Getting To Know You Review: A Decidedly More Adult Story of Love and Life

Release date: November 24, 2020
Running time: 103 minutes
Starring: Natasha Little, Rupert Penry-Jones, Rachel Blanchard 
Written and Directed By: Joan Carr-Wiggin

When his drunken ex-girlfriend won't leave him alone, a man asks a married woman staying at the same hotel to pretend to be his wife. What could go wrong? It's not like two strangers spending a weekend in a small town could possibly fall in love!  Getting To Know You is a delightful love story for grownups starring Natasha Little, Rupert Penry-Jones, and Rachel Blanchard.

Getting To Know You is billed as a comedy, but it shares equally in the comedy and drama throughout.  The film has a funny, awkward start that really sets the stage for this movie.  The whole film has a dry humor that accompanies a ludicrous but very relatable premise.  And although the film forces Abby (Little) and Luke (Penry-Jones) together, the rest of the movie feels like a realistic love story between two very realized people.  And I imagine the credit for this is shared equally between writer and director Joan Carr-Wiggin--for creating a love story that foregoes many of the Hollywood tropes to insert real life and consequences into the equation--and the stars Natasha Little and Rupert Penry-Jones--for bringing these great characters to life.  Starting with the writing, like the humor, it is funny with a wonderful dry wit throughout that had me smiling.  The character's lines are well chosen in this film because, as in the real world, words matter.  And Little and Penry-Jones are fantastic as this unlikely duo; the natural chemistry between the two is instantly recognizable and their growing fascination with each other is done in such a slow and cautious way that it definitely feels like a more realistic and adult story than most films.

And speaking of the story, I absolutely loved it.  It felt so genuine and heartfelt after the setup that I couldn't help but root for these characters.  And the relationship proceeds in such a cautious, genuine nature that it develops in a much more organic way than most romances from Hollywood.  And that is what is so wonderful about this indie film; it foregoes the tropes and lets two adults develop what feels like a genuine connection right before our eyes.  I really loved how much awkward tension there was and how many unspoken things occurred in this film as it made the relationship much more relatable.  This is also helped along by some absolutely charming music throughout.  There is a consistent, simple but memorable theme that plays at times during the film.  And a few other beautiful musical pieces pop in here and there.  And the fact that they are simple pieces is by no means a knock; they are perfect and light, something that delicately sets the tone without overpowering you with emotion.  It really contributes to the overall adult, understated feel of this movie; your emotions don't need to be pushed or manipulated by adding a grand score.  Simple pieces here and there help guide the story and the viewers without forcing it. 

This results in a film that features two wonderful leads creating this story about missed opportunities and the realities of life.  And these lessons are shown in nuanced ways, such as the expectations of youth versus the realities of growing up, and the fact that your desires and goals change as you get older.  It really feels like this film leaves you with a realistic message, one that will mean different things to the audience depending on their own relationships and where they are personally.  

Getting To Know You is a wonderful, understated drama / comedy featuring two fantastic leads with amazing chemistry and a realistic, decidedly more adult story about love and life.

Watch it.

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Getting To Know You is available digitally and on demand November 24, 2020.

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