Someone Great (2019)

Movie Name/Year: Someone Great (2019)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Length: 92 minutes
Rating: R
Production Companies: I Can & I Will Productions, Likely Story, Feigco Entertainment, Netflix
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Writer: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Actors: Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise, Lakeith Stanfield, Peter Vack, RuPaul, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Alex Moffat, Joe LoCiero, Rosario Dawson

Blurb from IMDb: After a devastating break up on the eve of her cross-country move, Jenny enjoys one last NYC adventure with her two best pals. Someone Great is a romantic comedy about love, loss, growth and the everlasting bond of female friendship.

Cat’s Point of View:

I’ll start right out of the gate saying that if you’re easily offended by alcohol or recreational drug use, this probably isn’t the movie for you. The R rating stems from a combination of those themes with adult content (albeit mild without full nudity) and language, after all. If any biases to these things don’t dissuade you, then this movie is definitely worth a watch.

Someone Great isn’t your typical rom-com. If you’re looking for a cookie-cutter recipe here, you’ll be disappointed. Just saying.

This film focuses on picking up the pieces after the end of a serious long-term relationship. More so, the movie is about a group of best friends supporting one another in the face of emotional roadblocks. The chemistry between leads Gina Rodriguez (Annihilation, Smallfoot, Miss Bala), DeWanda Wise (Precious, Boardwalk Empire, Knucklehead), and Brittany Snow (Would You Rather, Bushwick, Hangman) was magical. You hear a lot of talk about ‘Squad Goals’ on social media – these women embody that meaning in this film.

I love that the story shines a light on the fact that all relationships change over time – whether friendships or romantic. It’s on us to evolve them as our lives evolve. Friends that help us find our inner truth and see us through the ugly-cries as much as the happy ones are important. The women I am the closest with in my life are the first to call bullshit when I’m being an idiot, and I’d move mountains for them. I digress.

The use of flashback in the narrative was expertly placed, and allows the audience to experience the main character’s emotional journey through the film better.

I really appreciate this new twist on the genre. It’s ok for things to end. Romance movies don’t always have to center on the search and finding of love. I also highly appreciate the use of the humor here. The movie’s not trying to be funny – there are just organically humorous moments sprinkled throughout. 

This is actually a movie I’m hoping develops a sequel somewhere down the line. I became so invested with these characters that I want to see what happens next as their lives unfold from the events that transpire within this 92 minutes of screen-time. This was one hell of a directorial debut. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 83%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 66%

Metascore – 63/100

Metacritic User Score – 5.7/10

IMDB Score – 6.1/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

Movie Trailer: