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The typical romantic comedy follows a couple as they navigate the ups and downs of a relationship to find their Happily Ever After. But Shortcomings is a completely different kind of rom-com, following one half of a couple whose relationship is completely falling apart.
Shortcomings finds life changing for a self-absorbed aspiring filmmaker from Berkeley, California. Ben (Justin H. Min) spends his time working in an arthouse theater, eating in diners with his best friend, Alice (Sherry Cola), and obsessing about blonde women. When Miko (Ally Maki), his girlfriend of six years, announces that she’s been awarded a three-month internship in New York, Ben decides to take their time apart to explore his options. But while Alice and Miko are working on bettering themselves and finding what they want in life, Ben finds himself caught in a downward spiral.
Often with a romantic comedy, the goal is to write likable characters—and cast co-stars with undeniable chemistry. But that’s not the case here. There’s very little to like about Ben. He’s self-obsessed, sarcastic, superior, and ultimately insecure. He criticizes the things that matter to Miko, he belittles her and her accomplishments, and he projects all of his worst behavior onto the people around him. And as soon as Miko sets out to follow her dreams, he sets out to find himself a blonde girl. His narcissistic behavior is often difficult to watch—and you’ll wonder why people like Miko and Alice continue to put up with it.
Meanwhile, while most films make viewers feel for characters as they face one challenge after another, it’s hard to feel for Ben. And as he smiles his way through bizarre performance art concerts only to face rejection, it’s almost gratifying to watch him deal with one disaster after another.
Still, while the story plays out just as it should, it doesn’t necessarily make for an enjoyable experience. It has its share of laughs, but this isn’t the kind of fun-filled rom-com that you watch on a lazy Friday night. It has more of a bite to it. And it won’t leave viewers with the expected warm-fuzzy feeling.
Shortcomings is definitely a different kind of romantic comedy. The complicated relationships here all come with a twist. And while it’s certainly smarter—and, in many ways, more realistic—than the typical rom-com, the unlikable main character and his story of romantic woes tend to take away quite a bit of the easy-going fun.
You can join Ben’s quest for happiness when Shortcomings arrives in theaters on August 4, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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