The Lovebirds will be streaming on Netflix starting Friday, May 22nd.
In recent weeks, studios have been altering their release schedules and testing alternative methods of distribution. Many are now simply streaming their features online for $20 rental fees. Another picture, The Lovebirds, has found an alternate way to make its public debut. The flick was slated for an early April theatrical release by Paramount Pictures. However, the studio chose to sell the picture to Netflix. It is now premiering on the streaming service this Friday.
The film opens with Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibram (Kumail Nanjiani) meeting and falling deeply in love. A few years later that romance and enthusiasm has evaporated, with the couple bickering constantly and ready to end their relationship. But after heading out to attend a social engagement, a series of strange events end up putting the estranged pair in the middle of a mystery. Leilani and Jibram decide to run from authorities to try and prove their innocence before they are charged with a crime they didn’t commit. The trail leads them across New Orleans, where they cross paths with bizarre figures and eventually uncover a larger conspiracy.
Truthfully, one can see fairly quickly why Paramount decided to let go of this picture. Make no mistake, the stars are funny and talented. The driving event that sets the main plot in motion is jarring and darkly humorous. Some of the arguments also result in a good offhanded comment or two, particularly when documentary filmmaker Jibram complains about reality TV shows or his many pet peeves while the pair are pursued. There’s also some fun to be had when the couple are forced into purchasing loud dollar-store clothing in order to avoid detection. The filmmakers don’t manage to maximize the potential humor from their heroes actually standing out from the crowd when they are trying to remain incognito, but the get-ups are amusingly silly.
Still, while the leads manage to eke a few laughs out of the proceedings, the clunky script often leaves them floundering. The dialogue is a little blunt and obvious in explaining the plot. And the attempts to put the Leilani and Jibram in great danger results in a lot of jokes based around characters either getting killed or being threatened with death (sometimes even by the heroes, albeit awkwardly). The occasional physical gag works, but more of the attempts fall flat than hit the mark. At one point, Jibram suffers a painful injury, but seems perfectly fine only a handful of scenes later.
Additionally, all of the characters make consistently bad decisions throughout. This includes both the protagonists and police. These are the kinds of choices that don’t really gel with how any rational person would respond to a given situation. Instead, these strange actions are only done to provide a quick gag and keep the story moving forward. If this were a movie about a pair of simpletons stumbling their way through a dangerous situation and succeeding by making the wrong choices, the approach might be humorous. However, the audience is supposed to feel empathy and relate to the protagonists, as well as hope for a romantic reconciliation. The film never quite finds the right tone.
While the cast are charming enough to deliver a few funny comments, the humor is scattershot and the movie never quite finds the right balance between slapstick gags and deeper empathy for its protagonists. There are a couple of chuckles here and there, but nothing that’s particularly memorable about this enterprise. The Lovebirds tries its best to create a little onscreen magic, but in the end the sparks just don’t fly.