Somebody I Used to Know Review: Not A Typical Rom-Com

If you’re looking for a romantic comedy to cozy up to for Valentine’s Day, Prime Video’s Somebody I Used to Know is… not that. There’s romance, and some of those stereotypical rom-com tropes, but it’s not the film’s focal point. I’d hesitate to call it a rom-com at all.

Directed by Dave Franco, and starring his IRL wife Alison Brie, alongside her Community pal Danny Pudi, Top Gun: Maverick breakout Jay Ellis, and indie darling Kiersey Clemons, the film reads as more of a “finding yourself” journey rather than a romance.

There’s nothing wrong with that though! Somebody I Used to Know is actually a great representation of wrestling with your identity once it’s been set in stone for a while. Especially when you’re face to face with your past. 

For a film that’s centered on being vulnerable in your relationship with others and yourself, it benefits from having its star and its director so familiar with each other. There’s a level of intimacy that probably wouldn’t exist otherwise.

It helps that Franco and Brie are no strangers to collaboration.

He’s able to get shots of her and the rest of the cast, specifically close-ups, focusing on just their faces. It’s an incredible way to gauge the character’s emotions and the small micro gestures that cross their face. I’m not sure if we’d see the same type of performance, from Brie especially, with another director at the helm.

This doesn’t mean their collaboration made a perfect film. The characters lack depth, other than Ally and Cassidy, whom Ally views as a mirror of her past. Sean is a mediocre fiance at best, and an emotional cheater at worst.

There are hints at his underlying insecurities, but not enough time is spent with him to understand his indecisiveness. And while I’m glad the relationships play out in the way that they do, it wraps up too quickly.

Sean is let off the hook pretty easily for somebody that almost ruins his engagement with his ex-girlfriend over the course of like three days.

So while there’s some steamy chemistry between Ally and Sean, that’s not really the point of the film. The most compelling part of Somebody I Used to Know was the dynamic between Ally and Cassidy. 

Cassidy is standing at a crossroads in her life that Ally had already crossed a decade ago. Choose the small-town guy or the big-city dream job. They would make a great mentor/mentee pairing in another life. 

It’s Ally’s unfortunate professional news that sets her off on this introspective journey in the first place. That journey just takes a detour back to her hometown and a pit stop at her ex’s family home. And unknowingly crashes his wedding.

Her intentions are misguided, for sure, but she does attempt to course-correct once she gets to know Cassidy’s situation. And in the end, it’s less about the relationship that either of them has with Sean anyway. It’s more about how they fit themselves into any relationship without losing track of their own identity.

Kiersey and Allison make a fun duo, and the scenes they share together are some of the film’s best. They play standoffish competitors well, but it’s also not weird that they become fast friends, streaking across the golf course.

I almost wish the story had gone a different way. Ally and Cassidy encounter each other at the bar first, and then realize they had Sean in common later. It would have been clear from the beginning that Somebody I Used to Know was more than just a romantic drama (rom-dram?) and would save some confusion on the film’s genre.

Outside of the main plot, the supporting cast steals the show. Haley Joel Osment’s Jeremy is the quintessential little brother. And it’s so clear that he used to look up to Ally when she dated Sean, even ten years later. All of the film references he throws out to try and relate to her? Classic Kid brother move.

Danny Pudi is especially a highlight amongst the cast. As any Community fan knows, Pudi is a comedic delivery genius, and that stays true in Somebody I Used to Know. His ease of familiarity with Brie is a product of their history. And they are still so good together.

It’s unclear what their dynamic is supposed to be, but they play old friends well and are very comfortable doing so. I’ll watch any number of projects that reunite actors from sitcoms together in a new environment. And this is one of the best to do it.

The film uses its scenery well, exploring the Pacific North West as the antithesis of Los Angeles and the Hollywood dream. When we meet Ally, before her show is canceled, she’s in the urban jungle of LA, shooting in the giant studio warehouses. Her journey home is the exact opposite — full of large pines, beautiful rivers, and log cabins.

Even the wedding weekend takes place at a picturesque lodge, overemphasizing how far out of her comfort zone Ally is in this environment. It’s a clear juxtaposition and one that helps set the stage for Ally’s final resolution — the best of both worlds.

She gets to continue fulfilling her dream of storytelling, but she gets to do it on her own terms (RIP Dessert Wars). Instead of shooting on a set, she’s on location, at one with nature. It’s a nudist documentary, but that ties back into her roots perfectly.

For a rocky movie, it sticks its landing perfectly. And it subverts the typical narrative, showing that it’s okay to pick your own passions over a guy. Or in Cassidy’s case, pick the guy! There’s no right answer to relationships, you just have to choose what’s right for yourself.

Stray Thoughts:

• Loved the appearance from Zoe Chao and Sam Richardson, Franco’s The Afterparty co-stars!
• “I wasn’t here to make friends I was here to make flan” could 100% be a soundbite from a reality cooking competition.
• The town this was set in was adorable. It seemed so European for being in Washington state.
• I’m glad Cassidy’s sexuality was just a part of her identity but not the main sticking point in her relationship with Sean.
• The clothing she wears at the beginning of the film versus what she’s wearing at the end is another great symbolic change. Loose jeans and a tank top vs. a tight business suit and heels.
• A+ soundtrack on this one, and great use of Semi-Charmed Life.

What did you think of Somebody I Used to Know? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Somebody I Used to Know is now streaming on Prime Video.

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