It feels more rare these days to get a rom-com that offers just the right blend of humor, romance, and sweetness in one film. But thankfully, I Want You Back checks the boxes for all of those things. Amazon Prime’s latest original film is without a doubt one of the streamer’s strongest offerings in recent memory and one fans of the genre should fire up this time of the year. Proving to be the perfect film to release during this time of year, the setup for I Want You Back is irresistible. And by the time the credits roll the delivery will have you grinning.
I Want You Back tells the story of two people, Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate), who are going through their own breakups. Peter was in a six-year relationship with Anne (Gina Rodriguez) while Emma was in a 18-month relationship with Noah (Scott Eastwood). After Peter and Emma meet in a stairway in the building they both work in, they discuss their breakups, and since neither of them has met the other’s exes, they plot to help each other sabotage their former partners’ new relationships. What happens from there on is where this Jason Orley-directed film takes off. And while it does add a little bit more to the runtime, sprinkling in a couple of subplots makes for a sweet film that also features plenty of funny moments.
There’s no denying the presence of Charlie Day in whatever project he’s attached to. Sure, Day is known in large part for his outbursts or his silly character from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. But here, he expands a little outside the box and that will have audiences hoping to see him in future films that aren’t straight comedy. It may not be rom-coms, but Day has the range as an actor and is capable of far more than what he’s known for thus far. That also could be said for Jenny Slate, who has come a long way since she first broke out on the small screen in Parks and Recreation. And together, their chemistry and charm make for a great co-lead pairing in this rom-com that radiates out to the film’s supporting cast. It’s also worth mentioning that Scott Eastwood and Gina Rodriguez are good here, too.
I Want You Back is a winner for both Amazon Prime Video and the rom-com genre. Its leads have just the right amount of charm and humor to make for a sweet offering worth your time. While Valentine’s Day has come and gone, the rom-com genre lives on, and this makes for great viewing if you’re a fan of the genre or the cast. Inhale this like you would a box of chocolates, whether you’re in a relationship or single. But don’t inhale it like a cigarette as the leads try to do for a couple of minutes at one point in the film before putting them out.
Grade: B