Jennifer Lopez Misses A Golden Opportunity With Her New Romantic Comedy -

Sandra Bullock (58), Julia Roberts (55) and now Jennifer Lopez (53). The queens of the rom-coms par excellence of the 90s and 2000s they have been recovering their thrones for a season in a genre they know very well. The lost city, Passage to paradise Y Marry me, respectively, served as an example of the kingdom that they still rule. The first two were blockbusters, the third -JLo’s- swept the Peacock and Amazon Prime platform after a weak run on the international billboard. But now ‘Jenny from the block’ tries to take the lead with its second rom-com in a year, lead weddings (shotgun wedding), now available on Amazon Prime Video. However, what should serve to sentence his position in a genre he knows so well, becomes a nonsense that disconcerts.

Why? Because after what Jennifer Lopez had achieved shortly before the pandemic, it is inevitable to wonder what she was thinking about while viewing lead weddings. I think there are many of us who still remember the contempt that the Academy made him at the beginning of 2020 when he overlooked his magnificent performance in Wall Street scammers. After spending several years dedicating himself to the world of music and with sporadic appearances in the cinema, that film based on a true story made him bring out all his dramatic arsenal, being one of the first names that sounded loud in the annual awards conversation. But it could not be. The Academy stole his great artistic moment without giving him the most deserving recognition of his career thus far. For this reason, if we relate the applause that still echoes in the cinephile memory and the interesting analysis that he proposed with Marry me through a story that criticized the superficiality of fame and the emptiness of appearances in the life of successful artists, with this new proposal, we end up being perplexed. There is no one that understands him.

lead weddings It is directed by Jason Moore (perfect pitch) and co-starring Josh Duhamel -replacing Armie Hammer, who left the production as a result of the scandal that accused him of alleged abuse and cannibal fetishism- and the ‘it’ actress of the moment (and with all the rights in the world), Jennifer Coolidge. A trio that should be effective… as long as the story worked.

The film revolves around a wedding on a paradise island. Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Duhamel) are about to get married almost reluctantly, due to his jealousy over the unexpected arrival of her ex-boyfriend (Lenny Kravitz) and because of the bride’s apathy when it comes to throw a big party against their will. However, in the midst of the superficiality that their privileged characters reflect, the absurd moments that they star in and the plot exaggeration, some pirates appear and take all the guests hostage in exchange for a mutiny of several million dollars. If you’re wondering what’s so funny or romantic about this for a romantic comedy, I’m telling you nothing.

What we see next is endless forced nonsense and unfunny comedy.. Weapons, shots, grenades, knives, blood and moments of violence that neither spread laughter nor romance. And between an irregular humorous tone, whimsical characters in the midst of chaos and unnecessary violence, we end up discovering a film that is neither one thing nor the other. There’s a bit of comedy, a dash of romance, action, and a lot of terrorist-inspired violence. But from an absurd and ridiculous tone that turns his characters into buffoons without grace. And despite trying to mix it all up under the guise of rom-com, Those responsible end up forgetting something essential: being consistent enough to be minimally memorable..

Sandra Bullock knew how to find the ideal point between comedy and absurdity to play The lost City a show slapstick cash. But in this attempt at parody, seeing Jennifer Lopez dressed as a bride in the middle of the jungle, exaggerating reactions, discussing trivialities while holding a grenade about to explode in her hand and the pirates shooting around her as if it were a war movie, generates a bewilderment that leads to absolute indifference. Because she’s not funny. Neither the tone, nor the attempt at physical comedy, nor the predictability of the comic lines. Nor the extreme violence of the plot.

we might think that Jennifer Lopez has no responsibility. That, as has happened to other artists, once the film is shot they have no say in the development, editing or final presentation. But not the case here because just like you did with Wall Street scammers Y Marry me, she is a producer. In other words, in this role, she knows the ins and outs of the project, from the conception of the idea to how to tell it.

And so lead weddings becomes a missed opportunity for Jennifer Lopez. Because since wall street hustlers, seemed headed to stand up to Hollywood with more and better in the world of cinema, with a documentary for Netflix personal and revealingand a romantic comedy with deep airs within the clichés of the genre as it was Marry me. But with lead weddings raises a wall that seems unnecessary. Because it is not a remarkable, memorable or recommendable film. Not all its charm makes up for the imbalance of this production where nothing makes enough sense. And when he’s at the height of his career and has so much experience in the genre, it’s a shame he squandered the opportunity to make another rom-com that makes a difference, opting instead for a haphazard idea that doesn’t even try to get the most out of it. best of his talent.