'Marry Me' Review: Just Say "I Do" And Enjoy This Far-Fetched Rom-Com With Jennifer Lopez And Owen Wilson. It Shouldn't Be This Good

Arlington TX

12 February, 2022

6:31 PM

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By Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report February 12, 2022 It's obvious that Jennifer Lopez is playing a fictionalized version of herself as the similarities stack up between the pop superstar and her character Kat Valdez. In "Marry Me" directed by Kat Coiro based on the graphic novel by Bobby Crosby, we are supposed to believe that a mild-mannered math teacher (Owen Wilson) without social media (despite having a 12-year-old daughter) is plucked from a concert audience and proposed to by superstar Kat while 20-million people watch after she discovers her Grammy-winning pop star fiancé Bastian (played by Colombian singer Maluma) has been cheating on her. I know, it sounds far-fetched, but I have a couple of Latina friends who out of resentment, would do the exact same thing. Also, we fell for this premise before when Hollywood diva Julia Roberts fell for dull bookstore owner Hugh Grant in "Notting Hill," and finally everyone is older and divorced so Prince/Princess Charming doesn't exist. Did I ruin the magic? Of course not. Pop superstars Kat (Lopez) and Bastian (Maluma) are set to get married at Madison Square Garden in front of millions of fans while their duet "Marry Me" climbs to the top of the music charts (an agent's dream scenario). But just as they are about to exchange vows a video drops on social media of Bastian making out hot and heavy with Kat's assistant. Whoops, the wedding is off! Meanwhile, in the audience, Kat spots Charlie Gilbert (Wilson) holding a sign that reads "Marry Me!" She doesn't know that he's temporarily holding the sign for his gay best friend Parker (Sarah Silverman) who loves Kat. In fact, Charlie only came to the concert because she convinced him to come along with free tickets so he could bring 12-year-old daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman) who's a big fan. Kat feeling heartbroken and betrayed sees Charlie holding the sign and thinks, "Why not?" She looks at Charlie and announces over the P.A. system, "Yes, I'll marry you." This preposterous scene works because Coiro shoots it with sensitivity. Kat isn't raging mad. She's embarrassed and heartbroken. Lopez gets those emotions across with just the look in her eyes. We feel empathy for her. It also helps that she has this whole Virgin Mary vibe going with that beautiful veil and dress. On the flip side, Wilson's eyes confirm that he also feels empathy for Kat and so he agrees to go along with the on-the-spot nuptials. As crazy as it seems, the scene is a bit magical and what happens next is key for the audience to fall hook, line, and sinker. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.