About Fate isn’t anything new for the genre but it’s still a cute New Year’s rom-com starring Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann.

Margot Hayes (Emma Roberts) and Griffin Reed (Thomas Mann) thought that they would be spending New Year’s Eve by celebrating an engagement…to different people. That’s right. They were never ever meant to be together. And yet, perhaps it is their destiny. Margot expects that Kip Prescott (Lewis Tan) will propose to her and go to sister Carrie’s (Britt Robertson) New Year’s Eve wedding. Meanwhile, Griffin is planning to propose to Instagram influencer Clementine (Madelaine Petsch). Funny enough, both are at a Bennigan’s when their nights turn sour.

Margot and Kip have only been with each other for three months. Despite this, her family has never met Kip so she takes advantage of an opportunity when Griffin comes into her life by accident. I won’t get into the specifics here but it’s an incredibly funny scenario. The result leads the two of them in the New Year’s Eve adventure of a lifetime.

I know what you’re thinking. When you’ve seen one rom-com, you’ve seen them all. Yes, this film plays to the many different rom-com tropes but it’s cute and entertaining nevertheless. The fact that this film is engaging is what helps keep audiences on their toes. Even though we’ve got an idea of how it’s going to end, you still have your doubts. Will they or won’t they? Listen, it wouldn’t be a romantic comedy it didn’t play to decades-long tropes. But still, this is a film that depends on us buying into Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann as a couple. If we can’t buy into that, it would have an uphill climb. Thankfully, they have amazing chemistry and I’d like to see more films with the duo together!

In most rom-coms, Griffin would not be the guy that gets the girl in the end. Hell, Mann would probably be replaced by a more attractive actor because that’s what movie law states. You and I both know it. It sucks but many guy-next-door types get the girl in these movies, anyway? Don’t take my word for it–Marius Vaysberg wasn’t convinced at first and that’s even after Roberts suggested Mann for the role. This is part of the appeal in watching About Fate–it changes up the status quo with a breath of fresh air.

Tiffany Paulsen reteams with Nancy Drew and Holidate star Emma Roberts for a very different rom-com. Paulsen writes to the actress’s strengths in a different rom-com adventure. Last time around, it was Chicago. This time, we’re in the Boston area, specifically Norwood and Westwood. However, the two primary addresses, if Google Maps is any indication, are fictional. But anyway, filmmaker Marius Vaysberg should get some of the credit for his direction of the duo.

About Fate is a rom-com that works because of its departure from usual genre fare and brilliant chemistry from leads Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann.

DIRECTOR: Marius Vaysberg
SCREENWRITER: Tiffany Paulsen
CAST: Emma Roberts, Thomas Mann, Britt Robertson, Madelaine Petsch, Wendie Malick, with Cheryl Hines and Lewis Tan

American International Pictures will release About Fate in theaters and Digital on September 9, 2022. Grade: 3.5/5

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