Love Wedding Repeat is the sort of movie you put on when you are looking for something lighthearted and pleasing to the eyes. This romantic-comedy is very charming and has a lot going for it, although it fumbles with its best-conceived ideas, the charm carries it to the finish line.

Jack (Sam Claflin) is hopelessly in love with Dina (Olivia Munn). After spending some time together in Rome whilst they visiting Jack’s sister and Dina’s friend Hayley (Eleanor Tomlinson), they fall for each other. However, destiny has a strange sense of humour, and the two are stopped from ever starting something. A few years later they are thrown together again and their chance at happiness is now or never. Sadly, destiny likes to play a few games and Jack is tasked with preventing a wedding crasher from ruining his sister’s wedding, which sets off a series of incidents that will ultimately make or break Jack and Dina’s relationship.

There is a key element in the film that reflects the “repeat” in the film’s title that is not utilised to its full effect. The entirety of the film hinges on this plot contrivance that is the source of all the comedic errors that prevent Jack and Dina from getting together. Since the film doesn’t fully realise that element it just falls flat. Love Wedding Repeat at times feels like a spiritual sequel to Table 19, another wedding set comedy about an eclectic group of characters navigating this event. Sadly, that isn’t a great comparison, although both share a similar quaint charm to them.

The cast is terrific but their interactions are hardly believable. At no point do the long time friends feel like friends. The maid of honour has little to no relationship with the bride throughout the film, despite the use of a nickname there is no real understanding of the relationship. The brother-sister pairing works best because the two share the most screen time together. Jack’s ex-girlfriend Amanda, played by the gorgeous Freida Pinto, isn’t given nearly enough to do to fill out the “ex-girlfriend from hell” trope, and Pinto’s performance is achingly desperate for better lines. Other ancillary characters pop in and out with funny anecdotes or characteristics, but none of it ever plays an essential part in the actual film. Most of the comedic beats from each character operate independently of the plot or the contrivance that prevents Jack and Dina from having a pleasant time together. 

Putting all of this aside, the central couple has little to no appeal. Despite them being played by two extremely attractive people and having a cutesy back and forth, there is little work done to make us believe or even root for this couple. The actors do their best, but it isn’t enough to really nail the romantic half of ‘romantic-comedy’.

All in all, Love Wedding Repeat won’t be a memorable excursion, but it’s enjoyable. There are some great performances and a few funny and sweet moments. Despite, the lack of follow-through on some of the better ideas, the movie is still a pleasant time to watch on your couch, desk or where ever you watch Netflix.

Love Wedding Repeat is now available to stream on Netflix

by Ferdosa Abdi

Ferdosa Abdi is a lifelong film student and aspiring film festival programmer. Her favourite genres are science-fiction, fantasy, and horror and her favourite director is Guillermo del Toro. She is madly in love with Eva Green and believes she should be cast in everything. You can follow Ferdosa on Twitter @atomicwick