The opening sequence of Netflix's new romcom mystery, The Lovebirds, gives us glimpses of the first sparks of romance.
After a magical first date Jibran (Silicon Valley's Kumail Najiani) and Leilani (Insecure's Issa Rae) can't stop smiling, and they can't seem to leave each other's sides. But after a few moments of that early relationship bliss, we are transported four years into the future, when they are living together and have officially become that couple.
They are preparing to go out while arguing passionately about whether they, as a couple, could win The Amazing Race—a show which Jibran (a snobby, know-it-all documentary filmmaker) has decided he hates without ever seeing it. As they get ready and take their fight out to the car, the topic shifts through the logistics of "freaky" sex, Jibran's picky eating, Leilani's attractive co-worker who steals jokes, Leilani's commitment issues, and ultimately the fact that their relationship has stagnated.
Within the first few minutes the movie has told you everything you need to know about the eponymous lovebirds. They have forgotten why they fell in love and have begun fixating on each other's flaws and shortcomings to the point where they can fight about anything. While they have a strong foundation that has kept them going for this long—and friends apparently still see them as "the best couple ever"—they are ready to call it quits...until Jibran crashes their car into a bicyclist.
Suddenly they've been framed for murder, and in order to clear their names and survive the night they have to work together to uncover an elite sex cult, a blackmail conspiracy, and police corruption. In the process they realize that they really can't work together, and they need to fully cut ties–wait, no. The other thing. They resolve their differences, rediscover their love for each other, and realize they are the kind of team that can build a life together (and maybe even win The Amazing Race)—but not without a lot of bickering along the way.
While the formula is familiar—and director Michael Showalter doesn't quite sell some of the action sequences—it's a pleasure to watch Rae and Nanjiani playing off each other's talent. The humor of their petty squabbling in the face of mortal danger, along with the genuine charm of the moments when they manage to work together, combine to make the movie work—and the fact that Netflix is even willing to make a romantic comedy about a black woman and a Pakistani man is an encouraging sign.
Overall The Lovebirds delivers a fun ride. Though if you're as picky as Jibran, you might want to skip it.