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At one level throughout “That is Me … Now: A Love Story,” a personality observes that watching Jennifer Lopez’s love life is like bingeing “Vanderpump Guidelines” — finally you cease judging the folks you’re seeing and begin judging your self. However within the case of this self-financed multimedia venture, you may also query what precisely it’s that you’ve got watched. Is it a film, a group of music movies, a easy self-importance venture? Is it a remedy session, or a brand new style solely — the remedy musical? Lopez, who co-wrote and produced this 65-minute spectacle, which is now accessible on Amazon Prime Video, tries to maintain you guessing. You may need just a few questions. We’ve got some solutions.
How a lot of Ben Affleck is in there?
Ben Affleck flits out and in of this like a little-seen hummingbird.
He bookends the story as a misplaced love, a personality referred to as the Biker, however he’s a barely glimpsed thriller. Might that be his jawline? Is that his chest? It’s undoubtedly his voice we hear telling a sleeping Lopez, “You understand how a lot I really like you?” Going incognito to play cable-news pundit Rex Stone, Affleck dons a foul blonde wig, a prosthetic nostril and a Trumpian spray tan. He additionally adopts a folksy accent that remembers Gary Busey, and a supply that’s half Tucker Carlson and half Keith Olbermann (a person Affleck as soon as memorably mocked on “Saturday Night time Dwell”). However as a substitute of ranting about politics, ol’ Rexy is anxious with the state of affection and connection on this planet — a subject of nice curiosity to Lopez’s character, who is solely referred to as the Artist. He’s the anchor of her love, however she’s barely tuning in.
It may need served the venture higher to have much less of Affleck on the display screen and extra of him on the web page. In any case, that is the man who co-wrote “Good Will Searching” — among the best of all remedy films. Did the real-life Affleck attempt to encourage his spouse to open up, the way in which Robin Williams’s therapist, Sean, wished his affected person to do? Did he urge her to assume somewhat extra deeply about love and vulnerability? It’s exhausting to guess from his mid-credits monologue.
Can we play Title That Ex?
Sure, we are able to.
Marriage is perhaps a sacred union that ought to solely be entered into with the utmost care, as Jane Fonda’s character informed Lopez’s in “Monster-in-Legislation,” however that didn’t cease both Fonda in that movie or Lopez in actual life from giving it a strive 4 occasions.
Up to now, Lopez has used her place as a film producer to touch upon her personal marital historical past. In 2022’s “Marry Me,” for example, she performed an artist who had been married 3 times. On this new venture, she has a whirlwind rom-com sequence, set to the track “Can’t Get Sufficient,” wherein she cycles by way of three weddings with three interchangeable husbands (performed by Tony Bellissimo, Derek Hough and Trevor Jackson). Might this sport of musical grooms be a commentary on her previous marriages to Ojani Noa (1997-1998), Cris Judd (2001-2003) and Marc Anthony (2004-2014)?
Different former companions — from damaged engagements and various alliances — are referenced in sequences when she’s tethered to an abusive Libra (“Rebound”) and entangled with a a lot youthful man carrying a gun. (A nod to a well-known incident with Sean Combs — or to Casper Sensible?) The Artist’s mates take bets on how lengthy every union will final and finally stage an intervention. They only can’t determine if their pal is hooked on intercourse, to like or to the wedding-industrial advanced. In a remedy mic drop, her shrink (performed by Fats Joe) sends her to a assist group.
Lopez paid how a lot to movie this?!
Lopez dodges that query, however Selection reviews that this three-part multimedia venture — the album, this accompanying visible expertise and a forthcoming making-of documentary, “The Best Love Story By no means Informed” (due out Feb. 27) — value a cool $20 million. When her authentic financing plan fell by way of, she determined to fund it herself — and she or he didn’t stint on high-profile visitor stars. Her Zodialogical Council consists of Jane Fonda (a pal since “Monster-in-Legislation”), Keke Palmer (additionally a pal, since “Hustlers”), Trevor Noah, Publish Malone, Jenifer Lewis, Kim Petras and Neil deGrasse Tyson, amongst others.
What do you imply, Zodialogical Council? Like astrology?
Form of.
Anthropomorphized zodiac indicators type a type of Greek refrain to observe over the Artist, and so as to add comedian aid. (Sofia Vergara says in an end-credit scene that this was “one of many weirdest issues I’ve ever performed in my life.”) The zodiac indicators don’t actually do something, akin to intervene within the motion; they only add vibe. One among them is life coach Jay Shetty, who really presided over the Bennifer 2.0 nuptials.
One among Lopez’s character’s issues — and perhaps J. Lo’s, too — is that she depends on zodiac indicators to find out interpersonal compatibility. (In actual life, there have been claims that she reduce Virgos from dance auditions.)
So is that this Jennifer Lopez’s “Lemonade?”
No, it’s somewhat completely different artistically.
Lopez has a number of genres she desires to play with, and whereas there are some beautiful moments of visible poetry, there aren’t sufficient for this to qualify as a visible idea album. Or sufficient insights, both. For those who’re hoping that Lopez (or her character) will dig deep in her remedy periods, you’ll in all probability be disenchanted. The Artist presents herself as somebody who is able to reveal all, however she really reveals little or no, even to herself. Her grand thought of affection is about getting it, not giving it. And in the long run, you would possibly marvel, was this actually a love story in any respect?
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