I know I’ve posted before about how easily a piece of media can influence me to make certain life choices- but here I am, back on my BS.
I recently (finally) saw Top Gun: Maverick. When I tell you that it’s everything an action movie should be, I mean it. But, this isn’t a review for Top Gun: Maverick. Oh no, you should have seen that film a long time ago (unless you’re very late to the game, like me). I’m here to talk about Set It Up: the adorable romcom Netflix Original that I missed when it came out.
I promise there’s a common thread here, stay with me. Glen Powell plays the almost-Maverick character of Hangman in Top Gun, and through the magic of TikTok I was also made aware that he was in said romcom. I don’t know if you know this about me, but when I find an actor I like, I tend to consume everything they’re in. I was going to originally head down this road with Miles Teller first, but here we are.
As always this is your spoiler alert! There will be spoilers for Set It Up in the piece below! You’ve been warned!
Set It Up: Classic Romcom Bones
I am not the first woman to watch a romcom because the lead is cute, nor will I be the last. I was deeply in the mood for a cheesy, feel-good romcom, and this fit the bill perfectly. Glen Powell’s Charlie makes the perfect foil for Zoey Deutch’s Harper. It was also a refreshing change to see our heroine as the more laid-back, sports loving character and the hero as the uptight office worker (any romcom aficionado will tell you it’s usually the reverse).
The meet-cute between Charlie and Harper made me grin from ear to ear. Even though they’re antagonistic towards each other (but not full enemies to lovers vibes), Charlie eating the pickle Harper had wanted to save for herself made me laugh, as did calling him a “pickle thief” in a later note. Their antics at the Yankees game also got me to laugh, from Harper “over-dicking it” to trying to get their bosses to engage with the kiss cam. While it was an adorable setup for the film, I will say if I were in Kirsten’s position I’d have been mortified. Kissing a near total stranger on camera in front of a whole stadium?? No thank you.
Bad Bosses, Baseball, and Cyrano
If I had the choice to work for Rick or Kirsten, I’d pick Kirsten any day of the week. Kirsten may be demanding, but she isn’t forcing Harper to do children’s science projects, or save seats at a school play for her. Rick is outright abusive, and destroys things left and right at the drop of a hat. While we laugh because it’s an exaggeration of the “bad boss” trope, I’d be terrified if I were Charlie. At least Kirsten admits she’s hard on Harper because she wants her to succeed. Which was very nice, actually. While Rick does give Charlie the promotion eventually (and drunkenly states his appreciation for Charlie), he wasn’t being hard on him to help him succeed, he was just being cruel because he could.
As someone who has a tendency to cry easily, I ADORED that sports moments made Harper cry. Even her opening line to “Golf Guy” was “are there any sports moments that make you cry?” because it speaks to a line from Moneyball that I love, “How can you not be romantic about baseball?”. It showcases the fact that what may be an ordinary event or occurrence to one person can be deeply impactful to another. Oh I don’t know- like what a Yankees game is to Harper when Charlie really couldn’t be bothered.
I’m ashamed to admit this, but I’m with Charlie when it comes to the whole Cyrano thing. I thought I knew what it meant, but I definitely did not. Which is a shame, because I had intended on seeing Cyrano when it was in theaters, but it was at my local theater for less than a month and I never got to see it.
Wrapping It Up
As they say in the film, “you like because, and you love despite”. I like the characters, i like the setting and the premise. I love it despite Rick and Kirsten not ending up together. It’s a nice subversion of the big happy ending we’re trained to expect with a classic romcom.
If you’re in the mood for a romcom and haven’t seen Set It Up, I highly recommend it. However, there are certain things that are NOT kid-friendly or may be awkward for you to watch with your parents, so take that for what you will.
Did you enjoy this review of Set It Up? Let me know in the comments! Want more film opinions and recommendations? You can follow me on Instagram or TikTok @glamgeekguru. Watch this space as I start my journey through Miles Teller’s filmography!