If All That She Wants proves anything, it is that the romantic comedy never needed saving. It simply needed filmmakers willing to remember why audiences fell in love with the genre in the first place.
Scarlett Bermingham and Andre Rhymer deliver a funny, sexy, and genuinely heartfelt rom-com built around an irresistible Annie Murphy. As Emma, a thirtysomething woman emerging from a long-term relationship and reconsidering what she actually wants from adulthood, Murphy gets the leading role her talent has long deserved. Her impeccable comedic timing is fully intact, but it is the vulnerability underneath the jokes that makes Emma feel like a woman rather than a rom-com archetype.
Her chemistry with Cooper Raiff is equally essential. The age difference between Emma and Luke- and the hilarious discovery that she once babysat him- could easily have become the film’s entire gimmick. Instead, their relationship opens the door to more interesting questions about timing, motherhood and the arbitrary milestones we use to measure whether adulthood is unfolding correctly.
David West Read’s screenplay understands that Emma’s desire for children does not contradict her independence. Nor does falling in love mean surrendering it. Her journey is ultimately about giving herself permission to want multiple things without apologizing for the apparent contradictions. And thankfully, none of this comes at the expense of being genuinely funny.
Zosia Mamet and Christine Baranski add tremendous comedic firepower to an already excellent ensemble, while Toronto gets the increasingly rare pleasure of actually playing Toronto rather than disguising itself as another city.
All That She Wants has the warmth and comfort of the great studio rom-coms while recognizing that women’s expectations of love, family and adulthood have evolved.
