What’s Love Got to Do with It? (2023)

CinemaSerf March 26, 2023

★ 6/10

If you remember "Last Christmas" (2019) then you will have a rough idea of what to expect here with this rather formulaic, if colourful, drama. It all centres around a film being made by "Zoe" (Lily James) about the forthcoming "assisted" marriage of her lifelong friend "Kaz" (Shazad Latif). Her mother "Cath" (Dame Emma Thompson) lives next door to his family and so is relishing the family trip to Pakistan for the traditional wedding. "Zoe" is (as, I suspect, are we) pretty sceptical of the whole arrangement - getting married to someone you've only met on Skype, but proceed we do through a lively ceremony that allows Dame Emma to don her sari and dance for all she is worth (gin-fuelled!) whilst the predictable love triangle melodrama slowly, but predictably, plays out. It all comes to an head when they have returned home and she shows her film to all concerned and, just like this, it rec…

r96sk August 23, 2023

★ 6/10

Largely underwhelming, even if 'What’s Love Got to Do with It?' holds a few redeeming qualities. It's all competently shot and all that, the music for example is excellent - nice work, Nitin Sawhney & Co. The level of acting is also all good, though I wouldn't say there is necessarily anyone that stands out individually. On that note, Emma Thompson: As usual I like her, but her character isn't the best - I feel like I've seen her play the same (similar, at best) character one or two times before recently-ish, 'Last Christmas' for example. She's merits more to work with. The story is one that is almost as old as time, like with the aforementioned I feel like I've seen this plot play out many a time. It has a couple of unique elements I guess, but overall it's pretty derivative. I'm also not sold on Lily James' Zoe being 'Player 1', so to speak... like, her character is fairly meh.…

Sam-Alien July 4, 2026

A film for elderly 3O4s! Disrespectful to other cultures and traditions. Petitions that it is normal to disrespect and break families for nonsense validation. What was true: phone addiction and repeated wrong choices for external validation! This movie is a waste of time and a disgrace to mens intelligence by selling that 304s should be swept up. They do not. No, in real life the 3O4 does not get the guy, she gets used up and settles for cats. Any guy who settles for dump-pump girls is betting on a failed illusion!