Plus One 💍

Happy Thursday! I wrote this listening to the cast recording of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, to give you a sense of my mood this week. In movie news, Mission Impossible 7 and A Quiet Place Part II will stream on Paramount+ 45 days after release (another jab at theaters). Today’s movie is a re-up from 2019:

▶ Streaming on Hulu // Today’s movie is Jeff Chan & Andrew Rhymer’s rom-com Plus One. For those yearning for the days when you’d have to go to ten weddings a year this one will hit your right in the gut. Don’t worry, when this is all over you’re in for one hell of a wedding season.

What’s it about: Plus One follows two single friends (PEN15’s Maya Erskine and The Boys’ Jack Quaid) — one recently dumped and the other a commitment-phobe — who agree to be each other’s plus one for the ten weddings they have to attend that summer. One thing leads to another and… well, you know how it goes.

Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine in Plus One. Courtesy of RLJE.

Why you should watch it: The rom-com works best when it’s character-driven and has a fresh perspective, both of which Plus One has. However, it also helps that the movie is so incredibly funny and filled with sharp one-liners delivered with precision by Maya Erskine and Jack Quaid. But it’s Erskine who really steals the show with one great sarcastic quip after another.

“I cried… but I cry every day, so it doesn’t mean anything” — Me (but also Erskine in the movie)

It’s not perfect. The story drags in the third act and it falls into some genre cliches. But, for the most part, Plus One is a hilarious and, dare I say, relatable take on the classic romantic comedy formula with enough gags to keep you hooked.

Directed by Jeff Chan & Andrew Rhymer’s
Runtime 98 mins
Year 2019

Have a great weekend! Take care of yourself.

See you in March —
Karl

📽 P.S. You can see every movie I’ve ever recommended right here.
🍅 I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes! You can find new movie reviews here.