I Want You Back, the new romantic comedy starring Charlie Day and Jenny Slate, hits every beat that you would expect from a modern romantic comedy. The little twist that sets it apart, however, is that our two protagonists start off in the midst of devastating heartbreak, and eventually agree to help one another win back their respective exes. You can imagine that such devastation would be difficult to tap into, but for Charlie Day, those feelings were still so prevalent that getting into character had never been easier.
We recently spoke to Day and Slate, and when asked about the difficulty of channeling heartbreak and reliving past experiences, Charlie Day told us this:
Oh, I didn't have to draw from personal experience because it's always right there. I mean, all the wounds are still fresh. Yeah, I was able to more easily access my emotions on the script than any other thing I've done before. But I think that was the power of the writing.
As devastating as those emotions are, they’re so palpable that Charlie Day tapped back into them with immense ease. You can imagine that two of the biggest names in comedy playing heartbreak paves the way for some pretty funny moments. Regardless of what the critics have to say, everyone seems to agree that the two of them are pretty delightful. Not to mention that the rest of the cast has some solid comedic talent that you’ll likely recognize from a slew of past projects. There was even one big Saturday Night Live cameo that had Charlie Day cracking up so much it was difficult to get through filming.
Despite the comedic premise, there are some dramatic moments, and when Jenny Slate was asked about tapping into the heartbreak required to take on the role, she went in a different direction. As opposed to the romantic elements involved with playing her character Emma, she found herself tapping into the overall feeling of wanting to be loved:
I think also, maybe it's accessing the pain of that rejection, but it's also the feelings that you can feel even outside of like romantic situations, which is, wanting to be seen, and told you're important, and that you're worth it, and wanting to be loved. You know, I feel loved in my life, but I wake up every morning still wanting it.
Wow! That got real pretty fast. Hard to argue with, though, as we all want to be loved. Director Jason Orley tackled some pretty heavy subject matter in his debut feature Big Time Adolescence, so he’s no stranger to balancing comedy and drama.
See for yourself by checking out I Want You Back on Prime Video! The platform has a number of solid flicks which we’ve compiled in this handy list. You can also check out CinemaBlend’s official review of the film here. As for what’s to come for the rest of the year, check out our full list of 2022 movie releases.
