Somebody I Used to Know smartly gets the My Best Friend’s Wedding acknowledgment out of the way early on. There’s no avoiding the comparison since it leans into a similar plot thread of the classic Julia Roberts classic rom com. Still, there’s far more to it than a simple remake with a modern twist.
Alison Brie stars as Ally, a woman who left her sleepy nothing happening hometown to pursue her Hollywood dream of doing documentaries. That didn’t necessarily pan out as she’s carved out a niche as the show runner on a baking reality show. Ally is particularly adept at getting the interview subjects to open up and expose their vulnerabilities.
In a setup that is the foundation for 99.9% of Lifetime and Hallmark movies, Ally leaves the hustle and bustle of her hectic job and returns home to unwind with her mother (Julie Hagerty). And hey, is there a possibility of reuniting with an old flame like Sean (Jay Ellis, Top Gun: Maverick)? Why, yes there is!
But what are the odds he’s about to get married to another woman namely Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons, Zack Snyder’s Justice League)? Pretty high actually. While Sean and Cassidy seem fine, Ally is convinced there’s still a spark with Sean. Deep down Ally knows he’s feeling it too. Now the only way for Ally to explore this is to stay a part of the wedding weekend activities before Sean walks down the aisle.
Yeah, the premise sounds like your standard formulaic rom com, but the script, by Brie and co-writer/director Dave Franco, is more nuanced. As enticing as the thought of reconnecting with her lost love, Ally finds Cassidy equally fascinating with her youthfulness and passion for playing in her punk rock band.
Brie and Franco bring up the idea that Sean and Cassidy feel obligated to get married without really questioning if that’s what they truly want. More exploration on that important topic would have been nice as it would have given Ally less opportunities to undermine the wedding.
Ally thankfully has some up-close accountability from Benny (Brie’s Community co-star Danny Pudi), her longtime friend who’s also Sean’s BFF. Benny isn’t rooting for his BFF Sean’s wedding to get ruined and constantly tells Ally her plot is a terrible idea. Pudi is fantastic and gets plenty of time to be the voice of reason for multiple characters.
Franco makes a dramatic tonal shift from his promising, if uneven directorial debut, The Rental. Both films featured an introspective look at relationships although the lighter, more humorous tone seems to be more in Franco’s comfort zone. There’s a number of funny scenes that benefit from Franco not leaning into absurdity. The craziest scenes seem like things real people would do and not just characters in a movie. One big exception are the scenes where Ally walks in on her mother having sex, which is a rare try hard running gag.
Brie has the most complicated role naturally as she’s the arsonist and ultimately the firefighter to set things right. Ally is trying to recapture relationship lightning in a bottle, but it’s hard to see this magnetic hold she has on Sean, one of the few characters who seems to enjoy his life.
Ellis has no problems being the calm, engaging leading man opposite a more neurotic co-star after perfecting it on Insecure. Clemons makes Cassidy more interesting than the usual third wheel in these love triangle films. Cassidy is bisexual, which has caused some issues for those close to her, but that intriguing subplot doesn’t go anywhere beyond a mean-spirited scene that probably should have been cut.
The film benefits from a strong supporting cast led by Pudi, Haley Joel Osment as Sean’s enthusiastic movie-quoting brother and Julie Hagerty as Ally’s supportive mother. Amy Sedaris (The Mandalorian) has a fun scene as Ally’s not so helpful agent offering pitches for new reality shows.
It’s not until the final last act that things get wobbly, and the film buckles somewhat. Brie and Franco attempt to ascribe blame for Sean and Cassidy’s conflict. This is accomplished by some hastily mentioned underlined issues that don’t fully mesh with what’s played out on screen. It comes off more like a happy ending hack especially since the “victimized” party doesn’t atone for their questionable actions as well.
Another sticking point is the tiresome cliche that women can’t be successful and have love, children or any kind of work-life balance. It doesn’t have to be an either/or prospect.
Somebody I Used to Know is entertaining with charming performances and a plot that works just fine until the final act, but it’s a breezy ride that’s worth checking out.
This content was originally published here.
