Sarah Silverman

Marry Me: First comes Marriage, then comes Love

May 10, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Hey kids, gather around and let me tell you a tale.

Once upon a time, there was a film called ‘the mid-budgeted, adult-targeting romcom’ that roamed the Earth. These films featured notable, likeable (and usually bankable) stars in the lead and they would find themselves in an implausible romantic situation that could never happen in real life. After all, they’re too different.

But maybe, just maybe, it’ll work out for those crazy kids.

Obviously I’m joking but, in all seriousness, these sorts of romantic comedies do feel like dinosaurs in a cinema filled with brooding superheroes and gritty dramas. But it’s also possible that this is the genre that we didn’t know we needed as we come out of the bleakness of the pandemic. With Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock’s The Lost City and Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson’s Marry Me becoming moderate box office successes, it’s possible that the genre is beginning to pick up steam once again. (Heck, even romcom icons Julia Roberts and George Clooney are back together later this year!)

But let’s get back to Marry Me, which is available on Blu-ray and DVD today.

Directed by Kat Coiro, Marry Me follows pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) as she prepares to marry her boyfriend live onstage before her millions of fans. However, right before the nuptials take place, Kat discovers that he’s been cheating on her and melts down publicly. As an act of defiance (and insanity), she decides to marry a complete stranger instead. Locking eyes with Charlie (Owen Wilson), a single divorced father who teaches math, Kat invites him onstage and the wedding takes place. But, after the dust settles, the two must decide whether or not this marriage of convenience may actually have something worth fighting for.

Fueled by a non-sensical premise and numerous ‘meet-cute’ style interactions, Marry Me simply sounds ridiculous. (A pop superstar marries a stranger onstage out of spite?) But, much like their characters’ relationship, Lopez and Wilson make it work.

Onscreen, Lopez and Wilson seem like an odd pairing with she, an icon of glamour in style, and he known for his puppy dog eyes and innocence. However, that’s exactly what gives the film its charm. Once a bankable romcom star at the box office herself, Lopez looks incredibly comfortable in the role of superstar Kat Valdez. Often portrayed as larger than life herself, Lopez still brings a humility to the character that make her instantly likeable. The unlikely pairing with Wilson provide both actors with a space to let their charm come to the forefront, without ever losing Lopez’s star power. Together, they have genuine chemistry and are an absolute delight to watch.

It’s also worth noting that Marry Me is refreshing in its use of romcom stereotypes. From examples such as Pretty Woman, Crazy Rich Asians to Lopez’s own Maid in Manhatten, the romcom genre often tells stories of a ‘wealthy man and the carefree woman who comes into his life and changes everything’. Instead, however, Marry Me takes the opposite approach. With Kat confidently at the wheel, the film manages to empower her while still showing the give-and-take necessary to make their relationship work. At a press conference after their ‘wedding’, Kat speaks to the women of the audience when she says, “Why don’t we switch things up? We’ll pick the man, propose and choose to see if they’re worthy.” (In fact, Marry Me even reverses one of the most age-old romcoe tropes in the film’s climax.)

With an eye on the magic of romance, Marry Me dreams that love is worth the risks, even if it doesn’t always make sense. Although Kat believes in love, Charlie is not so sure. After all, he’s been burned badly before and struggles to move beyond his hurt. To him, love is a risk and it’s far easier to live a life of anonymity in a bubble with his daughter, co-worker friend and aging dog. On the other hand, Kat’s global notoriety never taints her faith in others… or in love. To her, the world is not a scary place because she remains firmly grounded in what’s most important. Her love of others helps her to keep an open mind about the possibility with Charlie… and an open heart. (After all, no matter how much fame and popularity that she may have, JLo… er… Kat is still ‘Jenny from the Block’.) As she embraces romance, so too does she help Charlie to embrace life and, potentially, new love as well.

