One thing about me is that I love a good rom-com and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s Someone Great did not disappoint. Initially, I believed that the title was about finding that special someone, that “someone great”, but after watching the movie I realized that Someone Great is actually about friendship.
The film follows Jenny, played by Gina Rodriguez, as she goes on one last adventure in New York City while navigating the pursuit of her dream job and the aftermath of a breakup, with the help of her two best friends Erin and Blair, played by DeWanda Wise and Brittany Snow.
One thing that I really loved about this movie was the portrayal of Jenny, Erin, and Blair’s friendship. From the fun scenes like Jenny and Erin dancing to ‘Truth Hurts’ by Lizzo in the kitchen, to the more emotional scenes where the trio are mournfully singing along to Selena’s ‘Dreaming of You’ while trying to buy snacks at a bodega. I found myself smiling and tearing up at these scenes and thinking about the similar memories I had with my friends.These character’s personalities are so magnetic and fun, bringing a strong sense of nostalgia about all the sweet, cherished aspects of female friendship that young women, including myself, can connect to.
The characters were also SO relatable, especially in terms of a woman’s experience with a break-up. Throughout the movie, Jenny would see or hear something that reminded her of her ex, Nate, and she’d be transported back to a specific memory she had with him. We go back and forth between happy memories like their first ‘I love yous’ and more sad memories like the arguments that led to the break-up. You’re able to really see the depth of Jenny’s nine year relationship through these flashbacks and Jenny’s feelings toward her ex, Nate. She reflects every woman’s experience after a break-up as she is grieving and longing for Nate to return.
However, it’s Jenny, Blair, and Erin’s friendship that I related to the most. How Erin and Blair dropped everything to support Jenny and how Jenny could lean on them during this difficult time in her life. That’s the kind of dependability that I see in my female friendships, that constant support, but also accountability. Jenny is ultimately wanting a distraction from her break-up, to get her mind off it, and although her best friends keep her from feeling the full weight of that grief, they also encourage her to not ignore her feelings and allow her to process them on her own terms.
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson does a great job of making you want Jenny and Nate to end up back together. She never really painted Nate in a negative light, unlike other movies that purposely make the ex unlikeable, so it was really hard to not like Nate after seeing all their heartwarming memories together. I was really rooting for them to get back together at the end of the movie, but in the end it’s not really about their relationship or getting Nate back, it’s about cherishing the friends you have. Although Jenny lost what she considered ‘someone great’, all along she had ‘someone great’, her friends.
Someone Great puts a twist on a typical rom-com that can resonate with young women everywhere. So ladies, go grab your friends and some snacks and get ready to laugh and cry as you come along on this trio’s one last adventure. This is a MUST-WATCH, so don’t miss out.
You can find Someone Great on Netflix!