It's refreshing to see Jennifer Lopez make a return to the rom-com fold, playing a character who just makes sense for her: a global pop superstar.
But it's not just a professional life that Lopez shares with her character, Kat Valdez, in "Marry Me." She brings authenticity to her portrayal, and that's a good thing.
Superstar Kat and Bastian (Colombian pop singer Maluma) are supposed to have a huge concert before saying their wedding vows. But she is publicly humiliated when she discovers Bastian's infidelity, an illicit smooch caught on camera.
In a moment of desperation, Kat sees a sign in the crowd, held by a math teacher and single dad, Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) reading "Marry Me?" She says yes and the two get married on stage, at first sight, in front of the whole world.
As Kat and Charlie attempt to maintain their dignity, they grapple with the high-visibility expectations placed on Kat and the newfound attention Charlie doesn't want.
Though the situation is far from realistic, "Marry Me" is dynamically directed by Kat Coiro, swiftly paced and emotionally grounded. The belief in the power of love, not that it conquers all, but that it can, and will, bloom again, is the beating heart of the movie, which is otherwise a frothy and deeply silly rom-com.
'Marry Me'
** 1⁄2 stars out of 4
