Movie Review: What's Love Got To Do With It

 Movie Number 6 of 2023

The Film: What's Love Got To Do With It (2022)

The Theatre: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Stars: 3.75

This is not to be confused with the 1993 Tina Turner biopic of the same name. This film ticked my boxes because, from the trailers, ticked a lot of my preferred film boxes, those being a romantic comedy, set in England with Emma Thompson. This also had an Indian subcultural slant to it, which interested me. 

So, what's this about? 

Zoe (Lily James) is a documentary film maker looking for her next project. Her childhood friend from next door, Kaz (Shazim Latif) announces to her that he is entering an arranged marriage. Looking for a new project, Zoe offers to make a documentary about the process - and a bit of hilarity, as well as some moral lessons ensue. Kaz makes the statement that there is a continent between the two next door neighbours. And he's right. 

Having seen a few friends go through arranged, or assisted marriages over the years, I was curious to see where this was going as most of the film was filmed in North London, and the family involved were British citizens of Pakistani extraction. What the film did well was look at some of the cultural differences between older members of the family and the younger generations. And yes, most of this was fairly stock, but it did show some of the interesting family dynamics of embarking on the process.

The film also showed a couple of interesting perspectives from Kaz's point of view on the process. 

Ostensibly, this is a romantic comedy, and we watch as Kaz embarks on his marital journey, while Zoe tries to find happiness is some pretty woeful ways. Of course, you're wondering whether Kaz and Zoe end up together. I won't say... but it is reasonably predictable. 

What I really liked about this was that it's great to look at. Other than it shows London, and bits of Lahore in their colourful best. 

Another interesting fact about the film, the screenwriter is Jemima Khan, Imran Khan's ex-wife, who is very aware of the cultural divide and its challenges. 

Some other stand-outs in the film were Emma Thompson, who was Zoe's Mum and next-door neighbour to the family. Mo the Match Maker was a cracker too. I also loved the sub-plot concerning what happened to Kaz's older sister, who nobody talks about. 

This is a good diversion. As a lover of romantic comedies and English films it ticked enough boxes to keep me happy. 

Today's song: