“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “13 Going on 30” and “The Holiday” — some of the best romantic comedies to grace the screen, all coming out one after the other in the early 2000s. Shortly before this, “When Harry Met Sally,” “Notting Hill” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary” came out to jumpstart and define the genre.
However, in the last 10 years, romantic comedies have been seriously lacking. It feels like the nostalgia, witty writing and dynamic leads of the early-2000s rom-coms are long gone.
And yet, there has been one standout year for the genre: 2018. This year, viewers saw the decadence of “Crazy Rich Asians” and the sweet high school yearning of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” Even better, though, we finally got a taste of the early-2000s rom-com that we had been craving in Netflix’s “Set It Up.”
“Set It Up” is about two assistants in New York City: Harper, played by Zoey Deutch, and Charlie, played by Glen Powell. Worked tirelessly by their power-hungry bosses, played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, Harper and Charlie plan to set their bosses up, make them fall in love and, finally, get their own lives back.
The film is filled with a nostalgia similar to the early 2000s with its funny moments, supportive best friends and iconic scenes of New York. What really sets it apart from other rom-coms of the time, though, is the chemistry between the leads, the dynamics between the rest of the cast, its iconic scenes and its subtle modernity.
To start, the leads absolutely make this movie. Deutch and Powell play off of each other in a way that convinces the viewer that these are real characters. They have a tame enemies-to-lovers arc, with a little bit of partners-in-crime thrown in, making the two an incredibly engaging pair to follow.
Upon their first meeting, the witty banter and slight competitive edge are already at an all-time high. Thankfully, as the pair shifts from awkward acquaintances to careful friends to lovers, the banter stays just as witty. Despite being playful with each other, though, their relationship becomes very honest and real throughout the movie, as Deutch’s character questions the ethics of their plan.
These assistants have two incredibly different personalities, but instead of letting it get in their way, the two learn from each other. Between their repartee and their sincere conversations, they are never a boring pair.
The leads are so strong, one might think they overshadow the rest of the cast; however, the supporting characters hold their own. Liu and Diggs, the two bosses, create incredibly specific personalities for their characters, to the point where I feel that I know them personally.
Harper’s best friend Becca, played by Meredith Hagner, adds some much-needed pick-me-ups throughout the movie. She reminds Harper who she is, why she loves her job and encourages her to pick her head up after being let down. Charlie’s roommate Duncan, played by Pete Davidson, supplies comedic relief and the down-to-earth attitude that Charlie so desperately needs at times.
Every character in the movie, even Creepy Tim, has their own personality and is written in a way that enhances the movie, not just adds another body to the screen. The cast is well-rounded, creating a realistic world full of people the viewer wants to know more about.
Beyond a strong cast, every rom-com needs iconic scenes, and “Set It Up” offers plenty. To start, Becca’s engagement party gives viewers one of the most important lines in the movie: “And, yet.” This simple, two-word phrase encompasses, for Harper, everything that it means to love someone.
“And, yet” is the idea that to love someone is to accept them, entirely and without judgment. Becca explains that, despite their quirks and annoying habits, despite your differences, you still love your person for exactly who they are. For example, Becca’s fiancé has really dorky dance moves and corny jokes, and yet, she loves him anyway.
This scene, and this phrase, is one of my favorites from the movie, but it could never top my all-time favorite, the pizza scene. In the pizza scene, Harper and Charlie have left Becca’s engagement party to get pizza and are headed back to Charlie’s apartment to eat it. While it sounds underwhelming, it is the perfect portrayal of the moment you realize you like someone.
While sharing a quiet, drunken moment eating pizza on Charlie’s floor, the leads exchange a few glances, some lingering quite a while. It is in this moment that they realize they truly enjoy each other’s company, despite their vehement denial of it, and it begins to change everything about their relationship.
Finally, the movie does a fantastic job of bringing back that early-2000s rom-com nostalgia, but remaining in the present, late-2010s era. In the past few years, a lot of movies have tried to appeal to younger audiences using Gen Z slang or mentions of Instagram, but it always comes off awkward and unnatural. However, “Set It Up” feels modern without feeling cringy.
Throughout the movie, Harper uses dating apps and Charlie teaches her how to flirt over text. The main pair’s language is very casual and modern, with mentions of merkins and “over-dicking around,” but it fits their characters, rather than forcing them to use slang that they would not usually say. The movie excellently portrays 2018, without being unrelatable to future audiences.
“Set It Up” is the diamond in the rough of 2010s rom-coms. It revamps the central elements of the early-2000s movies in a subtle, modern way. If you need a good laugh or a girls’ night special feature, this is your movie.