Set It Up

‘Set it up’ review

(Spoiler free)

By Sofia Nicole

My friend recommended ‘Set it up’ to me today. A movie that just came out on a little known streaming site called ‘Netflix’, so naturally this evening when perusing the site for something else to binge I stumbled upon it and decided that if she liked it I should give it a go. I made the right decision. This movie is funny, romantic, and everything a romantic comedy today should be. Reminiscent of late 90s and early 00s romantic comedies, with a modern audience in mind, this film strikes the perfect balance between the nostalgia of the movies you loved to watch at sleepovers growing up, and understanding of its own cheesiness in the most perfect way.

   As the movie opened and we were introduced to the female lead (Harper) working as an assistant, initially I rolled my eyes at the portrayal of another woman being an assistant at a fashion magazine, or in a vague role at a vague company. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong, in the movie we are quickly opened up to Harper’s role in the company, her work ethic, her ambition, and who she is as a character. The audience also sees that the company is not generic and vague but is in fact something the female lead is passionate about, as well as the fact that the company is owned and run by a woman. Harper, played by Zoey Deutch, is a relatable character that gives me Anna from Frozen vibes, if you remember that scene when Anna wakes up for her sister’s coronation, yes THAT! This character is charming, well-written, and doesn’t undergo an extreme makeover to be recognised as attractive or know her own worth, ground-breaking stuff! It was refreshing to watch a romantic comedy in which the female lead was independent, funny, and flawed, and being respected for these qualities.

   The sub-plots perfectly drive the main characters, acting as measures of where the main characters are in their development and leading Harper and Charlie, the male lead played by Glen Powell, to the ending. The supporting actors played by Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Joan Smalls, Meredith Hagner and Pete Davidson are also integral to the plot and are not the one dimensional and generic best-friend types that we often see, or the bosses we often see. We are let into the lives of the supporting characters to drive the story, and where these characters do fall into stereotypes it calls itself out and brings it back, and where they stray from stereotypes it is not mentioned and just showcased as a natural and obvious choice. Making it the perfect blend of old and new romantic comedy.

   If that wasn’t enough to win you over it is also clear that Charlie is flawed and has hurdles to overcome. The movie perfectly deals with the issues that could be found in the 90s and 00s movies surrounding male leads and their choices. The chemistry between the characters is obvious to the audience from the start, as it is in all classic romantic comedies, but it is dealt with in such a careful and comical way that it is reminiscent of the best of its own genre, such as ‘When Harry Met Sally’. It perfectly engages with what has come before it while maintaining the same elements of the genre, it has slapstick humour, rom-com tropes, and attractive leads, as well as being relatable, reassuring, and romantic.  Without gushing anymore I can’t recommend this movie highly enough. If you are looking for a cheesy rom-com to watch, that is fully aware of what it is while becoming it perfectly, then this is the movie for you.