TAGGED AS: Comedy, movie, movies, romantic comedy
One of the earliest movies to be shuffled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Lovebirds was transferred to Netflix by its studio, Paramount Pictures, following the cancellation of its South by Southwest world premiere in March. The action-comedy reunites actor Kumail Nanjiani with his The Big Sick director, Michael Showalter, and pairs him with Issa Rae as they play a couple on the run after witnessing a murder. According to the first reviews of the movie, it’s a minor treat because of the romantic and comic chemistry of its two leads, who provide plenty of entertainment that almost distracts from a mediocre plot.
Here’s what critics are saying about The Lovebirds:
The Lovebirds truly stands out amongst the rest… with genuine commentary on the ups and downs of relationships and coupledom.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
In the hands of lesser actors, The Lovebirds would quickly fall apart and feel like a lesser version of a movie like Date Night.
– Matt Goldberg, Collider
Michael Showalter and company aren’t reinventing the wheel here, but it’s a solidly made wheel.
– Kristy Puchko, IGN
As long as you don’t go in expecting some kind of reinvention of the genre, you’ll get something enjoyable and easy to watch.
– Joey Magidson, Hollywood News
There isn’t a lot that sets The Lovebirds apart… it’s a fun movie, but just ok.
– Deirdre Molumby, entertainment.ie
I knew that The Lovebirds would be a funny movie, but I wasn’t expecting to laugh until my cheeks hurt.
– Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The Lovebirds is a pleasing comedy, funny from beginning to end.
– Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Nothing is treated as low-hanging fruit when it comes to humor and the cast more than delivers the goods.
– Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness
(Photo by Netflix)
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani have original comedic styles that mesh well… [They] work cooperatively, setting one another up for jokes and generating a rapport that’s authentic.
– Mike McGranaghan, The Aisle Seat
Even if you don’t always buy these people as a couple, their slapstick comedy hits its marks; it’s hard not to root for this pair of adorable screwballs.
– Beandrea July, Hollywood Reporter
Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae are fantastic together… They’re one of the best comedy duos of the year so far.
– Joey Magidson, Hollywood News
Likable though they are, their distinct comedic personalities don’t gel at all.
– Johnny Oleksinski, New York Post
They click as romantic leads… A lot of rom-coms can make you root for their characters because they are funny together. Far fewer pull off the heat that The Lovebirds offers.
– Kristy Puchko, IGN
Nanjiani and Rae are irresistible together… The chemistry never feels manufactured, it feels earned.
– Michael Roffman, Consequence of Sound
There is always something undeniably likable and charming about the two of them as a couple… Rae and Nanjiani are kind of perfect together.
– Perri Nemiroff, Perri Nemiroff
You wouldn’t say their chemistry here is anything to write home about. But then they are meant to be playing a couple struggling to find a spark.
– Deirdre Molumby, entertainment.ie
Nanijani and Rae work well together, although “chemistry” is perhaps a stretch.
– Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
(Photo by Netflix)
I would definitely love to see the pair reunite for another film, for sure.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
By the end of the movie, it’s hard to make the case that Jibran and Leilani should be together, but we definitely want another movie starring Nanjiani and Rae.
– Matt Goldberg, Collider
My only real complaint about The Lovebirds is I want more.
– Kristy Puchko, IGN
One of the pleasant surprises of The Lovebirds is that it neither makes a big deal of nor blindly ignores the fact that its Average Joe protagonists are Asian and black. This is not a case of inclusive casting to score shallow “diversity” points.
– Beandrea July, Hollywood Reporter
To have a mixed-race couple (without a white half) as our romantic leads is a fresh and welcome sign of the changing Hollywood landscape.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Some of the best commentary on relationships (and what plagues them) from any movie I’ve seen in a long time.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
A farcical murder mystery, it turns out, provides just the right backdrop for an exploration of why long-term relationships can fizzle out — and why doing the work necessary to maintain them can be worth it.
– Beandrea July, Hollywood Reporter
(Photo by Netflix)
I loved the New Orleans setting… Showalter did a really solid job of capturing exactly what makes the location stand out.
– Perri Nemiroff, Perri Nemiroff
New Orleans [is] treated as a slapdash backdrop more than a spectacular setting to explore through hijinks.
– Kristy Puchko, IGN
The Lovebirds is not only hilarious, there is some pretty great action in there too.
– Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The “action” of this action-comedy is pretty low-key… Still, these scenes pack a punch because of the superb comic timing of its stars.
– Kristy Puchko, IGN
It offers less antic violence than the average TikTok.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
While The Lovebirds are sparkling conversationalists, as the plot gets more convoluted, the champagne starts to go flat…that leads to a sluggish last half hour.
– Katie Rife, AV Club
What lets The Lovebirds down is that its main plot isn’t all that original… The murder-mystery/conspiracy side of The Lovebirds isn’t that interesting.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
The Lovebirds slows to a crawl during the second act. The murder mystery isn’t clever, instead strung together through sparse clues with none posing any inherent importance.
– Robert Daniels, The Playlist
Rae and Nanjiani are two of the most exciting voices working in film and television today, as actors, writers and creators…. [but this] was not created or written by either. And at times, you kind of wish it had been.
– Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
As predictable as most of The Lovebirds is, there are enough original turns to incite surprise in an audience.
– Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness
There were some plot twists I didn’t see coming. That is what made this movie not only funny, but actually really worth a watch — because of a good plot.
– Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
(Photo by Netflix)
A perfect fit for the streaming service – and that’s not a back-handed compliment.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Exactly what you want right now in quarantine… The perfect date movie, and it’ll do gangbusters for Netflix, who has yet to issue an original rom-com of this quality.
– Michael Roffman, Consequence of Sound
It’s something you might watch on a plane. Right now, that’s no putdown: an unappreciated comfort from happier times.
– Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
It’s a fine movie to spend 86 minutes watching from the comfort of your own home.
– Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
As a night out movie, it’s a stretch to say that The Lovebirds would be worth the effort of going to the theater, but on Netflix, it’s an easy recommendation for a Friday night date movie.
– Matt Goldberg, Collider
Much of The Lovebirds doesn’t work without an audience… [It] really needs the energy of a crowd to really generate mojo.
– Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness
Yes, it might have been even funnier with an audience, but it’s funny enough as it is.
– Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The Lovebirds is all too happy to embrace its destiny as a disposable movie in a throwaway year.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
For a Netflix night in, you could do worse.
– Deirdre Molumby, entertainment.ie
The Lovebirds premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 22.
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