This rom-com is a good time, plain and simple.
'Resort to Love' on Netflix Is a Silly, Delightful Breakup Antidote
Days after my first adult relationship fell apart, I sat on my therapist’s couch in shambles. Of course I had seen the glaring signs leading up to our ultimate demise—but at that particular moment, those factors didn’t matter. I had held it together on the D train, fought back tears through Grand Central, took deep breaths for more than three blocks, and managed to compose myself enough to appear completely okay on the elevator ride up to her office. As soon as my behind touched the “cool side” of her couch (the warm side was where the previous client sat), my emotions completely unraveled.
I thought about that particular session as I watched Netflix’s newest rom-com, Resort to Love, starring Christina Milian, Jay Pharoah, and the so-hot-it-hurts Sinqua Walls. That's not just because we’re introduced to Erica (played by Milian) when she's in a place of emotional instability following a breakup from her fiancé; it's also because she learns through trial and error exactly what my therapist confirmed for me that day—things work out as they should.
In true rom-com fashion, the Resort to Love plot is possible but incredibly far-fetched. Erica moves across the globe for a singing residency at a resort in Mauritius, East Africa. It just so happens to be the same place her ex-fiancé, Jason (played by Pharoah), decides to have his destination wedding to his new love, Beverly. Add to that already eventful arc a couple of blossoming relationships that bring Erica close to not one, but two people within the wedding party.
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The ridiculousness of it all makes this laugh-filled film so much fun to watch. It’s great seeing Milian completely dissolve into a character that’s overly dramatic, a bit silly, yet determined to make her dream of singing professionally come to life. And though Erica’s shenanigans carry much of the plot, the rest of the cast’s antics deliver the zaniness you expect to see when turning on a modern-day comedy.
First up you have her publicist and best friend, who plays the voice of reason when it seems any smidge of reasoning has flown out the window. Then you have Jason, whose feelings for Erica appear to be in limbo and whose indecisiveness about his big day plays out like a Shakespearean script. Unexpected laughs also come from Erica’s colleagues at her swanky resort and Jason’s over-the-top protective mother, whose “Wind Beneath My Wings” rendition should not be missed.
Though Walls’ Caleb isn’t tasked with delivering the comedy, he does deliver a healthy dose of eye candy and conveys the kind of emotional availability and stability that leaves you feeling completely invested in his romantic quest. His presence serves as a reminder—for me, at least— that sometimes a crying fit on the subway is warranted if it helps you see there's light (and love!) after a messy breakup.
Resort to Love isn’t a shoe-in for awards season, and I highly doubt it’s trying to be. But it is a good time—filled with laughs and the kind of happy ending I wish we all could experience more often.
Resort to Love is now streaming on Netflix.
Tanya Christian is a writer and editor based in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @tanyaachristian.
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Condé Nast
