8.1
The most I’ve seen a crowd react to a movie in a long time! What I thought was going to be a “Taken” rip-off turned out to be so much more. We laughed, we cried, we cheered… This movie really came out of nowhere to be surprisingly brilliant. Bravo Neeson!
Author: Brett_G
7.5
Netflix has been killing it in the rom-com/straight romance movie game lately. Might be why their logo color is red? (Definite T-Swift reference) With this one, they get it right down the middle. It’s not “wow” and it’s not “meh,” but rather somewhere in between. All four (I’m pretty sure I’m counting correctly) storylines each address their own individual conundrum with an almost perfect pace and cadence. The cast all have their own individual “coming of age” summer tale, all set in locations intended to engage your sense of nostalgia. There were many set pieces that reminded me of “American Pie.” Although, you can’t go wrong with the 4th of July profession of love under the fireworks power play. I’d recommend if you’re out of things to watch in your queue and you’re on the hunt for a Saturday night in. The soundtrack is pretty amazing, as well.
6.4
The trailer looked hilarious, the premise was there, the jokes were there… Just couldn’t land the plane. This film seemed to suffer from friendly fire, as it would build hilarious moments that these raunchy coming of age movies are known for, and then kill the momentum with a lecture. There are strong female lead characters, and then there is whatever category these two fall into by the conclusion of the flick. The film would get you laughing, and then lecture you for laughing. Very strange clash of tones. Meh…
9.0
Yes, you read that right… This one knocked it out of the park! I loved the first one, and this is a rare sequel that actually ups the game of the franchise. You’ll experience the full range of emotions, and be on the edge of your seat for the entire runtime. Very well done! BONUS: Jessica Rothe is 😍😍😍. That is all.
7.6
Solid flick. Much like the trailer would lead you to believe, it’s your typical rom-com with some Asian stereotypes mixed in. While that may be true, there were many pleasant surprises sprinkled in this winning recipe. The surprise cameo was pretty amazing.
Anyone who has ever been stuck in a “will they/won’t they” situation will especially appreciate the story that unfolds, as the two leads really play perfectly off of each other. If you’re looking for some light fare this weekend, Netflix upholds its gold standard for feel-good rom-coms with this one.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 