Somebody I Used To Know Review - Refreshing Rom-Com
A setback occurs when the network abruptly cancels the reality baking show that aspiring documentarian Ally (Brie) produces. Ally decides to travel back to the town she left years ago to visit her mother while she struggles with a severe case of writer's block (Julie Hagerty). After only a few hours, Ally meets up with her handsome ex-boyfriend Sean (Jay Ellis), who convinces her to have a wild night of intrepid escapades. Ally is thrilled about the idea of dating Sean once more, but her hopes are dashed when she finds out that not only is he engaged, but that she has unintentionally entered the weekend of his wedding. Ally initially plans to win Sean back over the weekend, but as she gets to meet Cassidy, his fiancée (Kiersey Clemons), she starts to question if it's truly Sean she needs or the person she used to be.
The opening of Somebody I Used to Know drags as Franco sets up Ally's condition as being stuck in a rut. Early on, there are a few instances of stinging cringe comedy, including a mishap involving Ally, her cat, and the cat's bodily fluids on an aircraft. Ally's return home causes the movie to settle into a relaxed pace, and Brie and Ellis' chemistry is real, which makes Ally and Sean's first reunion enjoyable to witness. However, Somebody I Used to Know doesn't become a more interesting watch until Cassidy shows up.
The Cassidy figure may be kept more under wraps in other rom-coms or romantic dramas so that the audience can emphatically support the leading lady, but Franco and Brie's script lets Clemons' character develop into a complete, independent woman. Due to Ally spending even more time with Cassidy than Sean, this significantly alters the dynamics of Somebody I Used to Know. The plot of the film isn't wholly unpredictable; a simple remark about Cassidy's parents gives away one of Ally's more frantic attempts to break up the relationship. The way the story handles Ally and Cassidy, as well as how it eschews some common cliches, is what makes it so novel.
Somebody I Used to Know is a fine contribution to the expanding canon of romantic streaming movies, even though it may not be quite amusing enough to truly merit the "com" component of the rom-com name. It forges its own way with a plethora of genuine characters thanks to its knowledge of irritating, overused tropes. The plot's detours may leave those hoping for the standard swoon-worthy story a little cold, but there is still a lot to admire about this story.