Match Me If You Can

As an old boomer guy I'm not really in the demographic for this movie, and I put it on for background noise while doing something else. I didn't expect it to begin with people battling zombies in a shopping mall! (OK, not real zombies, but still...) I ended up giving the movie 90% attention throughout, instead of the 15% I'd originally planned. It has an endearing main character, some delightfully quirky bits (the zombies, the crab and puffer fish, lawnchair man,...), and a plot which was totally predictable but still left open some questions about how it was going to unroll. Another director could have given the movie a screwball pace and tone, or made it cloyingly sweet, but that would have been a bad choice. They maybe veered a little to far in the 'sedate' direction for this one, but it works.

In 1999 there was another romantic comedy with a crab, Simply Irresistible (with Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Patricia Clarkson). If you enjoyed that movie, I would say this one has a very similar overall flavor...though they are very different movies, and the acting in that one was overall far far better.

What a breath of fresh air in the movie world. A wonderful blend of a good script, solid acting, good direction, and it all came together to make a sweet and funny movie with a happy ending. The movie will keep you chuckling throughout. This is a clever take on the all-to real world of online dating and all the hazards that involves. All the actors portrayals of their characters are just so well done. There is good chemistry between the two leads in the film. The director has done a impressive job of keeping the film moving forward and keeping the audience interested. The film photography is also worthy of note.

"Match Me if You Can" is a heartwarming rom-com directed by Marian Yeager about a computer nerd rejected by a dating app, blogs about her experience and ends up unintentionally leading a revolution for all the singles feeling left out. Set against my hometown of Austin, TX, the film's local charm adds an extra layer of magic for me. The characters' quirks and vulnerabilities make them instantly lovable and super relatable. And of course, who could forget the adorable mastiff and mudi pup that steal the screen for me whenever they show up :-) In a world of rom-coms, this one stands out for its genuine message - that you are enough.

"I know I'm not a real woman, my shoes don't hurt, I like math" is an actual line from this embarrassingly sexist, small-minded film. I haven't looked it up, but this was either written by an oblivious man (likely) or a self-hating woman. Whatever this film thought it was doing, glorifying things the writer associates with being "male" that "real women" don't do/don't get -- even though they are gender-neutral things like enjoying math -- is hateful toward women in an attempt to make the lead actress seem "so not like other girls." And you might think, "It's a romcom, it's not that deep." It is actually that deep. These media depictions are damaging. And honestly, who is this romcom targeting? What audience was so pick-me, they were like, "YES, I FEEL SEEN. The only way to feel good about myself is to tear down anything perceived to be feminine." I shut it off after about fifteen minutes. Maybe it comes back around and it doesn't make you feel nauseated, but it wasn't worth the gastrointestinal distress in the interim. Glad this has clearly done so poorly, as the world is better off with less exposure to it.

IN A NUTSHELL: When a female computer nerd is rejected by an online dating service as "unmatchable", she declares war on the dating service, becoming a reluctant spokeswoman for all the frustrated singles out there. The problem is that the dating service swears they didn't reject her.

The romantic comedy was directed by Marian Yeager. Writing credits go to Betsy Morris. Already, the film has been nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Dallas International Film Festival.

THINGS I LIKED: Georgina Reilly plays the leading lady and does a great job. I had never seen her in anything before, although she has been in other films. I believed her character's quirkiness and thought she had good chemistry with the leading man, played by Wilson Bethel.

Speaking of Wilson Bethel, he is best known for his roles in "Hart of Dixie" and "The Young and the Restless." When I read his bio, everything was written in past-tense verbs, suggesting that he had died. He's one of the celebrities who has been a victim of the recent death hoaxes on social media. He is very much alive and still acting!

All of the characters are well defined, creating an effective, amusing ensemble. Others in the cast include Brian George, Billy Armstrong, Veronica Wylie, Charlie Clark, Kanwar Singh, Bradley Ofoegbu, Ava Torres, Jennifer Griffin,and Sahara Ale.

There's a lot of quirky, nerd humor that will either make you laugh or roll your eyes with a smile on your face.

I had a little pet crab like the protagonist has in the movie.

Cute shout-out to Chewbacca.

I thought it was funny that several of the characters regularly participated in Zombie LARPING. It actually looked really fun. If there were a group like that in your city, would you want to be on Team Zombie or Team Human?

Dog lovers will appreciate the dog adoption element of the story.

I love the t-shirt that said, "Running code is my cardio." Ha ha Cute, quirky music, just like the romantic leads and other cast members. The original music was by Brian Satterwhite.

The story incorporates today's dating-app world, as well as technology and culture norms.

Bloggers will be encouraged to continue writing. It's therapeutic for the blogger and often very helpful to the readers.

The side story with the Theo Gutierrez as the Lawn Chair Man was sweet.

Keep watching during rolling credits at the end of the movie for some cute animations.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: It's ridiculous that a computer programmer couldn't retrieve a deleted email. Seriously?

It starts slowly and takes its time.

There are definitely some overacting moments; however, that's part of the charm of this goofy comedy.

It's definitely formulaic and predictable.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Young kids will be bored because it's a movie about dating.

We see several gay couples together and one kissing.

We see women in jail.

Some "light" profanity.