Love, Guaranteed (2020)

Streaming Services: Netflix

Movie Name/Year: Love, Guaranteed (2020)

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Length: 90 minutes

Rating: NR

Production/Distribution: Netflix

Director: Mark Steven Johnson

Writer: Elizabeth Hackett, Hilary Galanoy

Actors: Rachael Leigh Cook, Damon Wayans Jr., Heather Graham, Caitlin Howden, Brendan Taylor, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez, Sean Amsing, Lisa Durupt, Alvin Sanders, Jed Rees, Kandyse McClure, Keisha Haines, Natalie von Rotsburg, See Jay Jackson, Colin Foo, Quynh Mi, Nick Fontaine, Claire Hesselgrave, Flossie McKnight, Amitai Marmorstein

Blurb from IMDb: To save her small law firm, earnest lawyer Susan takes a high-paying case from Nick, a charming new client who wants to sue a dating website that guarantees love. But as the case heats up, so do Susan and Nick's feelings for each other.

Selina’s Point of View:

I thought Love, Guaranteed was adorable.

This film was a little unexpected. From the trailer, I thought I was going to be getting something cute, but cringe-heavy. They definitely spent a lot of the coming attractions showing the embarrassment humor. As expected, there were a few awkward scenes; there just wasn’t nearly as much cringe as they’d advertised. Which, for me, is a good thing.

Honestly, it was sweet. It was like a modern-day fairy tale. It didn’t go above and beyond to give us something new, but it did give us an interesting interpretation of the familiar.

I really enjoyed some choices that the creators made here. The way Damon Wayans Jr.’s (Let's Be Cops, How to Be Single, New Girl) character found Rachael Leigh Cook’s (The Lodger, Red Sky, A Midsummer Night's Dream) was believable, for one. They could have easily left that bit of information out and just let us assume whatever we wanted. Most flicks would have.

One of the things that really hit me a little harder was a scene early into the love affair of the main characters where it seemed like they would kiss. Most directors and writers would have gone straight for it, and I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. In this case, they had Wayans kiss Cook on the forehead instead. It seems like such a tiny change, but I can’t tell you how much it resonated with me and elevated the scene. It hit differently – stronger, even.

In that one moment, the movie took a simple change and used it to add so much more meaning to the entire film.

Now, I’m not saying this is the best rom-com I’ve ever seen. It’s not. It’s formulaic, it’s on the corny side, and they do take the safe road for most of the film. However, it doesn’t try to be something it’s not.

Love, Guaranteed is just a feel-good, romantic comedy. You get exactly what you’re promised and, when the movie ends, you feel uplifted.

Is there really any other point to a rom-com?

Cat’s Point of View:

At the outset, I felt like Love, Guaranteed was likely going to be another one of those rom-coms that could fit right in on the Lifetime Channel, or something like that. The trailer painted the picture of a cute movie with heart (not to pun). It didn’t seem like it would buck expectations.

Now that I’ve watched the movie, I can confirm that it generally falls into that category. The story was fairly predictable. If you read the blurb or watched the trailer, you already know what’s generally going to happen.

That being said, I didn’t really mind.

Sure, it’s got a lot of the staple tropes of the genre, but it’s crafted in such a way that I still found myself invested in the story and its characters. I am, admittedly, a bit of a sap, though. I occasionally cry at the odd sad commercial – much to the amusement of my husband and teen. So, take this with a grain of salt.

I just really enjoyed the cast helmed by Damon Wayans Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. Their story brings you through a gauntlet of feels from WTF, straight through to adorable – with a liberal dash of comedy thrown in. All of the supporting characters were also interesting, and I think that’s part of what elevated this film above your run-of-the-mill romance flick.

If you’re looking for a good movie to watch, during a night in with some warm fuzzies and a few good laughs, Love, Guaranteed might be just the thing.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 50%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 53%

Metascore – 39/100

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 5.6/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5

Trust the Dice Parental Advisory Rating: PG

Movie Trailer: