The Lovebirds (2020)

Director: Michael Showalter

Stars: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks
Runtime: 86 minutes

Synopsis: A couple (Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery.

Performances: 5/10
Screenplay: 2/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 4/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Entertainment Factor: 2/10

Verdict: At one point in the movie, a character called the leading couple "annoying" twice, and it was the only time I even slightly related to anything that was going on in this new Netflix comedy/romance/thriller/crime/mystery. I'm a fan of Kumail Nanjiani and actually really loved "The Big Sick", which was his previous collaboration with director Michael Showalter, but their newest pairing just didn't work at all for me. I don't really have much to say about it, and that's because I feel like I said it a million times before when talking about a million other movies that fall within the same category.

The premise was suspiciously very similar to "Date Night", and sees the couple getting into an evening of chaos when they get involved against their will in a crime they had nothing to do with. But obviously, instead of attempting to explain what actually happened to the police, they had to take matters into their own hands because... uhm... I guess the movie wouldn't exist if they didn't? They do attempt to throw in a reason as to why they can't go to the cops, but the more they talked, the less sense they made. The rest of the evening was incredibly dull and cliché, filled with moments of cringe disguised as comedy. Seriously, can Hollywood stop bringing back every little piece of dialogue as a comedic punchline later in the movie? Oh the characters were arguing about orgies at one point? Of course there's going to be an orgy scene (though PG) later on so they can deliver their punchline! It's just annoying at this point and this is exactly what this movie was.

"The Lovebirds" is yet another by-the-books, forgettable film in which absolutely nothing even remotely feels original. The characters and jokes were just plain irritating and the story even a little interesting to me. I am aware that there is an audience for movies like this one, but I'm definitely not part of that demographic.

FINAL GRADE: 2/10