So, yes. Marry Me may be goofy and non-sensical at times. But I have to admit that it also couldn’t help but soften this jaded heart along the way. Delightful from start to finish, Marry Me warms the heart, makes you laugh and is definitely a comedy worth saying yes to.

Marry Me is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

TIFF17: Battle of the Sexes

September 29, 2017 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

What happens when one justice isn’t enough?

Battle of the Sexes recounts the events that led up to the 1973 tennis match between retired all-star Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) and champ in her prime, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone). However, this particular ‘sports film’ has very little to do with actual sports, choosing instead to focus itself on the story around the match rather than the match itself. Coming at a time when women were beginning to make strides in their right for equality, Riggs’ challenge to King for an exhibition tennis match quickly became a lightning rod for conversation around gender issues.

Still, the film is acutely self-aware and knows what it wants to accomplish. By de-emphasizing the sports aspect of the film, the film allows King’s backstory to take center-stage. In doing so, Dayton and Faris focus their lens on King’s journey as a feminist trailblazer and an oppressed homosexual, giving the film a much-needed dramatic tone. Because this particular tennis match had more to do with women’s struggle against injustice than it did world rankings, the decision to emphasize King’s journey allows the film to ask modern questions, despite its ’70s look. Given that the results of the famous tennis match aren’t nearly as compelling as the context itself, the film carries with it a sense of inevitability. (For example, when King storms off after hearing some of Riggs’ comments, Gladys claims that she is merely running towards her ‘fate’.)

Through King’s journey, the film determines that the true battle of the sexes was (is?) the fight for women to be considered equals on the pro tennis circuit. Seeking equal pay to the male stars, King and her followers are forced to fight male stereotypes at every opportunity. Interestingly, while Riggs provides the primary example of these ideals, King identifies former boss Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman) as the true threat. In essence, King recognizes that, while Bobby preaches ‘male chauvinism,’ he also holds few genuine convictions in regards to the role of women. However, in Jack, she recognizes a deeply-embedded conviction regarding female inferiority. (“Bobby is a clown, but you, Jack, you actually believe this,” she protests.) By accepting Rigg’s challenge, it’s this heart of injustice that King believes she’s attacking on a cultural level (as represented by Jack). In moments such as these, the dialogue feels both past-tense and all too current as well. (After all, it was only recently that we have heard of the differences in pay scale within the film industry itself.)

Further, however, the film also serves as a double-edged sword in its war on injustice by juxtaposing King’s battle for women’s rights with the cultural obstacles that came with her sexuality. As further inroads are being made regarding respect for women’s freedom, King’s relationship with her ‘hairstylist’ feels like a prison, as she struggles to keep it from the public eye. In this manner, the film shows its hand of modern-day politics by establishing multiple support systems around King, ranging from team wardrobe consultant, Ted Tinling (Alan Cumming), to her [somewhat stunned] husband, Larry (Austin Stowell). (“Don’t worry. One day a time will come when you can love who you love,” Tinling pines.) Here, the film balances its victorious tone with a reminder that, with every battle won, there remains another on the horizon.

While the film doesn’t label the church directly, the film uses Margaret Court as a representative of more judgmental attitudes that have been presented by religious conservatives. (Now retired, the real Court is an outspoken pastor with conservative values.) Still, although Battle may use Court as an isolated ‘villain’, the divisiveness and oppressive views she represents are far broader on a cultural level. As a pastor, it pains me to see grace lost in conversations of differences in the name of self-righteousness. Even in moments where there is disagreement, the responsibility of the church is to love openly and freely in a manner that provides hope and restorative community. That is who Jesus is.

In light of this tension, Battle of the Sexes prompts us to recognize how far our culture has come but also reminds us how far we have to go.

TIFF Hits: Shooting Stars

September 15, 2015 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

At ScreenFish, we’re very conscious of those moments where faith and film collide… but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun as well! Here are some exclusive shots of the celebs around the city as the Toronto International Film Festival enters it’s second half. Pics will be updated as new sightings occur…

Black Mass premiere:

Johnny Depp