On the surface, it may look like The Valet is a standard romcom about two vastly different personalities. However, director Richard Wong, working off a script by Rob Greenberg and Bob Fisher, manages to unearth something much sweeter in this familiar setup. It helps that The Valet's two leads are very appealing and that there is genuine humor to be found. Perhaps the biggest problem facing this film is that it is almost bursting at the seams with smaller subplots, some of which don't entirely get their due. The Valet is a charming twist on a classic trope led by two delightful leads, even if it sometimes struggles under the weight of all it has taken on.
Antonio (Eugenio Derbez) is a valet in the middle of Los Angeles while Olivia (Samara Weaving) is an actress found on just about every billboard in the city. The two have absolutely nothing in common, and they only meet when Antonio crashes his bike into the car Olivia is stepping into. However, their unexpected connection proves fortuitous, as Antonio becomes the perfect fake boyfriend to hide Olivia's affair with a married billionaire (Max Greenfield). As the valet and the actress get closer, they realize they both have a lot to learn from each other.
The Valet's basic premise accounts for the central relationship, but it doesn't touch upon the inclusion of Antonio's large family, the threat of gentrification surrounding Antonio's neighborhood, and the surveillance efforts put in place by Olivia's boyfriend's wife (Betsy Brandt). All of those amount to additional storylines found within The Valet, though not every single one gets the full development they deserve. Though they serve to further enrich this world, they can make for some disorientation when Greenberg and Fisher's screenplay shifts focus back to them. At its core, The Valet is strongest when it focuses on the burgeoning relationship between Antonio and Olivia, which admittedly takes some time to really get rolling.
When it does get properly underway, though, it gives The Valet its heart. Wong takes the lighthearted premise beyond surface-level and digs into who Antonio and Olivia are as people. Their relationship, though it may begin as more of a transaction, is remarkably balanced in the sense that both of them have something to offer the other. Weaving plays Olivia's gradual thawing around Antonio quite well, picking away at her inner insecurities to the point where it's hard not to feel sympathetic for the privileged actress. As Antonio, Derbez wears his heart on his sleeve. He straddles the line between comedy and drama very well, making Antonio someone to root for. A key scene near the end of The Valet where Antonio experiences some needed growth might incite cheers from the audience. Among the supporting cast, Greenfield continues to prove he's excellent at playing jerks, and the late Carmen Salinas, in one of her final roles, is an utter delight as Antonio's randy mother.
Wong also gives The Valet an additional layer by letting Antonio and his family speak Spanish. Though the movie doesn't dig too deep into any racial issues, it does acknowledge that there is a difference between LA's elite and its immigrant communities. That added nuance in what appears to be a fluffy rom-com helps The Valet stand a touch apart from some of the other entries in the genre. The Valet isn't a perfect movie, but its charms help push past any issues that may arise.
As a result, The Valet is solid entertainment for anyone looking for some heart and laughter. Rom-com enthusiasts might be a bit thrown by how Olivia and Antonio's relationship actually progresses, but it ultimately proves to be a more genuine and poignant endpoint. The entire cast helps to further elevate the material, and the added cultural touches only give the plot more depth. Though The Valet perhaps takes on too much all at once and can be a bit slow at the beginning, it is a success as a heartwarming exploration of friendship and family.
The Valet begins streaming on Hulu Friday, May 20. It is 117 minutes long and rated PG-13 for sexual content, some strong language and brief drug material.