“Love Guaranteed” offers endearing story, plays with classic cliches

Wayans Jr. (left) and Cook (right) are endearing scene partners, providing the audience with a sense of personability within the story. Photo courtesy of Cosmopolitan.

Penelope Misceo

Executive Arts Editor

Offering beautiful cinematography around rainy Seattle, “Love Guaranteed” is a perfect watch for a rainy day.

Offering an endearing story with fitting cinematography and likeable characters, “Love Guaranteed” provides its viewers with a comforting feeling of continuity. Although the film relies rather heavily on cliches and romantic-comedy formulas, familiarity lends itself a sense of assuaging charm.

Released on Sept. 3, “Love Guaranteed” is directed by Mark Steven Johnson, with a screenplay created by Elizabeth Hackett. The film stars Rachel Leigh Cook as Damon Wayans Jr. as the story’s charming love interests, Susan and Nick.

Set in present day Seattle, “Love Guaranteed” follows Susan, a pro bono lawyer running a litigating firm, and Nick, her latest client who is adamant on suing the dating website, ‘Love Guaranteed’ due to his lack of success in the online dating realm. As Susan researches the case and begins to work on it, she and Nick get to know one another in a more unexpected way.

The film’s most vital strength lies within its characters. Nick and Susan are endearing, relatable characters with likeable personalities that tie the romantic storyline together. In addition to their individual charm, Cook and Wayans Jr. are excellent scene partners and display an affectionate chemistry that peaks viewers’ investment in their relationship.

Despite the film’s overall amiability, “Love Guaranteed” does capitalize greatly off of worn-out cliches and tropes. The script itself is rather formulaic and fails to provide anything particularly fresh in regards to its story, which creates the consequence of a possible lack of engagement within the audience.

Contrary to a majority of the film’s repetitive platitudes, “Love Guaranteed” thrives off of its alluring setting. Set in Seattle, Washington, the cinematography puts each ravishing, winsome quality of the city on display. Rain is a common theme in several of the shots, and its overall germaine to the tone and city itself creates a sense of pleasant familiarity.

“Love Guaranteed” is an overall fun watch; providing its audience with comfort storylines and personable characters. While the film lacks originality and relies on recycled romantic-comedy formulas, its overarching charm and endearment materialize as an entertaining, one-time watch.

Released on Sept. 3, “Love Guaranteed” is rated PG and is available to stream on Netflix.