Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		1.5

Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie Review

Nope.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III May 30, 2019

Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and penned by a trio of writers -- with a combined total of exactly three previous rom-coms between them -- the 2019 Rebel Wilson vehicle Isn’t it Romantic aims to lampoon a genre ripe with clichés. We’ve all seen and possibly enjoyed a few romantic comedies from recent decades, from genuine classics like When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, and Broadcast News to tolerable but mostly formulaic fare such as Serendipity, Kate & Leopold, and 50 First Dates . Well, Isn’t it Romantic’s leading lady Natalie (Wilson) is fed up with all that shit: despite her love of Pretty Woman as a young girl, her alcoholic mother’s hatred of happy endings gradually turned Nat into a timid, anxious cynic that resents 13 Going on 30, The Wedding Singer, and whatever else her co-workers enjoy. All that changes after a nasty head injury: Natalie’s suddenly trapped in a rom-coma dream world and can’t find her way out until she connects the dots in typical genre fashion and, presumably, marries the perfect guy.

It's kind of a goofy premise and could have worked under the right circumstances. Sadly, that's not what we get here: Isn’t it Romantic only half-commits to a long, sustained joke that gets old quickly and makes it feel like much longer than its 88-minute running time implies. After an uninspired introduction chock full of easy slapstick and one-note supporting characters, things peak early once Natalie wakes up in dreamland and finds out that every aspect of her life has drastically changed. Her once-squalid apartment is a luxury suite with endless shoes, clothes, and gelato pints. Weed-dealing neighbor Donny (Brandon Scott Jones) is now a handy gay sidekick. Trashy New York streets are lined with candy-colored boutiques and flower shops. Most importantly, people treat her much differently: former asshole client Blake (Liam Hemsworth) is now a rich admirer, BFF Whitney (Betty Gilpin) is the token female nemesis, and doofy office pal Josh (Adam DeVine) comfortably punches way out of his weight class with "yoga ambassador" Isabella (Priyanka Chopra). It's a mirror universe in which Natalie is supposed to be happy. So why isn't she?

Though not without a few fun moments and good ideas, Isn’t it Romantic doesn't have enough substance to sustain a feature-length production. The "satire" element of its attempted rom-com takedown is feather-light and amounts to one-note jokes, predictable pop song cues (Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles", Donna Lewis' "I Love You Always Forever"), or even just lazily name-checking a few genre staples. Two full-blown karaoke productions, meant to be empowering highlights, feel tacked-on and even cringe-worthy -- and believe me, I usually hate to use that word. The final act's inspirational message rings hollow due to its confusing and feeble attempt at character development: after all, the most important turning point in Natalie's outlook is caused by a guy who didn't even have to fall into a coma. Overall, Isn’t it Romantic is saddled with the type of well-intentioned but slapdash story usually reserved for those movies Natalie doesn't like, and it's absolutely loaded with jokes that land about 20% of the time.

Still, I'll be happy to extend an olive branch...and maybe even two, since I don't really enjoy beating dead horses. Rebel Wilson does what she can with the material, and for the most part gets through this thing unscathed. I say this as a complete non-fan of her usual output: despite the annoying slapstick and hammy attempts at self-deprecating humor she typically subjects herself to, she's well-suited for the role and carried portions of the movie that otherwise wouldn't have stayed afloat. The production design and cinematography are also pretty impressive once Natalie wakes up in dreamland: most of Isn’t it Romantic is awash in pleasing visuals and interesting colors, which at least attempt to compensate for some of the film's lesser elements. Of course these elements can't entirely save a sinking ship, but they keep it from "total loss" territory. Likewise, Warner Bros.' Blu-ray combo pack at least plays to one of these strengths: it looks and sounds excellent, so those who enjoyed it in theaters will at least have a good time.

Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio (rounded up slightly to 2:40:1 on the packaging), Isn't it Romantic looks unsurprisingly perfect on Warner Bros.' 1080p transfer. Well, scratch that -- I actually was surprised at how visually pleasing this movie could be in some respects, especially during the aforementioned "romantic comedy" dream sequence that occupies at least 75% of its total running time. The colors and lighting are outstanding from top to bottom, with a rich amount of detail and carefully coordinated hues at almost every turn. (These almost approach the level of HDR color grading on your typical 4K release, both in overall appearance and quality.) Other short scenes and moments offer more visual highlights in similar ways: the nighttime "dream date" between Natalie and Blake that ends with an ice cream shop break-in boasts a nearly feverish neon color palette, while a short time-lapse scene of Natalie working in her apartment offers an extremely inviting warm-to-cool transition that's very well done.

Of course, the highlights don't start and stop with the film's commitment to color. Image detail is very strong on close-ups and mid-range angles alike, while wide establishing shots display a pleasing amount of depth and good contrast levels despite some of the (intentional) candy-coated color boosting. Textures are also quite convincing, from some of the eye-catching costumes -- Natalie's yellow blouse, for example -- to small details in faces, hair, and flowers, with an overall smooth and polished appearance that fits heightened genre stereotypes perfectly well. Say what you will about Isn't it Romantic's fundamental story flaws, but it looks fantastic on Blu-ray and fans will be very pleased.

Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, while not as ambitious as the visuals, also has a few tricks up its sleeve. Dialogue and ambient effects dominate most of the film, which are predictably anchored up front but sometimes creep into the rear channels. Panning and separation are apparent on many occasions, such as vehicle drive-bys and bustling crowd sequences. Of course, the pop music cues -- whether they're placed over certain scene transitions or actively part of the story, such as the two main song-and-dance karaoke numbers -- ramp up the action considerably, often filling the entire sound stage without feeling aggressively overcooked. Depth and clarity are right on par with a recent big-budget production, and no glaring sync issues or other defects could be detected along the way.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles and several sets of foreign dubs and subs are including during the main feature; these are placed within the 2.40:1 frame and are perfectly legible with no major timing issues.

Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warner Bros.' two-disc combo pack arrives in a dual-hubbed, eco-friendly keepcase with a Digital Copy redemption code and a matching slipcover. The bonus features are much thinner than expected for this financially successful rom-com; disappointingly, almost no attention is paid to the production design, one of its only saving graces.

• Deleted Scenes (4 clips, 6:40 total) - These brief segments include "Closet Therapy", "A Monument to Love", "Tub for Two", and "A Good Surprise". They're presented in completed format with full color grading and, while they don't include any major revelations, they should appeal to fans of the film.

• I Wanna Dance! (4:33) - This short behind-the-scenes piece features director Todd Strauss-Schulson with actors Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Priyanka Chopra, and others discussing the song-and-dance numbers from Isn't it Romantic, from initial song selection to the challenges of beat-perfect choreography.

Isn't It Romantic Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Isn't it Romantic isn't an outright awful movie, it's just an extremely lazy and inconsistent one that never fully commits to its premise. Many of the jokes fall flat, rules are constantly being rewritten, and the character development is just flat-out confusing. While it scores a few laughs along the way and the production design is quite impressive, the film as a whole feels disposable and slapped together in a way that most actual romantic comedies are. Perhaps most telling is its scant 88-minute running time, which includes the end credits and a few left-field song-and-dance numbers that are supposed to be highlights but feel more like cheap padding. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray combo pack offers an exceptionally good A/V presentation that plays to the film's limited strengths, but the extras are short and mostly forgettable. It's definitely not worth a blind buy, but those who saw and enjoyed it in theaters may want to indulge.