Somebody I Used to Know Review: A Quick Timepass Watch

Somebody I Used to Know is a romantic-comedy film co-written and directed by Dave Franco and stars Alison Brie, Jay Ellis and Kiersey Clemons, among others. The movie has a runtime of 105 minutes and is produced by Black Bear Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment.

Amazon Prime Video describes the movie as:

On a trip to her hometown, workaholic Ally (Alison Brie) reminisces with her first love Sean (Jay Ellis), and starts to question everything about the person she’s become. Things only get more confusing when she meets Sean’s fiancé, Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons), who reminds her of the person she used to be.

– Somebody I Used to Know Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –

Somebody I Used to Know is a movie that will be familiar to many. From simple Christmas movies to those everyday rom-coms that come out once in a while, this is the movie that you watch when you’re bored and need something to get your mind off of things. Much like Ally’s reality TV show which is apparently ‘something mindless’ to watch, the movie is familiar, dependable and a break from the serious and difficult subject matters that actually make you think.

It’s a movie about an overworked woman who finds out while on a trip back home (after things go south at said work) that, given the chance, some unexpected things can change the course of your life. The storyline isn’t remotely anything new. Overworked women finding joy in the little pleasures of their small towns and in the arms of a charming ex is something we have seen many times and will continue to watch many more times in the future, I presume.

But regardless of the repetitive storyline, Ally’s inability to not read the room is almost as uncomfortable for us as it is for her. I was confused throughout the runtime about what I was supposed to feel regarding the protagonist because Ally is such a confusing and negative individual that it’s sometimes very hard to feel any sort of way for her. Cassidy is the real queen of the show here, and Ally seems to be just a cog in the wheel of her story.

It’s interesting because she isn’t a bad person per se, but it’s just the way that her character is framed that is the real issue. The choices that she makes don’t make for an ideal protagonist. Sure, it makes her human, but it also makes for a scummy individual to use people because they are bored at the moment. Feelings are complicated, but that doesn’t mean you become ok with burning the lives of those around you to the ground. It’s also interesting that the story wants you to believe that she’s in the throws of her emotions, but honestly, some of the things that she does in the meantime are really nasty.

Either way, Somebody I Used to Know is a confusing watch that is sometimes sweet and sometimes really uncomfortable and cringy. There’s also some comedy peppered in there, which oftentimes doesn’t land and is also equally uncomfortable to watch. However, I am glad that Ally’s odd obsession doesn’t work out; it gives her a nice little character arc that we get to enjoy and learn from.

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There are also these underlying social issues that should be a big part of the movie but don’t really get talked about too much. Like people’s sexual orientations, the underlying sexism, adoption and race issues. These are important topics of discussion that we never really get to see extensively but seem to be there as an afterthought, much like some of the extra characters like Brie’s Community co-star Danny Pudi and Haley Joel Osment’s Jeremy. They are just there for a good time, I guess.

Regardless, Brie, Clemons and Ellis look the part and seem comfortable in their roles. Clemons and Ellis have some cute chemistry, although you do sometimes find it difficult to relate to his character. It is also interesting how it takes him 5 minutes to overcome childhood trauma and his abandonment issues, but I guess that’s just movie logic working overtime. I would, however, definitely suggest therapy if you’re in a situation similar to this.

Summing Up: Somebody I Used to Know

Somebody I Used to Know is a one-time time pass watch if you’re in the mood for something light and somewhat entertaining. It’s not much of a cerebral film, and it doesn’t try to be so. However, it does have some glaring issues that will leave you feeling rather confused and some characters that will get on your nerves.

Somebody I Used to Know is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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