The film titled “I Want You Back” was released on Amazon Prime Video on this year’s Valentine’s Day. Written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the film is based on two characters Peter and Emma, who just got dumped by their partners. Both stumble upon each other in the building they work at while heartbroken, sad and longing for their respective girlfriend and boyfriend. Soon, both heartbroken souls forge an unlikely bond, find comfort in each other and create a plan to break up their former partners, who now have more attractive lovers. Emma decides to seduce Logan who is the new boyfriend of Peter’s ex Anne and Peter becomes friends with Noah who is Emma’s ex.
Emma is successful in breaking up Anne and Logan and making her fall in love with Peter again whereas Peter’s worthless attempts at convincing Noah to get back with Emma only makes him love his girlfriend Ginny more. But after getting back with his girlfriend, Peter is not happy and Emma is devastated not because Noah is going to marry Ginny but Peter telling her to never see him again.
Unlike other romantic comedy film’s plot, the striking aspect of I Want You Back is a moving-on tale rather than a love story between the protagonists i.e. Emma and Peter. The viewers will love the themes of self-acceptance and getting over. The storyline revolves around an unexpected friendship between two emotionally distraught youngsters who are helping each other realize that their blind love for their exes have made them forget about their own mental health. The director did a good job in removing the predictable element in most rom-coms, which is the characters ending up together.
Charlie Day, best known for Horrible Bosses (2011) and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005), plays Peter, Jenny Slate of Obvious Child (2014) and Gifted (2017) fame plays the role of Emma, Gina Rodriguez, best known for Jane The Virgin (2014) and Someone Great (2019), portrays Anne and Scott Eastwood of The Longest Ride (2015) and Overdrive (2017) fame is playing the character of Noah. I Want You Back is a rare fun romantic comedy and offers a series of teachable moments. In the end, the viewers will realize that the film’s title is something which depressed individuals need to tell themselves rather than their exes. It also has a cameo of Pete Davidson!
