Rebel Wilson plays Natalie, an Australian architect who hates romantic comedies, in a movie that turns her life into one. The setup is simple: after a mugger knocks her out at a subway station, she wakes up and finds herself living inside a clichéd romantic comedy. That premise could carry a sharp, funny satire about Hollywood formulas. Instead, “Isn’t It Romantic” leans on broad physical comedy and a predictable romance, and the jokes about tropes often miss their targets.
The film was directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox and Katie Silberman. It stars Rebel Wilson as Natalie, with Liam Hemsworth as Blake, Adam Devine as Josh, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Isabella, Betty Gilpin as Whitney, Brandon Scott Jones as Donny, Tom Ellis as Dr. Todd, Jennifer Saunders as Natalie’s mother, Jay Oakerson as Gary and Michelle Buteau as Martina. The film grossed over $48 million on a $31 million budget.
Trailer, via Warner Bros..
Natalie’s Hatred for Rom-Coms
Natalie’s low self-esteem and dating difficulties make her a pushover at work. Her colleagues dismiss her position as architect and pawn off menial tasks on her. Her mother, played by Jennifer Saunders, tells her at an early age that girls like her cannot find love. That message, combined with her low self-esteem and dating difficulties, shapes her belief that romantic comedies are full of lies, corny pop songs, unrealistic scenarios and montages.
Whitney, played by Betty Gilpin, is a fan of romantic comedies and debates their veracity with her.
“Natalie sees them as full of lies, corny pop songs, unrealistic, full of montages.”
Whitney argues that flaws are what make people beautiful. Natalie lists the clichés she hates: the lack of diversity, the gay best friend who has no life, the voice-over train of thought, the make-over montages, and the slow-motion segments.
The Subway Mugging and the Cliché World
The turning point comes when Natalie, naively believing a guy is hitting on her, is knocked unconscious during an attempted mugging at a subway station. She wakes up in a luxurious apartment and her relationships radically change. Blake, a sexy billionaire client of her company, suddenly speaks with an Australian accent and develops a romantic interest in her. Donny, her normally gruff neighbor who has always come across as a misogynist, becomes a flamboyant homosexual friend offering advice.
Whitney becomes her enemy coworker, although her other coworkers respect her position. Josh, played by Adam Devine, seems to be the same as always, but he uses the Heimlich maneuver on her. Isabella, the billboard model who appears as a yoga ambassador in the fantasy world, enters the picture as a potential love interest.
The Problem With the Jokes
The film spends a lot of time explaining why Natalie hates romantic comedies, but the satire doesn’t always land. The movie knows its target, but it doesn’t consistently hit it with wit. The problem is that the film’s own structure follows the very tropes it criticizes. The main character is fat, the male lead is handsome and rich, and the plot resolves neatly.
| Element | In the Real World | In the Romantic Comedy |
|---|---|---|
| Blake | Billionaire client | Romantic interest |
| Donny | Misogynist neighbor | Gay best friend |
| Whitney | Assistant and friend | Enemy coworker |
| Josh | Best friend | Potential love interest |
| Natalie | Australian architect living in New York City | Leading lady |
The table shows how each relationship flips. What’s missing is the irony that makes satire work. The film tells you it’s making fun of the genre, but it doesn’t let you laugh at the joke.
The Physical Comedy and Its Limits
The film leans heavily on physical comedy, and that’s where it finds some of its best energy. Rebel Wilson delivers a performance that’s energetic and committed, even when the material isn’t clever. Her frustration with the world she’s trapped in translates into a physical desperation that’s easy to read.
Liam Hemsworth, as Blake, mostly functions as the handsome billionaire love interest. His role is limited, and the chemistry between him and Wilson is occasionally present but not the engine of the film. Adam Devine as Josh gets more screen time, and his arc is where the movie stumbles.
Josh’s Arc and the Plot’s Weakness
Josh is the friend Natalie believes she’s friend-zoned. Whitney argues that Josh is in love with Natalie, but Natalie dismisses the idea because she’s overweight. Josh spends all his time staring at a model on a billboard across the street. In the fantasy world, Josh becomes a potential love interest, and the film sets up a romantic triangle that never quite pays off.
The problem is that the film never commits to its own premise. Natalie’s journey should be about rejecting the clichés that trap her, but the movie keeps leaning on them. The Heimlich maneuver, for example, is a moment that’s meant to be absurd, but it plays out as a standard romantic-comedy beat rather than a subversion of one.
The Verdict
“I’m Not a Rom-Com” is a film that wants to be clever about a genre it clearly loves. It has a strong premise, a committed lead performance, and a few genuinely funny moments. But the satire is inconsistent, and the plot resolves itself in a way that feels less like a rejection of clichés and more like a surrender to them.
The film’s biggest flaw is that it can’t decide whether it wants to critique romantic comedies or simply enjoy them. The result is a movie that’s intermittently amusing but rarely surprising.
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