In the last decade or so of films there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of romantic comedies hitting theaters. While many films include both romance and comedy, most fans of the genre have been left to rewatch the classics and hits as an ever-slimming number of true romcoms are released. With a growing demand, it leaves a perfect market for the indie filmmaker to step in and help bring romcoms back.
Everything & The Universe follows the standard formula that you can expect with a film within its genre.
This film centers the aspects of romcoms that people love, though sets itself apart in one major detail: it’s a queer love story. Movie after movie in the romcom genre focus on straight relationships, but not this one. Jane Kinney (Nicolette Pearse) is in love with her best friend, Samantha (Chelsea Gilligan). The problem is that she is on her way to Samantha’s wedding to her fiancé and soon to be husband Brian (Luke Roberts). On the way to the wedding, Jane meets Henry (E.J. Bonilla)- former boyfriend of Samantha- who wants to stop the wedding and win back his ex. On the journey they each face the weight of unspoken feelings for the bride. Together they navigate new friendships and what it means to love. Along the way, a bizarre cast of characters join in to amp up the hilarity and help them find the right way forward.
Two unlikely friends who come together and help each other grow as people? A classic trope. This film skillfully manages to adhere to what an audience expects out of a romcom while also giving it a fresh new twist. The hard work put into the movie shows in all its little pieces and parts. From the casting to its incredibly fitting soundtrack, the small details came together to create a film that turned out to be a fun yet moving story of love and growth. It creates great tension and builds up throughout the story, and the outcome feels earned.
However, while I thought this film held its own it also fell into some of the minor pitfalls of the Romcom. To make characters that we could sympathize with and enjoy, they had to be quirky. No one wants to watch a guy fight to get back his ex (that he ditched in a rather spectacular fashion) who has moved on and made a new, and seemingly better, life for herself. That is, unless the guy is funny and charismatic. We do not want to feel endeared by him until we see he has qualities that we can enjoy. In doing so, the film at time feels a bit over top with the quirks of some of the characters and caters towards a more specific sense of humor. This is by no means the most egregious thing that a romcom could do and, in the grand scheme of the film, doesn’t necessarily make it an unenjoyable viewing experience.
Everything & The Universe is refreshing take on classic tropes. Its ending is satisfying, while echoing more realistic sentiments to everyday life. It shows you that everything might not go the way that you hope, but that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. It’s an easy, fun, and lighthearted watch.
