In a Surprising Turn of Events, J. Lo’s Genre-Bending Movie Debuts to Stellar Reviews
Viewers had some concerns when Jennifer Lopez dropped the wild trailer for her new film This Is Me… Now: A Love Story. However, her genre-bending movie has proven to be a critical success.
This Is Me… Now premiered on Amazon Prime on February 16 and serves as a companion film to her album of the same name. In the movie, Lopez tells the story of her journey to love through a cinematic, music-filled lens. When the trailer dropped, many viewers were confused about whether the project even qualified as a movie. It appeared to be a blend between a music video, documentary, and a romantic action sci-fi thriller. Parts of it humorously reflected her real life, such as her three marriages, but other parts, such as a hole opening up in the fabric of the universe, teased some fantasy and sci-fi elements.
Needless to say, it felt like it could either be quite an innovative work of cinematography or the next Gigli. However, Lopez believed in it enough that she self-financed the film, putting in $20 million. Additionally, she managed to draw an enormous amount of talent, getting everyone from her husband, Ben Affleck, to physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to make an appearance. Now, it seems her efforts and passions have paid off.
What is everyone saying about This Is Me… Now?
For a short period after its release, This Is Me… Now boasted a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. As more reviews poured, the score went down, but not by much. It is currently standing at a solid 81% critic score based on 21 reviews, with an even more favorable 91% audience score based on over 100 reviews. The consensus on the film is that, as the trailer suggested, it is chaotic and bizarre, but it works. It seems what works best is just the Jennifer Lopez-ness of the whole thing.
Critics noted that it’s easy to tell it came straight from the mind of Lopez. John Nugent from Empire Magazine describes it as “ridiculously, brilliantly J-Loopy,” while The New York Post wrote, “The star is really Lopez’s brain.” The singer is reflected well in the audacity, grandiosity, and spectacle of the whole thing. However, there’s also a bit of vulnerability to the whole thing. Hue Watched It‘s Kit Stone noted, “One thing to glean from Lopez’s journey of love is that it takes strength to be a hopeless romantic.” This Is Me… Now is a story that comes straight from Lopez’s heart, capturing her music, boldness, and tireless belief in love.
Essentially, fans got to see Lopez in her element, singing, dancing, and acting, while also getting a personal peak into her mind. The film’s success further proves that women’s minds are quite interesting. Lopez’s blend of mythology, astrology, and romance in a 65-minute film is a testament to how multi-faceted women are and the strange and brilliant ways they see themselves and the world.
Of course, This Is Me… Now likely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. A handful of critics have equated it to little more than a series of music videos, while some criticized the plot. Still, even the critics admitted that the visuals were stunning. Ultimately, the vast majority of viewers seemed to have had a wonderful time with Lopez’s latest movie. Those who were initially concerned about how daring and outlandish This Is Me… Now‘s trailer looked should definitely give the film a watch. They may be pleasantly surprised at what happens when Lopez takes the reins and puts her innermost thoughts into cinema.
(featured image: Amazon Prime)
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