Somebody I Used To Know Movie Review

Valentine's Day Special Movie

Somebody I Used to Know Movie Review

Ally (Alison Brie) is a former small-town resident who left her boyfriend and rural hometown to pursue her dreams of making documentaries in Los Angeles. After spending three years as the showrunner of a trashy reality show, Ally tells herself that her work is like making a documentary, but with more viewers. Her most significant achievement is staying silent for ten seconds after an interviewee speaks, where viewer-favorite revelations come out, such as raw confessions, tears, or anger.

However, Ally's routine is abruptly interrupted when two network executives cancel her show. She has never considered whether she's in the right place in life or thought about what to do next. In a state of confusion, she decides to return to her hometown, which is the last place she wanted to be.

Upon returning to her hometown, Ally finds her mother (Julie Hagerty) in bed with a man and runs to a local bar where she encounters Sean (Jay Ellis), the ex-boyfriend she left behind to follow her dreams. Brie and her co-screenwriter, husband, and director Dave Franco, subvert the Hallmark Movie Channel's conventional story by giving Ally some humiliating setbacks. Additionally, the couple satirizes pop culture, including reality television in this film.

Ally and Sean reconnect and have a magical evening together at a random all-night Tyrolian festival with alphorns and maypole dancing. Ally, feeling lost and alone, wonders if she can still live the life she once thought wasn't good enough for her.

However, Sean has decided to stay in his hometown and has built his dream home on his parents' property. He is very attached to his family, and his sense of community suddenly appeals to Ally. The easy rhythm she has with Sean makes her feel comfortable, and she visits his family the next evening.

Ally then learns that Sean is getting married to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons) in two days. Although Cassidy and Sean have only known each other for six months, Cassidy is abandoning her successful career in the city as a punk rock singer (they opened for Sleater-Kinney) to live with him.

Sean's mother, JoJo (Olga Merediz), asks Ally to film the wedding. Ally sees this as an opportunity to remind Sean that she's a better match for him. Cassidy catches on and questions whether Ally plans to "My Best Friend's Wedding" the weekend. However, Ally starts to warm up to Cassidy, and after the punk group performs at the rehearsal dinner party, Ally starts to question whether Cassidy is making the right decision.

Brie and Franco incorporate a supporting cast of exceptional characters, including Hagerty, Merediz, Amy Sedaris, Danny Pudi, and Haley Joel Osment. Brie and Ellis have appealing chemistry, and Clemons continues to impress as both an actor and singer. Brie is, as always, enormously appealing. She shows us that what matters is not Sean, the person she used to know, but herself, the person she's beginning to understand.

In conclusion, "Save the Date" is a film that subverts traditional Hallmark romance stories, adding a few humiliating setbacks to the main character. Despite the heightened tone of some moments and a few detours, the film establishes grounded connections and emotions skillfully. The film reminds us that what matters most is not the person we used to know, but ourselves, the people we are becoming.

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What Parents Need to Know:

Somebody I Used to Know is a comedy film that follows thirtysomethings as they navigate their relationships and career paths. As a parent, it's important to note that the movie contains mature content that may not be suitable for children or younger teens.

There are two scenes with full-female frontal nudity and two relatively explicit sex scenes, including one where a man is seen naked from behind having sex with a woman and another where he appears to be giving her oral sex underneath a blanket. Additionally, a woman receives a photo of an erect penis via text and makes lewd gestures with a baguette. Sexual language and innuendo are used throughout the film, including terms like "genitals," "screwing," "c--k," "cum," "t-tties," "booby," "bush," "penis," "perv," and references to dating app Bumble and adult website Pornhub. There are also mentions of being "horny" and "screwing."

The movie also includes strong language, including the use of "f--k," "s--t," and "bitch." Additionally, characters are shown vaping marijuana and consuming alcohol on several occasions, often to excess. One character even vomits, while another is shown with a hangover.

Given the mature content in Somebody I Used to Know, it's recommended that parents preview the film before allowing their children or younger teens to watch it. Older teens and adults who are comfortable with this type of content may enjoy the film's comedic take on relationships and life decisions, but it may not be appropriate for all viewers.