The Lovebirds: Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani Mix Comedy and Murder
(02/19/2020)
A very bad night for two people on the verge of breaking up turns into a great time for everyone else, in THE LOVEBIRDS. Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae were mutual fans before working together in the movie, in which they play a couple embroiled in a murder mystery in New Orleans.
With an unpredictable story and two charismatic comedians in the lead roles, THE LOVEBIRDS is one of our most anticipated comedies of 2020. Here's why we can't wait to see this outrageous comedy.
Rising Stars
One of the biggest draws of THE LOVEBIRDS is its amazing cast, led by rising stars Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. If you have a premium cable package, you probably know these two, since they both star on popular HBO comedies; Nanjiani was a fixture on "Silicon Valley," while's Issa Rae's "Insecure," which she created in addition to starring in, is set to return later this year.
Both are also enjoying blossoming film careers in front of and behind the camera; Nanjiani was nominated for an Oscar for his autobiographical screenplay for THE BIG SICK, written with his wife Emily Gordon. Rae lent her voice to the Oscar-winning short film HAIR LOVE, and she stars in THE PHOTOGRAPH. Soon, Nanjiani will have a significant role in Marvel Studios’ upcoming sci-fi epic ETERNALS.
For THE LOVEBIRDS, they're joined by the super-talented Paul Sparks (FORD V. FERRARI, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN) and Anna Camp (PITCH PERFECT). Michael Showalter directs the comedy — he also called the shots on Nanjiani's film THE BIG SICK. Previously, Showalter starred in cult comedy WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER and directed HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS. In other words, a bunch of truly hardworking and super funny people made this movie.
A Classic Romantic Comedy, But Darker
[Image credit: Paramount Pictures]
Think you can predict all the beats of a romantic comedy based on the trailer alone? That might not be so easy with THE LOVEBIRDS. For one, the couple is about to break up as the story begins, flipping the usual romantic comedy storyline of two people who fall in love. And then there’s the whole murder thing. That’s right – it’s a romantic comedy, but darker!
THE LOVEBIRDS gets going when the couple accidentally hits a bicyclist with their car. The character played by Sparks commandeers their vehicle and runs the bicyclist over again. Now that the bicyclist is dead, the couple set out to find out who solve the murder and clear their name. They uncover a conspiracy with cultish overtones, and soon realize that they have stumbled into a situation they cannot control.
The blend of comedy and wild events is in keeping with the tradition of wacky R-rated romantic comedies that take place over a short period of time, like Jeff Goldblum’s INTO THE NIGHT and, more recently, the terrific GAME NIGHT. It's a rare combination of elements, and the presence of Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani puts THE LOVEBIRDS over the top, turning it into the sort of edgy, outrageous comedy you can only see in theatres.
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All images courtesy of Paramount Pictures.