In Marry Me, Jennifer Lopez plays Kat Valdez, a superstar who has the number one single in the history of the world with Marry Me, a duet that she performs with her fiancé, Bastian (Maluma). The plan is for Kat and Bastian to marry onstage, as the climax of one of Kat’s concerts. For Kat, it will be her third marriage but she’s determined to make it work because, underneath all the glamour and show-biz glitz, Kat is a romantic at heart. However, right before Kat is due to step out on stage to get married, TMZ reports that Bastian has been cheating on Kat.
Heart-broken, Kat steps out onstage. She talks about the pain of being betrayed. In the audience, one man nods along with her. Kat sees the sympathetic look in the eyes of math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) and she calls him up on stage. “Kat,” the minister asks, “Do you take this guy?” She says “I do.” Charlie says that he does. And …. they’re married!
Wait, what?
Now, of course, Charlie really isn’t sure who Kat Valdez is. He came to the concert with his daughter and his best friend (played by Sarah Silverman) and the only reason that he was holding a sign that read “Marry Me,” was because it was handed to him at the last minute. Charlie is far more interested in walking his dog, trying to connect with daughter, and coaching his students to victory in the upcoming mathalon. As they leave the concert, Charlie explains that he just said “yes” because Kat appeared to need someone at that moment and that he certainly doesn’t expect to remain married to Kat.
However, Kat’s management suggests that maybe the two of them should stay married for three months, just for the sake of good publicity….
Wait, what?
Look, I could tell you that Marry Me is a deeply silly film but you probably already guessed that. You probably guessed that from watching the trailer. It’s a determinedly old-fashioned film, with the only thing indicating that the film was made after 2014 is the fact that it’s Jimmy Fallon who is shown making jokes about Kat’s marriage instead of Jay Leno. The plot is not only silly but it’s also extremely predictable. Do I really need to tell you that Kat is going to be charmed by Charlie’s simple life and that she’s going to end up helping his students prepare for the mathalon? For that matter, do I have to tell you that Charlie is going to struggle with the feeling that he doesn’t fit in with Kat’s glamorous life style? You know where this is going.
That said, it’s an amiable film, largely due to the two leads. Jennifer Lopez is one of the few performers who can come across as being likable and down-to-Earth, even when she’s jumping into a limo and demanding that the driver take her to the airport. The film also makes good use of Owen Wilson’s goofy charm. The film’s story may be implausible but, if something that weird ever did happen, it would probably happen to Owen Wilson. While I would have preferred a film with a bit more of a satirical edge and I think it’s one of those films for which you definitely have to be in the right mood, Marry Me is a likable romantic comedy.
Through the Shattered Lens 