“The Lovebirds” Review

Directed by: Michael Showalter

Rated: R

Runtime: 1:27

From Michael Showalter, director of “The Big Sick” (2017) and the “Wet Hot American Summer” franchise, comes a blockbuster film that is both a rom-com and a thriller that you can stream at home now, thanks to Netflix. Starring the wildly funny Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, “Lovebirds” tells the story of a couple on the brink of breaking up that gets accidentally roped into a murder mystery, resulting in them having to clear their names and survive the night ahead. The film is extremely similar to the 2010 film, “Date Night” starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey and oddly enough, the two films also have the same score on Rotten Tomatoes: a 66%. The score is mediocre but by no means “bad,” which is honestly how you could describe this film: mediocre, but not bad.

The major draw for this movie is the cast. Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae are two powerhouses when it comes to comedy and if people see a film with their names attached, they can almost guarantee that the film will be at least somewhat funny. These two complete the film and if they were not in it, it definitely would not have been half as decent as it actually was. The two actors play a bickering couple and have such amazing chemistry and feed off of each other so seamlessly that you will forget they are not a real-life couple.

The comparison of this film to the beloved “Date Night” 2010 is accurate, and I do think that fans of that film will enjoy this one. Although the two do have a similar plot, I think “Love Birds” does a better job with the actual comedy aspect of the flick. Again, this is probably because of its fantastic leads carrying the whole film on their backs, but I think that something can also be said for the writers behind it. There are more than a few “laugh out loud” moments, that’s for sure.

All in all, “The Lovebirds” is a mildly successful attempt at a respectable comedy. Sure, it drags toward the middle and there are a few loose plot holes, especially with the film being pretty unrealistic. But at a time like this in the world, it serves its initial purpose as a relatively funny film that will definitely leave its audience with a smile. If you are looking for a fun film to watch out of boredom, this one will definitely not disappoint in that sense because trust me, I have definitely seen some that have more than disappointed me in this time at home. If anything, watch it for the two comedic leads: they are everything we need right now. 

I give Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae alone a 10 out of 10. 

I give the film itself a mediocre 6 out of 10.