Cha Cha Real Smooth

Cha Cha Real Smooth was an incredibly enjoyable film that I savored every minute of. Cooper Raiff's direction may not have been technically flawless, but his vision for the film as a whole was brilliant. The characters feel so authentic, with fantastic dialogue that is both charming and wholesome. The chemistry between Dakota Johnson and Cooper Raiff is excellent, and their dynamic throughout the movie is what truly sold it for me. Vanessa Burghardt also stands out with her portrayal of both her and her characters' struggle with autism and social settings. Her interactions with Raiff were brilliant, and their relationship was incredibly endearing. From a storytelling perspective, many reviews have criticized Raiff's writing of his character, Andrew, and a knightly figure. However, to me, that was the point. Andrew is young and naive, with a hopeless romantic view of life that makes him believe he knows what's best for everyone, even though that couldn't be further from the truth. His naivety works well in the film, and his realization at the end of the movie brings his character arc to a full circle. However, I did have one minor criticism, which is that the relationship between Domino and her husband felt a bit strange. On the one hand, he is portrayed as a bad person who is rude and demeaning to her, causing her depression. While on the other hand, she appreciates the security he provides her. This dynamic could have been better if the audience was able to see more of the positive aspects of his character, rather than only seeing the negatives. This would have made it clearer that the negatives were mainly on the surface, due to Andrew's already drawn conclusions about his character. Overall, I really enjoyed this film. It was a perfect example of how romantic comedies can be more than just slapstick humor but can deliver a heartfelt narrative that resonates with audiences. The film was both cute and funny, and even had some touching moments that made me feel a range of emotions. It quickly shot up my 2022 rankings, coming in at #9 on the year. Score: 89% 🏅 Verdict: Excellent

This movie is very middle of the road blandness. It is an incredibly sanitized portrait of mental illness, neurodivergence, and depression. All these apparently flawed people seem to fill their days with well-adjusted and open discussions about their struggles. There's no nuance or dimension to any of the characters. Everyone is perfectly nice to everyone except for the stereotypical son/father bully duo who are of course huge pieces of shit. It at least follows a coherent narrative and is watchable. I'd say a good litmus test on whether to watch it or not is if the title gives you the icks. I should have known better.