WE BROKE UP: A Twist On A Traditional Rom-Com Which Finds Laughs In Uncomfortable Moments

We Broke Up, directed by Jeff Rosenberg and written by Laura Jacqmin and Jeff Rosenberg, explores the relationship between Lori (Aya Cash) and Doug (William Jackson Harper) right when they break up, a milestone which occurs just before Lori’s sister Bea’s (Sarah Bolger) wedding to Jayson (Tony Cavalero).

Emotional Strength and Realism

We Broke Up shows a more realistic and complicated relationship than the typical rom-com from its first moments – Lori vomits when Doug asks her to marry him – and we can get a sense of the characters and their individual issues early on.

The style and focus of the film reminds me of Albert Brooks‘ 1981 film Modern Romance. Both explore relationships with real issues and this influence comes through in the tagline of that earlier film: “Robert was madly in love with Mary. Mary was madly in love with him. Under the circumstances they did the only thing they could do… they broke up.”

Aya Cash and William Jackson Harper both offer unique strengths to their performances, which showcase the personalities and eccentricities of their characters. The awkward aspects of the plot work well to keep the comedy coming even in the more serious moments. William Jackson Harper and Aya Cash play these awkward moments well, in completely different ways, capturing what is important to each character about themselves and their relationships.

The relationship between Lori and Bea feels like it will be the typical strained family dynamic frequently seen in films like this, but there is real love between the two. Showing their sleepover and explorations of the grounds of this former summer camp add more depth to their relationship. These moments worked really well, and the chemistry between Sarah Bolger and Aya Cash works both in the sweet moments and the ones which highlight their differences.

Common Tropes

The little sister gets married before the older one trope is fairly common, but one thing that helps We Broke Up stand apart is how these different dynamics of relationships are portrayed.

Bea’s relationship with Jayson starts out as the less-stable, more spur-of-the-moment romance, while Doug and Lori have been together for a decade and everyone views them as a sure thing. As the film progresses, the depiction of these relationships seems to switch.

This worked really well and helped to show that not one relationship style works for everyone, and at the heart of it, people know what does and does not work for them.

By the end of the film, I was rooting for Bea’s wedding to work out, and seeing just how much Jayson cares for her. Tony Cavalero does a great job of establishing his character in a way which showcases what the other characters think of him early on, and slowly as the film progresses, his personality and actions feel kinder and more earnest. Similarly, Sarah Bolger plays up the innocence of Bea early in the film, highlighting how her family sees her, and she shows off more of her strength and individuality as we learn more about her.

The pacing of the film works, and at times it plays against the standard tropes of similar films by challenging our expectations of how a film like this should flow, and ultimately, how it should end.

Blend of Comedic and Dramatic Moments

As the film progressed, and we knew more about each character, each one feeling realistic and built from traits that are not 100 percent likable or unlikeable. This focus on crafting people who feel like real people with issues and less-than-perfect personality traits gives We Broke Up depth, yet the film still offers some comedic highlights.

Some of the moments I enjoyed the most came when the characters embarked on an untraditional wedding activity in the form of a Paul Bunyan-themed tournament of drinking games. Lori gets fully in the spirit of the game, while Doug is more restrained, and this offers a little more insight into the inner workings of their relationship.

This Paul Bunyan extravaganza offers the cast some moments for more physical comedy, and Aya Cash plays the drunkenness with a playful energy that allows for sweet moments where Lori bonds with her sister Bea.

In terms of the comedy, there are a few moments where the setup for a joke does not seem to fully utilize the awkwardness of the situation. More could have been done with Lori and Doug pretending to still be together, but this aspect of the plot seems forgotten as the film goes on.

One moment that worked really well comes with Lori questioning just how far Doug is going to keep up the act when he makes future vacation plans with Lori’s grandparents that he knows will never happen.

Conclusion

We Broke Up is a welcome twist on the traditional rom-com with strong performances from Aya Cash, William Jackson Harper, Sarah Bolger, and Tony Cavalero, which highlights realistic relationship issues while challenging assumptions.

Does the concept of a couple who has recently broken up pretending to be together at a wedding interest you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

We Broke Up will be released theatrically on Friday, April 16, and VOD/Digital on April 23.

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