Jenna Jones had it all. Her stellar career in fashion magazines, a power couple with a handsome man named Brian – the combined heat of the pair has even made her a headline-grabbing portmanteau Brigenna.
Then Jenna lost both her job and her relationship in a horrific public accident. Her rise and fall are quickly wrapped up in a headline collage in the opening credits of Netflix’s comedy Romantic Her, so we can only guess what happened. “Perfect find.”
Anyway, it doesn’t matter what went down. What matters is that Jenna bounces back, and Gabrielle Union gives her the kind of casual charisma only found among the elite members of the romantic comedy world. It’s nice to see Union directing The Perfect Find with such radiant warmth and relatable poise, but that’s not the case with director Numa Perrier and writer Lee Davenport (Tia Williams’ 2016 The film adaptation of the novel of the same name) is not so confident.
After hiding out at her parents’ house for a year, Jenna returns to New York to rebuild her life. Abandoning her pride, she asks her frenemy Darcy (Gina Torres) if she has a job in her own media empire.
Darcy ends up hiring Jenna as creative director, but can’t help but casually mention that the heroine has just turned 45 (even though her skin probably glows even when she’s sleeping). even if).
Good things happen in pairs, so Jenna quickly falls in love with polite and passionate Eric (Keith Powers). Eric happens to be a new colleague, a much younger videographer and Darcy’s son.
They embark on an affair that must be kept secret from their common boss, but it should be easy since Darcy is almost absent. Torres is tragically underused, as are Aisha Hines and Alani “La La” Anthony as Jenna’s best friend.
On a professional level, Jenna and Eric create a new corner called “The Perfect Find” in Darcy’s funny-named magazine, Darzine. This allows us to explore our shared taste for vintage and retro luxury. The adorable lovebirds, both fans of old Hollywood movies, bonded over their admiration for Golden Age black actress Nina Mae McKinney.
Not only does “The Perfect Find” often go wrong, hampered by stiff dialogue and comedy, but it’s also decidedly lackluster for a film set in the world of fashion. Luckily, it’s saved by two fast-paced stars who have mastered the two-step-forward, step-back dance that is central to romantic comedies.
perfect find
Unrated. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Watch it on Netflix.
