Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Marry Me Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 9, 2022

Marry Me presents audiences with a new twist on the age-old question: what is love? Must love be found in the traditional spaces and places and grow in a predictably linear fashion from meeting to courtship to marriage, or can love evolve from a random encounter initiated on a whim, with courtship following marriage? To answer this question, the film pairs a music star with a math teacher with surprisingly touching and down to earth results. From Director Kat Coiro (A Case of You), Marry Me never struggles to stay grounded even when its story, at first, quickly evolves well beyond reason and through its transition to explorations of human love and relationship when two very different souls, and two very different worlds, collide.

Pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) has it all: fame, fortune, and the number one smash hit song in the world ("Marry Me"). Her other big dream is about to come true, too: she is set to marry fellow superstar Bastian (Maluma) on stage, during a live performance, in front of thousands of fans and a viewing audience of millions online. Unfortunately, disaster strikes only moments before the ceremony: Internet video is leaked showing Bastian kissing one of Kat's assistants. A tearful Kat takes the stage, monologues about love, and decides to do something radical: she marries a random man in the audience instead. That man is none other than divorced high school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), the epitome of the everyman who suddenly finds his quiet life upside down. The two exchange vows and are suddenly the hottest item in the press. When they decide to actually give the marriage a go, much to Charlie's daughter's (Chloe Coleman) delight, it turns out the marriage may actually work: that is, if Kat can keep Bastian at bay and Charlie can survive living under the spotlight.

As far as RomComs go, this one is a little different. It does share some basic formulaic pieces, though, including the wronged fiancé and the odd couple paring, but what makes this one different is that it essentially starts at the end, with the wedding, and moves backwards as the characters only begin the process of courtship, emotional intimacy, and physical connection after saying "I do." Despite the start-at-the-end switch-a-roo, the film does take many of its cues from old-fashioned Romantic Comedies but infuses the picture with some modern sensibilities, which include a look at life in the 24/7 spotlight and how that scrutiny can impact both the bigger marriage picture and its smaller, more intimate moments. There are a lot of moving parts and plot dynamics in play in nearly every scene, which makes the moments the audience gets to enjoy the two characters sharing the odd reprieve from the spotlight, and watching them grow together and fall in love, worthwhile. It's very sweet and simple despite how busy it otherwise is, and it is that unique approach and shifting spotlight that elevate the film above so many others of its kind.

Also elevating things are the lead performances. J-Lo and Owen Wilson are dynamite together, playing their roles from their own worldview perspectives with deeply rooted depth but also working their way into one another's worlds, at first on the surface and later from deep within the heart, with satisfying humanity and believable connection. The story dynamics do not challenge or stretch them as actors, and the script is rather straightforward, but the work brings the pairing together with a tangible connection that elevates the material above any business it has of being as enjoyable as it is.

Marry Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal brings Marry Me to Blu-ray with a perfectly proficient 1080p transfer. The picture is not at all much of a standout in terms of towering over other recent releases, but rest assured everything is in good working order. The presentation is clear with minimal low light noise and no serious compression related issues. The Picture offers good basic textures, revealing not only complex facial features but all of the ornate appointments on high dollar clothes and across various environments, from backstage locales to high school classrooms. The color spectrum satisfies for neutrality and natural vividness. Tones are full and lively with plenty of splash to clothes and lights in concerts. Skin tones look healthy and accurate. Whites are crisp and bright and blacks are firm and deep. This is a perfectly nice-looking Blu-ray; it just doesn't look any better or any worse than any other A-list releases of recent vintage.

Marry Me Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is not quite so large and dynamic as one might expect it to be, at least not in the concert sequences. Certainly, there's good clarity and spacing on hand, but the track never hits that profound sense of depth and total immersion one would expect to find at this sort of venue. It's somewhat tamed, both in terms of the music and the crowd din. Still, it's mostly effective and detail is well capable of relaying all the elements with precision. The track is at its best during more intimate dialogue moments and lower key musical numbers. Here, clarity and spacing extend wide and deep but without the larger dynamics at play; still is of very good balance overall. Light atmospherics fill the stage with pinpoint placements as well, and dialogue is consistently clear and well prioritized as it engages form its natural front-center position.

Marry Me Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Marry Me includes a large number of extras: an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, a gag reel, a lyric video, and a number of featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 5:27 total runtime): Included are It's Coming Together, Plotting the Future, Is Everyone Happy?, Come to the Concert, What Am I Doing Here, You're Married!, Having Fun at the Dance, and Flight Status.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 1:45): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Jennifer Unveiled (1080p, 11:49): Intimate interview clips with Lopez concerning her character and performance, cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage, and more.
• Behind the Camera: The Making of Marry Me (1080p, 5:28): Exploring the broad story beats, the intimate narrative and character elements, Kat Coiro's direction, cast and chemistry, the New York location, and more.
• Turn It Up: The Music of Marry Me (1080p, 5:52): Exploring the music's place as a storyteller in the film.
• Live at Madison Square Garden (1080p, 4:41): The importance of casting Jennifer Lopez, who understands the world of the Pop superstar, as the lead role and pairing her against Maluma, who is equally dynamic in the film. The piece also looks at shooting at Madison Square Garden, where Maluma was putting on a real concert.
• Married with Style (1080p, 5:03): Building a massive, authentic concert sequence to open the movie.
• "On My Way" Lyric Video (1080p, 3:09): A music video with lyrics written on the screen.
• Audio Commentary: Director Kat Coiro and Producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas explore the film.

Marry Me Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Marry Me is a surprisingly satisfying blend of high stakes modern stardom and down-home romance. The film pairs chemistry-laden leads with a sweet love story as experienced from two divergent perspectives that pairs two compatible souls despite their gargantuan outward differences. Lopez and Wilson make the movie work. Universal's Blu-ray delivers satisfying video and audio presentation, and the disc is loaded with extras. Recommended.