‘Somebody I Used to Know’ Is a Refreshing Take on the Romance Genre with a Coming-of-Age Twist

Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.

Somebody I Used to Know was released on Prime Video on February 10, 2023. Its premise follows workaholic TV producer Ally (Alison Brie) as she heads back to her small hometown, reminisces with her ex Sean (Jay Ellis), discovers that Sean is getting married to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons) who reminds Ally of her younger self. Today, I want to share my thoughts on the film with all of you. Let’s get into this.

This film wasn’t what I expected at all. I knew it wasn’t your typical rom-com because it was a romantic dramedy. I thought the story was well-written. Dave Franco and Alison Brie did a great job with this screenplay. Franco’s direction felt as if he’s been directing for years. It shows on screen how passionate he was about this project.

Alison Brie gives a captivating performance as Ally. I loved that Ally wasn’t a predictable female lead. She was nuanced and complex. Brie effortlessly switches from drama to comedy in a matter of seconds. Jay Ellis gives a great performance as Sean. I loved that we got a backstory for Sean and again he had layers. Ellis did a great job at bringing him to life. Kiersey Clemons gives an emotional performance as Cassidy. Cassidy was just one of those kinds of people you want to be friends with.

The thing I loved the most about these characters was that they’re adults that are coming-of-age and trying to find themselves. It’s extremely rare to see this in a film with adult leads since coming-of-age films tend to focus on teenagers and young adults.

There were a few scenes that had me in a chokehold and not in a good way. Although, they were somewhat necessary for the story to unfold.

I watched this film the same day as Your Place or Mine which is a rom-com on Netflix and I know you can’t compare them because they’re so different but Somebody I Used to Know was so much better. It was refreshing, unpredictable, funny, and made you feel things.

I recommend watching this if you’re looking for a film that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

Somebody I Used to Know is exclusively streaming on Prime Video.

Director: Dave Franco

Cast: Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons

Producers: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey