The endearing romantic comedy is a charming film with two breakout stars - Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine.
read more
Wedding season is here and while the couples’ friends and family members share about how much they adore true love, single attendees like Ben (Jack Quaid) and Alice (Maya Erskine) seize the opportunity to find their future spouse. To do that, the two pals pair up as each other’s dates to avoid the dreaded singles table, as well as agreeing to double up as each other’s wingman or wingwoman.
Alice and Ben think that they don’t want anything permanent when it comes to a relationship - Alice just broke up with her boyfriend, and Ben has been struggling to define his past relationships. It starts out as the pair trying to be best pals for each other - not only saving the costs of hotel accommodations but helping each other to bring their relationship status to a different title. As friends, there is nearly nothing to hide - from toilet adventures to snuggling in bed, both know that their candidness and loyalty is what keeps the friendship together. They soon begin the develop feelings for one another but they struggle to make sense of their new status and their future.
Writers-directors Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer found the balance between penning a romantic narrative - that in some ways, overdone - and giving space for the characters to grow. The film also really charms its way to the audience primarily due to the leads’ banter and chemistry, in this sincere and genuinely sweet romantic piece.
Erskine plays Alice in ways that we wished we had a crude but endearing friend like her. She is clever and never one to back out of tough situations, and when it comes to building a relationship, she gives her all. Erskine’s energy is infectious and lively, but never too overboard, a rare charm on screen where she easily steals the scene. Quaid’s Ben is charismatic and a gentle giant who is sweet and natural. As individuals, both actors are lovable but when together, their appeal is magnetic and is the core of what makes this movie enjoyable.
Plus One may have used a formulaic rom-com narrative of the friends-to-lovers story but packs laugh-out-loud humour as well as relatable relationship problems. Like the characters, the movie is a likeable treat that charms its way to our hearts.
read less