I'm not sure why other reviewers so enjoy trashing movies that are actually quite entertaining. Sure, the storyline in general is not original, but this is a romance movie, not a film competing for a Best Picture Oscar. If these reviewers are looking for completely original stories, they are looking at the wrong genre. With romances, it is in the execution--writing/dialogue, acting and direction.
Ali Cobrin is simply wonderful in this film. She plays CALLIE, a mid-30's business owner being constantly admonished by her well-meaning but VERY annoying mother, father, and older sister because she is still single. They are always trying to set her up. She loves her family, but feels harassed by their set-ups (mostly with apparent losers).
Because her family is throwing her a 35th birthday party soon and demanding she bring a date, she enlists the aid of a friend (WILL) that she coincidentally just met when she went out for drinks with her younger brother KYLE after the last fix-up fiasco at family dinner. (Kyle is the only family member not interested in hassling his sister about dating, coincidentally). Will is Kyle's friend, and it turns out he too is single, and NOT in any hurry to "find someone." After talking, Will agrees to pose as Callie's boyfriend for a couple of weeks. What could go wrong?
Besides simply speaking lines, Cobrin also uses her talents of expression to convey her thoughts and feelings. This is an excellent talent and one not all actors possess, or, especially, use. Her costar Jesse Hutch (her brother's friend, WILL), is also an excellent casting choice as he has a similar talent, if not as well-developed as Cobrin's seems to be.
Those two main stars pull this movie up by its bootstraps. Note that It isn't that the other costars are not good--they play their roles satisfactorily, but most viewers will likely find them a bit irritating at times for the reasons stated above. This is because the writers wrote their characters the way they did. It's the one negative about the movie--are any families as annoying as Callie's, constantly on a 35-year-old woman's back to marry? Likely not in real life--but of course this is a movie--NOT real life, and as such we are asked to leave our disbelief at the door (which some reviewers can't do). So yes, the family is annoying, but we understand that this attitude of the family's is required for this particular plot to work.
I won't go into the last half hour or so of the film. I've said enough about the plot in general. Let me end by saying that Ali Cobrin impressed me mightily. She is beautiful and very talented. Playing her business partner MIA in the film is Mika Mitchell, another beautiful young lady who is very impressive. Charles Cottier plays brother KYLE and stands out as the aforementioned only family member who doesn't make Callie's life miserable. These last two add a lot to the film. Do watch Mia and Kyle in this movie, too.
I highly recommend this film--I certainly enjoyed it.
