(spoiler free)
Love is in the air in new Netflix rom-com Love Wedding Repeat, written and directed by Dean Craig. The film stars Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn who play the brother and friend of Eleanor Tomlinson’s Hayley, the bride to be in a beautiful Rome setting. With the guests assembled, venue ready and cake prepared this wedding is all set to go off without a hitch, but really what are the chances of that?
The film begins well, introducing audiences to the collection of characters who will be the main focus of the film. Craig seamlessly gives context to the relationships between these characters, with many sharing awkward and unwanted history. Therefore when all of these characters find themselves sitting at the same table for the wedding audiences have all the information they need to make this humorous set up especially effective. The film does well to play on funny wedding scenarios that audiences will be able to relate to, easily encouraging viewers to engage with the comedy. The writing of these scenes, as well as the performances of the cast, help to give the film a good pace and make for an enjoyable and entertaining experience.
However, the amusing character work and strong momentum that the film achieves for about two thirds of its runtime quickly falls victim to its titular “Repeat” gimmick that it introduces far too late. Employing this now tired cinematic cliché almost instantly removes all intrigue and squanders any audience investment in the story and characters. As a result the film plays out in a tired and uninteresting fashion, one that will struggle to hold viewers attention. It’s a real a shame as this rom-com sets up and builds on its narrative and character foundations strongly, but this decision knocks the film’s cinematic construction right back down to the ground.
Ultimately, Love Wedding Repeat enjoys a lengthy honeymoon period for around the first hour of its runtime, having loads of fun with the numerous characters and their amusing connections. Unfortunately this comes to an abrupt end when the film chooses to rely on a poorly executed concept divorcing all engagement from the audience quicker than a beaming bride-to-be can say “I do.”
Written by Hamish Calvert
★★
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