‘Mr. Right’ Is a Great Rom-Com—Until It Gets One Thing Very Wrong

It’s just about as hard to find a good rom-com as it is to find a good guy/gal/romantic partner these days. They’re like a rare gem, and when they shine, they really shine. So when you find a good one, you want to hang on to it. But a lil’ word of wisdom on the matter: make sure they are actually a good one.

Mr. Right comes SO close. So close! Streaming now on HBO Go and HBO Now, the film brings a breath of fresh air, a wind of originality to the rom-com genre that exhilarating at first. The film tells the story of Martha (Anna Kendrick), a woman that has had some shitty luck in the love department. She might be described as a bit “nutty” but in this instance, it works. Kendrick is great at playing imperfect, and her character isn’t the problematic one on hand. She meets Francis (Sam Rockwell) in a grocery store, and behind all that confidence and charm is the fact that he’s a professional hitman. Oh, but he’s not the problem either. Despite the fact that this character believes he can be semi-creepy and blunt and hand out nicknames way too early and it still won’t affect his chances with a woman, Francis actually turns out to be quite chivalrous and respectful of Martha in most ways. He does that thing where he tells her guys are trying to kill him, but it comes off as a sarcastic joke instead of the truth that it is. So technically, he’s not lying! His ass is covered.

The two spend the majority of the film ping-ponging their excellent chemistry back and forth at each other because of course they do. They’re two of the most charismatic actors we’ve got; it would be weird to stick them together and not feel the spark. Watching their unconventional courting process keeps the rom-com interesting and surprising and unexpected. There are some fun visual effects paired with cheeky, original dialogue and the suspense of intense action scenes mixed throughout. These elements combine to create what seems to be a very refreshing update on the tried and true romantic comedy model.

Until we get to one particular scene in the film. Martha’s roommate Sophie (Katie Nehra) serves as a real pal, taking her friend out and providing both cheering up and emotional support when Martha needs it most. Sophia is also the voice of reason, pointing out that the man her roommate brought home seemed a bit “fancy homeless”, and it’s irresponsible to not even know his name. Simple, common sense observations. So why does this character come off as…naggy? At first, viewers might brush it off, as we’ve seen this kind of character before. But haven’t we evolved? Unfortunately not yet. In a later scene, Sophie enters the room to discover a lifeless body on the floor, and after telling her roommate they need to call the cops, Francis promptly and harshly tells her to “shut your face” before threatening to shoot her in the armpit. Uh?

While it might seem confusing at first why such negativity is focused in this character’s direction, it all makes perfect sense when you learn that the writer of this film is none other than Max Landis. Yes, son of John. You see, Max has such potential! He can write interesting stories and witty dialogue. He’s written such films as Chronicle, American Ultra (which was mostly ok) and Me Him Her which…sigh. It started with a good idea and got itself all tangled up in its portrayal of female characters once again. And lest you think he just hits a roadblock when it comes to writing female characters, you should also be aware that he was the one to quickly label The Force Awakens’ Rey as a “Mary Sue” and recently said some other shitty things about Amy Adams’ performance in the critically acclaimed Arrival. In other words, this fucking guy.

While the Martha character can initially come off desperate for sticking with a guy despite his sketchy profession, the film leaves on more of a “everybody is a weirdo and we’re just lucky to find our wacky match” vibe, and she is mostly salvaged. Plus, Francis has his gentlemanly moments, aside from the murdering. But damn, is it conflicting! Mr. Right has so many things going for it, and is overall an enjoyable, cute escape with a jolt of unexpectedness added to the “boy and girl meet, fall in love, discover something troubling about the other, but then live happily ever after” take. It’s just too bad that when it comes to rom-coms and voicing opinions on female characters, Landis is very much a Mr. Wrong.

[Watch Mr. Right on HBO Go]