Comedies are a work of art. The balance of comedy and story can be the one thing that brings the film down. Too often, the best jokes are put in the trailers and when you start the film everything else falls flat. The Lovebirds is not that. Not only is it funny from beginning to end and the jokes hit perfectly and the chemistry between Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) and Issa Rae (Insecure) elevates the end product. The movie might not change the game in terms of comedies but it works so well that you end up getting something really good and entertaining.

The premise of The Lovebirds is very simple and the film makes it work to its advantage. On the brink of a break-up, Leilani and Jibran find themselves thrown into the fold of trying to solve a murder after they are framed for murder. Together, they must forget and overcome their differences in order to clear their name and maybe save their relationship.

Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae are both masters at their craft. Both at the top of their games right now, creating hits after hits. The Lovebirds continues their trend of being at the top of their craft. The characters might not be the most originals but putting them in a situation where they must confront their flaws work into creating comedic moments. Their relationship feels lived in. By putting a couple at the end of their relationship instead of at the beginning helps because it avoids the typical tropes that we have seen before. It helps create a story within a story. The film is able to create a murder mystery but also a story about a couple trying to figure out if being together is still the right thing for them.

The movie never tries to revolutionize the genre. It’s a story we have seen before and the twists and turns aren’t always originals but it works in the context of the film. The Lovebirds is special when it lets it’s two leads have fun together. The little quips they do, the ad-libs, it works in the favour of the film. The script might not be the strongest but having two extremely funny leads help elevate it to something that it might not have been otherwise. Because of the two leads and their craft, it’s easy to forgive the flaws of the film.

Creating a feeling inside you is probably one of the most important things a film can do. That is why films are so popular. The feelings we get from them helps us escape our realities. It’s something that The Lovebirds does so well. For a few hours, you forget about your life because you can’t stop laughing at what is happening in front of you. To me, that is the best thing that this film can do. Too often, comedies try too hard and fail at that. You don’t get lost in the film and get bored. Never did I get bored with this film. It follows very simple beats but it also works perfectly. I feel like I keep repeating myself but it works because of Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani. Without them, the film fails.

The Lovebirds might not be something we will remember in 20 years. It will not change the genre, it will not be a film that we will talk about forever. But it’s a film that we can all enjoy on bad days. A film we can all enjoy with family or friends. A film that will make you laugh non-stop and brighten your day. Sometimes a film doesn’t need to be everything to actually be good and The Lovebirds is just that. It does just enough for you to enjoy the story and yourself at the same time.