by using The Amazing Race theory on how they would be able to survive it as a team was perfect in showing audiences where this relationship is heading.

Just as their relationship epiphanies are ripe and driving towards a fork in the road, things take a different turn when they hit a man, get hijacked by a man impersonating an officer, and become witnesses to a murder. From then on, as good as anybody’s guess, the film turns one already bad night into an even deeper look at the New Orleans underground.

What audiences can find in this little crime caper is the amount of jokes that come into the story past 15 minutes of the cute parts. From blackmail to attending a cult meeting, The Lovebirds is rich with fresh repartee and slapstick more refreshing as others with the same theme. Somehow, director Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) manages to throw the romantic part into a filing bin and draw out more effective chemistry in how Najiani and Rae argue.

It actually makes sense how The Lovebirds steers clear of the sweet scenes, since Netflix is already saturated with romcoms in its catalogue and instead make a comeback to comedy tropes that has long been forgotten. What results is a surprising comedy that doesn’t entirely rely on charisma, but directs the audiences’ attention to simply one terrible night of mishaps and shady characters.

Showalter succeeds in encouraging the viewer to root for Jibran and Leilani throughout the film in a way that we all understand how relationships really go; a lot of talking despite the chaos that’s unfolding around us.

Both Najiani and Rae morph into this one super comedy duo who exchanges hilarious back-and-forths one after the other. Plus stand-up and Sunnyside star Moses Storm also makes a meaty appearance as Date Rape Steve that’s truly worth watching.

Overall, The Lovebirds is one fun ride that combines all the essential recipes of action, comedy, and romance for a taste we’re already familiar with, but offers a little more flavor. We can see everybody’s effort in this one and it all pays off well that we can just relax, accept the few loopholes that were overlooked by writers Aaron Abrams, Brendan Gall, and Martin Gero (such as blurry characters of Anna Camp and the Congressman), and just enjoy the effective tandem of Nanjiani and Rae as the lovebirds who really won’t be able to get the film’s merits off the ground without each other.

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