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Every day, millions of people log into their favorite dating apps, swiping through profiles in search of someone who’s worth sharing their time—or maybe even their life—with. But the romantic comedy What’s Love Got to Do with It? explores one man’s quest to get help in finding The One through an assisted marriage.
What’s Love Got to Do with It? follows documentary filmmaker Zoe (Lily James) as she sets out to document her childhood friend and neighbor’s journey into an assisted marriage. While Zoe struggles through one bad first date after another, Kazim (Shazad Latif) has decided to follow in his Pakistani family’s tradition of finding the right wife with help from matchmakers and his family. And when they make their choice, Zoe and her mother, Cath (Emma Thompson), travel to Lahore to join in the festivities.
As Zoe documents her friend’s journey, she explores a variety of ideas about love and relationships. Though the story has some comical mishaps—and Emma Thompson brings her share of laughs—this isn’t really a laugh-out-loud kind of movie. The focus is more on the drama: on Kaz’s quest to find the right woman, on Zoe’s relationship headaches, and on the relationship hardships all around them. As she films, Zoe considers her own challenges in trying to find the right man—or even one that she wants to stay with for the time it takes to watch an entire TV series—as well as her friend’s heartbreak over a cheating husband. And she interviews Kaz’s family members to observe both the benefits and the challenges of marrying for compatibility instead of love.
Beyond its study of different kinds of relationships, the film also highlights the Pakistani culture—the vibrant colors, the music, and the traditions. In fact, the cultural aspects of the film are some of its best parts—from the bustling markets of Lahore to the wedding parties and ceremonies.
In the end, though, the film doesn’t seem to know how it feels about relationships. There are some assisted marriages that fail, while others grow into relationships built on love and respect. The relationships based on love may end in heartbreak or grow in happiness and hopefulness. It’s a mixed bag of love stories that seems to fear committing to anything in the end.
With its blend of romance and culture, What’s Love Got to Do with It? is charming and vibrant—but it also feels a little uncertain. It’s a lovably light pick for an easygoing night at the movies, but it doesn’t seem to know what it wants in the end.
You can follow these two singletons looking for The One when What’s Love Got to Do with It? arrives in theaters on May 5, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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