What's Love Got to Do with It?

Totally lacking plot and character development the movie falls flat. Missing are all the usual twists, turns and laughs. There is no build or development of the main characters leaving them as empty and hollow as when they started.

This film makes the first half hour of Moonfall look like a cinematic masterpiece.

Whilst not bad and an easy watch this movie really fails to deliver. Carrying a camera awkwardly from scene to scene does not make our leading lady a documentary superstar.

We are not even given any insight into the two main characters life as children together, or any insight into them liking each other more than friends.

It's like two strangers kissing at the end taking a chance on what love?? Do they even like each other. There was no tension, no chemistry between them.

And what does Emma Thompson contribute? Jumping around each scene in a shrill voice adding nothing to the value of the movie.

"What's Love Got to Do with It?" is a Comedy - Romance movie in which we watch an arranged marriage between two individuals from different cultural backgrounds while themes of identity, family, and love are explored.

I enjoyed this movie and I have to admit that it was far better than what I expected. The interpretations of both Lily James who played as Zoe Stevenson and Shazad Latif who played as Kaz Khan were very good and brought an emotional weight to their roles. However, the movie followed a somewhat formulaic path that didn't offer much in terms of surprises. Despite that, the combination of humor and romance was enjoyable. Overall, I have to say that "What's Love Got to Do with It?" is a nice, enjoyable movie and I believe that everyone can watch it.

I'm not really the kind of guy to watch rom cons and only went cause of my missus and it was our anniversary so

Nevertheless I found myself highly entertained throughout this film . As a Pakistani man who had an "assisted " marriage myself I could relate to the main character and the cultural nuances depicted and thought it was well depicted .

I have had an issue with how Pakistanis have historically been portrayed in film but thankfully movies such as this and "The Big Sick" capture the dynamics right - and it is frankly refreshing to see a Pakistani lead with a semblance of personality rather than him/her being relegated to terrorist villain or supporting character for the normally white lead

It is entertaining film that does raise important questions about relationships and marriage not just in an Eastern Pakistani context but also as viewed through more of a Western lens ( as is seen by Lily Janes story arc ) .

The two leads - Shahzad Latif and Lily James have refreshingly good chemistry and the powerhouse that she is Emma Thompson brings good hearted humor to the screen

I see a lot of the reviews by Pakistanis bombing this film citing this film as "discrediting Pakistanis " or "against Pakistanis " just cause there were a few depictions of Pakistanis drinking . Come off it honestly ! This depiction is tame to what a lot of Pakistanis in the home country and abroad do and we need to stop this obsession of "being squeaky clean " . Please - were just as human as everyone else and this film shows a good depiction of that.

If you remember "Last Christmas" (2019) then you will have a rough idea of what to expect here with this rather formulaic, if colourful, drama. It all centres around a film being made by "Zoe" (Lily James) about the forthcoming "assisted" marriage of her lifelong friend "Kaz" (Shazad Latif). Her mother "Cath" (Dame Emma Thompson) lives next door to his family and so is relishing the family trip to Pakistan for the traditional wedding. "Zoe" is (as, I suspect, are we) pretty sceptical of the whole arrangement - getting married to someone you've only met on Skype, but proceed we do through a lively ceremony that allows Dame Emma to don her sari and dance for all she is worth (gin-fuelled!) whilst the predictable love triangle melodrama slowly, but predictably, plays out. It all comes to an head when they have returned home and she shows her film to all concerned and, just like this, it receives mixed and divisive reviews. I found this all very twee, middle class and vaguely judgmental which after a while I felt rather defeated the purpose in the first place. It is pretty clear from the start what is going to happen, and although the route to that conclusion isn't exactly a straight line, this leaves very little room for jeopardy to a plot you can see from Mars. Latif has a degree of charm to him, and some of the scenes with Lily James are quite engaging in a cheesy sort of way, but for the most part this is eminently forgettable fayre that will do fine on telly at Christmas.

What's Love Got to Do with It? Doesn't completely commit to its central idea of a more nuanced and balanced exploration of assisted marriages but it remains a really good romantic comedy that has a little more unpredictability than the average rom com and boasts an enjoyably heartwarming story.

Lily James and Shazad Latif are real life, longtime friends and that really comes across in their on screen chemistry which is very palpable. Emma Thompson has way more screen time than expected and is a definite scene stealer with a constant stream of jokes that always land.

Shekhar Kapur's direction is really good, especially with the tone which starts of as something broader in its humour (which works) and then gradually scaling that humour back as it gets surprisingly emotional and sincere by the end.