‘Shotgun Wedding’ Takes Audiences on a Thrilling Ride Down the Aisle

This is a safe space, so I’ll admit I love a good rom-com. Yes, naturally, I gravitate towards macabre films, but I can’t resist the comedic lullaby of love, especially when it stars rom-com icon Jenny from the Block. Jennifer Lopez is single-handledly keeping the love and laugh genre alive. The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan, Monster-in-Law — our Bronx babe knows her way around this medium, which is why you’ll love her latest action romantic comedy, Shotgun Wedding.

Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel) are gathering with all of their loved ones at a resort on a near private Mahal Island in the Philippines for a destination wedding. The couple seems to be getting cold feet as their friends and family arrive. Darcy wanted a quick and easy wedding, while Tom wanted a gorgeous, traditional wedding and obsesses over every wedding detail — groomzilla behavior, if you will. He’s been utilizing his Pinterest boards and has DIY’d a lot of their wedding decor. Things get a little more tense when Darcy’s handsome ex-fiancé Sean (Lenny Kravitz) shows up to the festivities, even though he didn’t RSVP.

Photos courtesy of Prime Video

Darcy and Tom’s pre-wedding night doesn’t quite go as planned, leaving Darcy feeling uneasy. Before the ceremony, she insists on speaking with Tom to clear the air. Well, things escalate, and their touch-base conversation becomes a bitter blowup. In the heat of the argument, the two call off the wedding. Little do they know that while they were in the throws of their heated exchange, the rest of their wedding party was being kidnapped and held hostage by a group of pirates. Darcy and Tom have to find a way to save their friends, family, and their own happily ever after.

Lopez brings her usual warmth, charm, and humor to her performance as Darcy. One of the things that makes her a staple in the genre is her natural talent for making her characters likable, relatable, and having incredible comedic timing. Paired with Duhamel, the two make for a magnetic duo, even though their attraction doesn’t appear immediately. It fits, though. At first, the two seem distant, which matches the circumstances. They’re stressed about the wedding, their in-laws, and unannounced exes — not to mention their own doubts. After working together to save themselves and their family, their chemistry increases, ending on an aspirational note.

Directed by Jason Moore (Sisters, Pitch Perfect) and written by Mark Hammer (Two Night Stand), the film works, and there’s a lot to enjoy. There’s a nice amount of action and quite literal use of a shotgun. Sure, there were a few continuity issues, like Lopez’s face remaining almost flawless even after being hunted, shot at, and drug around the sand for an hour. But let’s be real, running around an island trying to find cell service while holding a live grenade in your hand makes for comedic gold that even the most stoic person can’t resist bursting into a chuckle. Some of the fight scenes were surprisingly good and a little bloody leading Lopez’s character to faint —twice.

In Shotgun Wedding, we also get a little role reversal. Usually, the bride is shown as obsessed with the perfect wedding, and the groom is the aloof partner, just wanting the entire thing to be over. This film turns the typical wedding narrative on its head, making Tom the DIY-obsessed Etsy-lover spending the night before his wedding on the floor, hot-gluing lights to pineapples for centerpieces. Meanwhile, Darcy is lying in bed wearing her itty-bitty shorts, trying to distract him from what she considers meaningless tasks. It was so refreshing to see a different perspective on the traditional roles, adding extra depth to the story.

Jennifer Coolidge was her usual riot as Carol, Darcy’s future mother-in-law. Other dashes of comedic seasoning come from veteran Cheech Marin who plays Darcy’s father, Robert.

Shotgun Wedding moves much like a bullet with action, comedy, and of course, that warm and fuzzy feeling of love. Lopez and Duhamel sizzle as a dynamic duo. The well-suited pair easily plays off each other, making for believable lovebirds. The film is a true gem for rom-com lovers, delivering all the feels, and satisfying the genre’s formula. Grab snacks, your favorite bevies, and your friends — this is your next movie night pick.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars