I Watched A Rom-Com On Netflix Called "Set It Up" To See If It's As Good As People Are Saying
"Two assistants team up to trick their workaholic bosses into falling in love."
Twitter isn't always the nicest place on the internet, so when a movie, especially a rom-com, is being given so many compliments, I have no choice but to check it out.
Here's how Netflix describes the movie:
"In desperate need of a break from the office, two beleaguered assistants team up to trick their workaholic bosses into falling in love."
Set It Up is even 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes so I was excited to finally watch, but with high praise come high expectations!
OK, Rick (Taye Diggs) and Kirsten (Lucy Liu) are smiling and looking friendly on the poster but DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU! Early into the movie, I can see that they're both absolute monsters.
The opening 10 minutes are basically a highlight reel of Rick and Kirsten being mean-ass bosses to their respective assistants, Charlie and Harper.
Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell) crossed paths for the first time in a scene that revealed Charlie to be kind of a douche (and made me want a truffle macaroni and cheese burger).
SET IT UP CHARACTERS RANKED BY LIKABILITY:
1. Harper.
2. Everybody else.
Taye and Lucy are putting on the best rude boss performance I've seen since Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.
Harper and Charlie ran into each other while working late, and now they're creating a masterplan to hook their bosses up in the hopes that sex/love will make them be more chill to work for.
Harper and Charlie's manipulative plan has placed Kirsten and Rick next to each other at a baseball game.
I think The Parent Trap's Hallie and Annie would be thoroughly impressed with this elaborate scheming in the name of forced romance.
They even got 'em to smooch on the kiss cam after some peer pressure from the entire stadium.
I'm only like 40-something minutes in, but I can confirm that this is hands down the best Netflix rom-com I've ever seen.
It's not like The Kissing Booth set the bar super high or anything, but I've actually laughed out loud multiple times. This entire cast is magnificent.
Harper is seeing someone who she literally refers to as "Golf Guy," after they go on a mini golf date.
Dude isn't even important enough for us to know his name, so I can't imagine him and Harper ending up together.
Meanwhile, Charlie is hanging with his girlfriend (who doesn't always seem like she's into him).
Now that their bosses are hooking up, Charlie and Harper both have time to maintain their love lives. I'm going to enjoy these brief moments of the movie in which there's zero conflict because I know it'll change shortly.
Wow, this movie now acknowledged that it's like the Parent Trap, but with employees and their bosses instead of children and their parents.
Pete Davidson sighting:
In Set It Up, Davidson plays Duncan, Charlie's roommate who pops up in scenes from time to time to provide some funny dialogue.
Charlie has come a long way in terms of likability and I'm ready for him and Harper to inevitably wind up together.
Well, we have a leading candidate for line of the movie:
Wait, are they going to kiss?!
THEY SHOULD KISS METER: 7/10
ARE THEY GOING TO KISS?!
THEY SHOULD KISS METER: 8/10
ARE. THEY. GOING. TO. KISS?!
THEY SHOULD KISS METER: 9/10
I SEE Y'ALL STARING AT EACH OTHER'S LIPS — JUST DO IT.
THEY SHOULD KISS METER: 10/10
Well, alright then.
DISAPPOINTED THEY DIDN'T KISS METER: 10/10
Kirsten and Rick tell Harper and Charlie they're getting married, which would mean they've fully solved their hectic work/life schedule but there's still a good chunk of movie left, so I remain unconvinced.
Ah, yes — things were going too well and then something unexpected happens and it presents a new, enormous dilemma. I won't say what it was, but it made me feel like this:
Ok, if you're not going to watch the movie or have already seen it, here's the unexpected thing that I'm referring to:
The last 30 minutes of Set It Up are compelling, A+ rom-com entertainment.
This is a quality movie worthy of being released in theaters around Valentine's Day, but kudos to Netflix for providing us with a rom-com that doesn't just not suck, but is also actually good!
Here's some bonus good news for those who enjoy the movie — there's been chatter of a Set It Up sequel!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
ROM-COM RATING: 9.2/10.
SEQUEL IDEA: A Horrible Bosses + Set It Up crossover film in which Rick gets what he deserves.
SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?: Absolutely! And don't put it on in the background while you do laundry or something — save it for when you have time to sit down and give it the attention it deserves.
Tell me your suggestions for what to watch next on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or HBO Now!
PREVIOUSLY WATCHED:
Hell House on Amazon Prime
Veronica on Netflix
Dude on Netflix
Irreplaceable You on Netflix
Evil Genius on Netflix