The latest original movie from Netflix is “The Perfect Find,” a romantic comedy adapted from a novel of the same name by Tia Williams. The film is directed by Numa Perrier and written by Leigh Davenport; both women of color whose unique touch add new perspective to a genre that lives and dies by its tropes.
The movie’s plot summary is, at first glance, familiar and less than exciting — a struggling woman meets a handsome young man, only to find out the next day he’s her new coworker. I’d say stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but every rom-com audience has heard this one before.
The script goes through the motions of establishing the standard tropes, but doesn’t bother to follow through on any of them: the tyrant boss, the slightly raunchy friend group, the let’s-call-a-truce scene, the ex that won’t leave the picture, the misunderstanding… They’re all resolved within minutes, which is, frankly, plain lazy writing, but I’ll forgive it because those plot lines are beyond played out. The third act of the narrative ultimately drops the tired baggage and works its way to something with a bit more emotional weight than expected.
The diversity and style of the film are what sets it apart from standard Netflix or Hallmark fare. There are flashes of classic Hollywood and even references to 70s blaxploitation cinema by way of the characters’ fashion shoots. Additionally, a handful of pleasant needle drops appear, including one of my favorite vocalists of all time, Nat King Cole. These are all welcome elements, even if the blend of genres and styles is sometimes muddled and inconsistent.
“The Perfect Find” exists casually in a world populated almost exclusively by people of color, presenting the existence of diversity without explanation. The worlds of fashion and film history are burst wide open and made accessible to characters of all races and classes. There’s also a reference to two characters being queer, but it feels more like a party trick than genuine representation.
Gabrielle Union’s skilled lead performance is the anchor of the film, and co-star Keith Powers shows promise too. “The Perfect Find” is a rare gem in the sea of haphazard, undercooked projects that appear on streaming services. It’s not going to change your life, because it doesn’t want or need to. However, it’s a real movie with real feelings — not just disposable content for clicks.
3 of 5 stars
