In the movie Marry Me, Pop-icon Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) plans to marry her fiancé, hot-hot Bastian (Maluma) on stage in front of their New York fans as they perform their hit song “Marry Me.” But moments before Kat ascends to the stage as a beautiful bride, she sees on the Page Six website a hot disclosure: Bastian cheated.

Meanwhile, out in the crowd stands Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), a previously married math teacher. Next to him stands his twelve-year-old daughter. She comes over three-nights a week and thinks her dad lives a boring life. So, he attended the concert at the urging of his friend Parker (Sarah Silverman). Parker, enjoying the concert with enthusiasm, thrusts a handmade sign into Charlie’s hands.

Her heart pounding, Kat calls up the house lights and quiets the music. Seeing a man in the audience holding a “Marry Me” sign, she says, “Why not?”

Shoved first by his friend Parker (Sarah Silverman), and then the crowd, Charlie finds his way on stage, where the troubled eyes of this celebrity meet his.

And he says, “okay.”

In the media frenzy that follows, the two sweep aside the fairy tale romance. This couple can simply get to know one another. (And, don’t we do that after the wedding ceremony, get to know the other person?) As Kat and Charlie develop a friendship, love grows, but viewers wonder will they remain together?

Marry Me looks at love and marriage. The screenwriters integrate a math concept into their comment about love. They also acknowledge that not every marriage works while championing the act of marriage itself. Kat Valdez, who has married and divorced three times, continues to believe in marriage. She hasn’t given up. Charlie, in contrast, lives a more stable lifestyle, and he questions the wisdom of engaging in love.

The film also explores social media. Kat lives hyper-connected, while Charlie uses a flip phone. Having followers on Instagram means nothing to him but everything to his daughter and her friends. The film weaves iPhone footage, live streaming, and TV shows into the story.

The actors for Kat and Bastain, JLo and Maluma, have a magnetic energy. These Latino artists seamlessly flow into Spanish, during their English dialogues. These artists retain their English viewers while speaking their native Romance language.

Marry Me has nine original songs. They express the story similar to a Broadway musical, capturing key moments of the plot. The different philosophies about love also find expression through song. Kat wrote a tune early in her career that explains her hope for a lasting love. Charlie has a song from Camelot, a musical he describes as “Game of Thrones with less blood and more velvet.”

The characters maintain supportive relationships throughout the film. The twelve-year-old daughter respects her dad, even when she disagrees with him. Charlie acts out of principle, keeping a level head. Kat keeps her promises, and her manager cares for her as a person.

Kat Valdez looks beautiful and attractive in every scene. So much so that I question if this character embodies JLo, unable to escape sexual objectification. The sexual tone never has a moment of rest, not when Kat mourns over her keyboard nor when she sings from her heart. All of her beauty has a sexual element: exposed cleavage, bare shoulders, plump lips. To me, the film confused beauty with sensuality. Though Charlie can see past Kat’s celebrity persona, I found Kat’s relatable qualities overpowered by her idol-like, sensual perfection.

As the characters dealt with inner turmoil, I saw expressions of their pain, but I never felt with them. As the viewer, I continued feeling good. This emotional buffer came from the underlying soundtrack and editing pace. As a result, the resolution felt shallow.

A few other notes: this film openly supports romantic relationships between females. Though not in your face, these references clearly present themselves. Also, early in the movie, Kat sings dressed in a mostly nude costume with a jewel-studded cross on her torso and arms. As she performs, scantily dressed nuns dance around her.

Conclusion

Marry Me affirms marriage as a union worth the risk. Without describing the duration of this marriage, this Hollywood film encourages Charlie and Kat to legally come together as husband and wife. This film beautifully integrates Spanish into English dialogue. It also plays with different film footage. The story’s ending, however, falls short, and the sensuality is overdone for a feel-good film.