Movie Reviews

‘I Want You Back’ review: Refreshing rom-com is perfect Valentine’s watch

A cute rom-com filled with surprises.

February 10, 2022

I Want You Back is a unique romantic comedy coming to Prime Video just in time for Valentine’s Day. Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) work in the same building but have never met each other. When they do finally meet, it is immediately after the two have each been dumped by their respective partners. Heartbroken, the two come up with a plan to have their exes running back to them.

Their scheme is nothing new to the genre, but director Jason Orley takes the film in different and fun directions. A big theme in I Want You Back is realizing when you have found true love. The plot does a good job building the relationship between Peter and Emma. Though there are many of the expected elements, how things play out will surprise audiences.

This keeps I Want You Back fresh and entertaining. Rom-coms are one of the few genres that can get away with relying on tropes. The best romantic comedies are able to sprinkle in some of the familiar while still telling an entirely new story and that is certainly the case here. It is easy to predict some of the larger plot points, but it is never quite clear how it is going to get these moments.

Helping matters is the strong ensemble cast. Day and Slate have excellent chemistry together and are fun to watch. The two are effortlessly funny and it never seems like they are doing a bit. Scott Eastwood does a wonderful job as Peter’s new friend while Manny Jacinto shines as Logan. The plot is also very entertaining. I Want You Back is filled with laugh out loud moments. There is a great scene involving a party that Peter and Noah (Eastwood) go to and Logan has a number of great moments. The more dramatic parts of the movie are woven in nicely and do not fall into the trap of slowing the movie down.

Everything culminates in the final act. As expected, things do not go quite as Emma and Peter planned, though both are still able to learn something about themselves and what they want in life. There is the sense that have are more comfortable with themselves. The final scene is a little contrived – as is the style of the genre – but it is the perfect ending to a very satisfying watch.