TxMike

The writer/director once worked as a matchmaker so she used that experience to put together an entertaining movie that also hits on many of the good and bad points of matchmaking. While you can distil the overall story down to New York couples trying to find love and a long-term partner, there is a lot more to the movie.

It actually starts with a brief scene depicting a young prehistoric "cave people" couple professing their affection, then as a very whimsical element, the last scene while the credits roll show that same cave couple among the couples applying for a marriage license in modern day New York municipal office.

In the vast middle we meet Dakota Johnson (about 35) as Lucy, not wealthy at all but working as a matchmaker. She is convinced that she can never really love anyone because, as she says of herself, she is a "bad person", a "materialist" looking for a mate that checks all the boxes of looks, stature, and wealth.

We soon meet her ex, Chris Evans (about 43 playing a character who is 37) as John, an actor scratching to make ends meet, sharing a run-down apartment.

Then enters a new guy, Pedro Pascal (about 49) as Harry, who they refer to as a "unicorn" because he in fact does have everything, wealth, intelligence, good looks, and is a kind person.

So, aside from the humorous situations within the matchmaking business, the core of the story is Lucy, John, and Harry juggling romance and practicality.

I really like this movie, the script is smarter and more interesting than the usual rom-com. My wife and I watched it at home on Blu-Ray from our public library. The disc has a couple of worthwhile extras.

As the movie opens we see Brad Pitt (about 60) as race car driver Sonny Hayes, driving one of the legs of the Daytona 24-hour race. When it finishes he accepts his check, and his $5000 bonus, then on the map plots his course from Florida to the California coast. He has his sights set on the Baha 1000, an event he has never run.

We see flashbacks of his early days of daredevil driving, and we learn of the accident that almost killed him. He loves to drive, to race, but only picks up the occasional event.

That is until his old friend, Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes, looks him up and convinces Sonny to drive for his team in F1, Formula One, races.

And that starts the story here, the ins and outs, the technical side of racing, and also the cutthroat side of racing.

Lewis Hamilton, a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Ferrari, is a Producer and also has a brief role as himself in the racing action. Brad Pitt is also a producer. So I suppose we should assume the action and behind-the-scenes story elements are authentic.

My wife and I watched it at home, on DVD from our public library. We were entertained.

I missed the 2020 "Becky", made when Lulu was only 14, I need to look it up after watching this one, streaming on NFLX. I believe she was 19 here.

Here Lulu Wilson continues as Becky. She says she is 18 (although a scene at the end, she is called 16). She works at a diner and rents a room in the home of an elderly woman. One day at the diner three rough and disrespectful men are very rude, she sets her sights on getting them.

The leader of the group, after we see five of them together in a secluded house on a pond, is Seann William Scott (of Stifler fame in the "American Pie" movies) as Darryl. The moment Becky tracks down their location we are in for a brutal cat-N-mouse game. Her dog also plays a key role.

For me this is a guilty pleasure, much like the "Equalizer" movies with Denzel, the fun of seeing a seemingly nice and quiet person take on the really bad guys.

Lulu Wilson is just perfect in her role.