The Lovebirds
Starring: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjjiani
Directed By: Michael Showalter
Rated: R
In the days of old, before the coronavirus, I saw countless previews for The Lovebirds in theaters. Whenever the preview would play, it would barely get laughs out of audience members. I remember thinking it didn’t look like a film that would manage to get a hugely successful theatrical run. Well, Paramount teamed up with Netflix so the film could premiere to viewers at home during this time of quarantine. This was a smart decision in the long run because it always seemed like a film that would benefit from streaming at home.
Is The Lovebirds worth the watch? It’s very mediocre. I don’t think this film brings anything new to the table with its attempts at comedy or the half-baked plot. The film follows Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani), a couple stuck in a relationship rut. They’re far past the honeymoon phase of their relationship and argue over every little thing. Maybe a night out is just what they need to get back on track. Or maybe not? When a man posing as an officer carjacks them to go after a biker, the night takes a wild turn when he runs over the biker in their car. Soon the two investigate what led to the carjacking while on the run to clear their names.
The opening 10 minutes of the movie has a few laughs, including a joke about the Amazing Race, but any promise of good comedy quickly fades after that. The film descends into one slapstick bit after the other. Rinse and repeat. Every single sequence in The Lovebirds is a “let’s see what crazy situation Jibran and Leilani can get themselves into now.” One of the worst involves Anna Camp as a crazy southern woman who tries to torture them in a cabin with bacon grease and a horse. (I wonder what was going on in the screenwriting room when that idea was pitched?) Leilani and Jebrain don’t act like logical individuals throughout 90% of the movie to the point that it’s just downright frustrating to watch. You know when you watch a horror movie and say to the main character, “Hey, don’t open that door!” While watching The Lovebirds, you will say that approximately one million times because a million bad decisions are made.
I’ve seen a few reviews complain about a lack of chemistry between Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. They’re obviously very talented actors, but I think a big part of the problem here is that their characters are so oddly written. One minute they’re fighting non-stop and the next, they act like they’re two strangers flirting at a party. They were supposed to have been a couple for four years, yet at specific points of this movie, it’s like they’re newly acquainted. It’s such a weird dynamic.
There’s a lot of long-winded banter back and forth between Leilani and Jibran that feels like it’s just Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae doing improv as they go. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it falls flat. If you love long-winded improv scenes, this is the movie for you.
The Lovebirds is a mediocre comedy that relies too heavily on slapstick humor and a far-fetched plot. There are better things to stream this quarantine.
My Rating: 5/10