When We First Met (2018)

Director: Ari Sandel
Stars: Adam Devine, Alexandra Daddario, Shelley Hennig
Runtime: 97 minutes

Performances: 6/10
Screenplay: 4/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 6/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 5/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Verdict: I watched this movie at like 2 in the morning. I was tired and couldn’t sleep, so I decided to put on a film that doesn’t really require a lot of brain power, even though I was fully expecting to hate it. And boy was I wrong. “When We First Met” is the story of Noah (Adam Devine), who much like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day”, finds a way to relive over and over again the night he met his crush in, and uses this opportunity to try and change the course of time and eventually end up with her. Yes, the movie had cringe-worthy scenes, predictable jokes, a logic that doesn’t make sense whatsoever and a gimmick we’ve seen a million times before (Groundhog Day, Source Code, Edge of Tomorrow, Happy Death Day…), but damn it I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. A lot of my liking of the film had to do with Adam Devine’s performance, which made the lead character very likeable, and on some level, relatable, all the while delivering a bunch of jokes that shamelessly made me laugh. I really liked the ending of the film as well, as I found it very satisfying and rewarding. I can’t, in good conscience, claim that “When We First Met” is a good romantic comedy that will satisfy everybody, but, on a personal level, it’s definitely one I’d consider being a guilty pleasure.

Final Grade: 6/10