Most romantic comedies make their women pick between their career or their partner. But Amazon Prime’s new rom-com “Somebody I Used to Know”  turns that trope on its head. 

“Somebody I Used to Know” is the second feature to come from the mind of filmmaker and actor Dave Franco. The film was co-written by Franco’s spouse and actor, Alison Brie and stars Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons, Danny Pudi and Haley Joel Osment and a wonderful ensemble cast. 

The film follows Ally, portrayed by Alison Brie, a workaholic who is forced on vacation after her television show gets canceled. She visits home and crosses paths with her hometown ex-boyfriend, Sean, portrayed by Jay Ellis. Ally is thrilled Sean is back in her life until she finds out he is getting married to Cassidy, Kiersey Clemmons, and she’s accidentally thrown into the wedding as the videographer by Sean’s mother.

“Somebody I Used to Know” doesn’t try to make the viewer justify the actions of any character. Ally and Sean are flawed and complex characters for a reason. They are authentic and genuine in their actions, even if what they do isn’t always the right decision. 

There is more empathy to give the characters how they are written in the movie. The viewer can find frustration in some of Ally’s actions and behaviors she exhibits during the film. 

Overcoming insecurity and fear are two important themes in this film and Ally, Sean and Cassidy all have to conquer the struggles in their own ways. 

Ally’s arc of liberation is fascinating to see through the lens of a woman who remains single throughout the entire runtime, a diversion from the tropes of your everyday rom-com.

In the end, she did fall in love, but it wasn’t with Sean. Being forced to step back from her work and interact with her small town made her fall in love with authenticity. The viewer can see it in her wardrobe choices and how she is held accountable by others at the beginning of the movie and by herself at the end. 

Keirsey Clemmons has a knockout performance in “Somebody I Used To Know.” Cassidy is a character the romantic comedy genre has needed for a while. She is raw, assertive, passionate and grounded. Cassidy has to decide whether or not she wants to pick her band or Sean. But she turns the conventions on their head and says yes to both. 

This is a lesson viewers watching can apply to their own lives. Do not be afraid to assert yourself in your passions, especially if you want to go down multiple paths. 

The movie also explores Sean’s abandonment issues through the wedding and having to navigate seeing an ex-girlfriend who left him. Sean is protective but can let it come off as overbearing and controlling. Forcing Sean to let go of control in this movie gives him more control over his own life and the relationship he is building with Cassidy.

As mentioned above, Alison Brie was able to act again on screen with close friend and former “Community” co-star Danny Pudi. She was also reunited with an appearance from former “Bojack Horseman” co-star, Amy Sedaris.

“All of Amy’s lines were improvised and I kept cracking up at what she was coming up with,” reminisced Brie on the scene with her former co-star.

When Brie was asked about what it was like to work with her former co-stars and if she fell into any habits again she shared, “…I [definitely] fell into some old habits from Community working with Danny [again]. He was so fun to have on set and made everything a blast. He’s like my little brother.” 

“Somebody I Used to Know” doesn’t shy away from the personal moments that can make people feel awkward or uncomfortable. Franco and Brie decided to include a few scenes with non-sexual nudity in them. The scenes proved that cinema needs more nudity without inherent sexualization. They enhanced the natural and intimate feel of the film overall. This aspect of the film comes from pertinent aspects of Brie’s own life. 

“Alison went to a college where there was a rule that you didn’t have to wear clothes on campus [besides in the cafeteria]. So she used to run around campus [naked] to make her friends laugh. It was something we wanted to put in.”  

“Somebody I Used to Know” is a candid look into realistic relationship troubles and what can happen when the past catches up with the future. The movie does a fantastic job of making sure to keep every character is humanized from the first line spoken until the credits roll. It is sure to usher in a new era of complex and relatable romantic comedies.

Make sure to catch “Somebody I Used to Know” on Amazon Prime, Feb. 10. 

Overall rating: 4/5