Find out what is being said about this new romantic comedy starring Lily James and Shazad Latif.
The Observer: *** “The sparky chemistry between James and Latif leaves few surprises in how it all pans out, but it’s an unexpectedly, disarmingly sweet film.”
The Independent: **** “The film, too, is a brilliant showcase for British comic talent, with Asim Chaudhry as a wheeler-dealer matchmaker, and comedy duo Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen as a pair of TV commissioners who compulsively come up with silly ideas. And as Zoe’s mum Cath, Emma Thompson delivers a winningly funny, frantic performance, constantly thrilled by her growing knowledge of cultural differences.”
The FT: *** “But really the movie is a brightly coloured skimmed surface with old-fashioned dreams. It only wants to find a girl, standing in front of a boy, a thousand lovestruck London estate agents looking on.”
Stylist.co.uk: “While What’s Love Got to Do With It? would make a great date night (or assisted marriage meeting) movie, it is more than just a romcom. It’s refreshing to have a nuanced and three-dimensional portrayal of Asian society where the characters are characters first and cultural values second.”
The Telegraph: * “Written by Khan and directed by Shekhar Kapur, this squanders a fine cast (including Emma Thompson) and boasts several fatal flaws.”
Little White Lies: “Attempting a cross-over between the awkward idiosyncrasies of Richard Curtis’ idealistic upper middle class Londoners with South Asian second-culture kids, What’s Love Got To Do With It is a new take on the girl and a guy next door. Alas, even with the legacy of a genre known for forgiving dubious premises, it doesn’t hold up under the weight of logic.”
Empire: ** “Kapur shoots it all glowingly but not too glossily, in a recognisably middle-class London rather than Richard Curtis’ millionaire version, and in Lahore. But the film drags as it trudges through the business of arranging a wedding that the audience can’t quite believe in, and never delivers on the romance, assisted or not. There’s probably a moving character piece to be made about this kind of match, but this never quite gets there.”
Entertainment.ie: *** “Lily James and Shazad Latif have a natural chemistry on screen together, and the whole will-they-won’t-they is couched in strong performances by both. The supporting cast is headed up by Emma Thompson, herself a veteran of Brit rom-coms of years past, and does a remarkable job of keeping things light and funny in times when it probably shouldn’t be. Shabana Azmi acts as a foil against Emma Thompson, while comedian Asim Chaudhry has an extended cameo as a matchmaker.”
What’s Love Got to do With it? is out now in cinemas.