Netflix’s The Lovebirds is not your typical romantic comedy – and that’s a good thing. In the initial opening sequence, we assume our comparably modern couple, Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) don’t need legal documentation of marriage to validate their strong partnership. Fast forward four years later, the wonder and magic has faded and like many relationships they have plateaued. Having come to a mutual agreement, they decide to end their relationship. As they are driving home, a series of unfortunate circumstances turns their world upside down and simultaneously brings them closer together.
As viewers believe that this relationship has come to an end, the director reconciles their differences by immersing them in a criminal conspiracy that requires them to play detective and come up with a strategy. Though the series of missteps and misfires are extraordinarily – they also present very real conversations and acknowledgments of racial divides and profiling. The unexpected turn of events gives a new flair to the couples’ relationship, allowing them to bond through their mutual mishaps and find themselves communicating more effectively in solving the mystery and absolving themselves from the crime.
The couple unbeknownst to them and through the various obstacles they face are actually building on the trust they have for one another furthering their intimacy and reconciliation. Where The Lovebirds is a fun and easy watch, it’s dialogue and social commentary are incredibly relatable (and timely).
