The author wishes to review the recently released romantic-comedy, ‘Nobody Wants This,’ but may not be able to aptly, critically ‘review’ a rom-com for her bias towards all things love runs strong.
I like all romance movies. I hardly ever critically analyse the flaws of a rom-com simply because the joy of watching two people find their way to each other is so heartwarming that I don’t really care about the character development, political setting, plot cohesiveness and all those other parameters. There’s banter, emotional upheaval, swoon-worthy romance? Bam! You’ve got me hooked. So rest assured, I immensely liked Nobody Wants This, the newest rom-com that is all the rage on Instagram right now.
It is a will-they-won’t-they story starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody on Netflix. Kristen Bell as Joanne is a serial dater (who finds the most superfluous faults in her dates) and her romantic misadventures become the meat for her and her sister to dig into, on their weekly podcast called ‘Nobody Wants This’. Joanne is adamant to tell everyone that the podcast is more than just about sex and relationships; it is a platform for people to open up and “feel empowered”. Joanne is not demure and mindful. Oh no. She meets our male eye candy- Adam Brody as Noah, a rabbi, at a party and they both instantly hit it off. Noah is goofy, funny and self-effacing. The first time I watched it, I couldn’t look past Brody’s Adam’s apple (forgive the pathetic wordplay), and his basketball skills (or the lack thereof). Fleabag gave us our Hot Priest so, of course, we needed a Hot Rabbi.
The chemistry between Joanne and Noah is palpable, I was giggling the entire time they talked. They start dating. But trouble in paradise? Noah is a devout rabbi and his job and relationship with his deeply religious family could be at risk if he dates someone who isn’t Jewish. I don’t like when the only major problem in any American TV relationship turns out to be infidelity (Ross and Rachel in Friends, Mike and Rachel in Suits, and the list goes on). I am bored of the trope of cheating which has been overdone to exhaustion. So, I found it refreshing that what drew the couple apart was religion and cultural differences. Noah fosters a deep reverence for Judaism and Joanna is, well, a shiksa (a gentile woman; code word for a big blonde).
By the end of the season, their relationship seems to have reached a dead end without a possible future, unless Joanne converts to Judaism. And so, it is up to our oh-so-adorable couple to figure out what they’re both willing to give up to find their way to each other. The show ends on a cliffhanger, which is why it would take me 5 business days to emotionally recover if they don’t bring in a season 2 immediately.
Let me just brief you about the eccentric supporting cast before I start gushing about Adam Brody in the next paragraph. Justine Lupe serves as Joanne’s sister, Morgan who seems to be rudely disappointed as Joanne starts dating Noah. She absolutely hates being reduced to number 2 on Joanne’s list of priorities, and you know, as a younger sister myself, I support her. Joanne and Morgan rant and fight and make money together. Timothy Simons (Veep’s famed Jonah), who plays Noah’s brother Sasha is the tall, lumbering “loser sibling” who surprisingly turns out to be a great dad to his teenage daughter. Trust Sasha to throw all the geeky, comic punchlines. A nosy, overbearing mother, a dad who nods to all that his wife says and a sister-in-law who stubbornly refuses to like Joanne makes Noah’s family complete. As far as Joanne’s parents go, it’s a bit more complicated than that, so maybe just watch the show, you’ll know.
Now, coming to the internet’s newest favourite boyfriend, Adam Brody. I think the reason everybody adored Adam Brody in ‘Nobody Wants This’ is not because of his chiselled nose and endearing smile—though he definitely gets brownie points for that. It’s because he is a 30-something, emotionally competent man who holds his lady love and tells her she is not too much, that he “can handle her.” He never tells a very volatile Joanne that she is overreacting. He is not scared of her oscillating emotions, mood swings and vulnerability. I think all women, everywhere, were healed.
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Featured Image Credits: Netflix
Chetna Rani