The rom-com continues to make a solid comeback to the big screen with the new offering What's Love Got to Do with It?. Directed by Shekhar Kapur, this movie holds all the ingredients of a successful romantic comedy: Two attractive leads with decent chemistry, a swoon-worthy premise, and a triumphant conclusion. What's Love Got to Do with It? also has an extra advantage in its thoughtful exploration of Pakistani culture, particularly with its tradition of arranged marriages (or, as it is called these days, assisted marriage). Though the sparks could be brighter for its central couple, What's Love Got to Do with It? still has plenty of charm.
Documentarian Zoe (Lily James), who is both successful and struggling, hits a roadblock with her next project. The oblivious guys in charge of producing her films aren't thrilled by the more downbeat topics she suggested (one of which was honor killings). Desperate for something, Zoe hastily pitches a documentary on arranged marriage with her childhood best friend Kaz (Shazad Latif) as the subject. Kaz has just agreed to let his parents pick his future bride, much to Zoe's dismay. After some heavy cajoling, Kaz also agrees to let Zoe track his marriage journey for her latest documentary, and the story that unfolds will force both of them to question their ideas of love and commitment.
What's Love Got to Do with It? plunges headfirst into its central conceit, establishing Kaz's marriage goals and Zoe's documentary idea with impressive swiftness. Rather than feeling rushed, this instead paves the way for Kapur (and by extension, Zoe with her documentary) to explore the different ways love can bloom. Using talking heads reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally, the film provides testimonies from characters who have benefited from an assisted marriage, including Kaz's traditional parents (Jeff Mirza and Shabana Azmi) and his brother (Mim Shaikh), whose wedding kicks off the entire movie. What's Love Got to Do with It? is careful not to vilify the practice of arranged marriages; between the talking heads and Kaz frequently explaining his reasons for doing it to Zoe, there is a case to be made that this tradition isn't as bad as it seems.
At the same time, Zoe continues to voice her misgivings about the whole thing, which somewhat diminishes the positive message. Naturally, there is tension between Zoe and Kaz that persists even as she continues to chase the wrong kind of men, and he moves forward with his engagement to a pretty, yet seemingly very shy woman, Maymouna (Sajal Ali). James and Latif play Zoe and Kaz's deep-seated affection for each other quite well, though What's Love Got to Do with It? is so busy that it doesn't always have time to explore their budding feelings. In addition to the central documentary plot and love story, Kapur and screenwriter Jemima Khan have woven in an arc involving Zoe's complicated feelings toward relationships, a thread involving Zoe's friend Helena (Alice Orr-Ewing), whose husband is cheating on her, and a story involving Kaz's long-estranged sister Jamila (Mariam Haque). As a result, What's Love Got to Do with It? becomes a well-rounded rom-com, but one where the other plots are somtimes more interesting than the main love story.
Perhaps the strongest arc is Zoe's, often illustrated by the fairytale-themed stories she tells to Helena's daughters. Khan pens Zoe's aversion to commitment and genuinely nice guys with little judgment, even as the character makes some truly questionable decisions. James, who played a very famous princess once upon a time in Disney's Cinderella, handles Zoe's gradual growth very well. The Zoe and Kaz dynamic picks up in urgency as Kaz gets ever closer to his nuptials, and Latif truly excels in the moments where his romantic hero is torn between his heart and the duty he feels he must carry out for his family. Again, What's Love Got to Do with It? is sensitive and loving in its depiction of Pakistani culture, yet doesn't shy away from the heavier side of things, which only makes it a richer story.
Aside from James and Latif, What's Love Got to Do with It? boasts an impressive ensemble, with special credit going to Azmi and Emma Thompson as Kaz and Zoe's mothers, respectively. The familial side of things can be more compelling than the romance at hand, but luckily, Kapur sticks the landing with a heartwarming ending that balances both aspects admirably. What's Love Got to Do with It? is then ultimately a charming rom-com that manages to make up for its occasional shortcomings with vibrant characters and an earnest heart.
What's Love Got to Do with It? releases in theaters Friday, May 5. It is 109 minutes long and rated PG-13 for strong language including a sexual reference, some suggestive material, and brief drug material.