EGN NEWS DESK
At one level throughout “This is Me … Now: A Love Story,” a personality observes that watching Jennifer Lopez’s love life is like bingeing “Vanderpump Rules” — ultimately you cease judging the individuals you’re seeing and begin judging your self. But within the case of this self-financed multimedia undertaking, you may also query what precisely it’s that you’ve watched. Is it a film, a set of music movies, a easy self-importance undertaking? Is it a remedy session, or a brand new style fully — the remedy musical? Lopez, who co-wrote and produced this 65-minute spectacle, which is now out there on Amazon Prime Video, tries to maintain you guessing. You might need a couple of questions. We have some solutions.
How a lot of Ben Affleck is in there?
Ben Affleck flits out and in of this like a little-seen hummingbird.
He bookends the story as a misplaced love, a personality known as the Biker, however he’s a barely glimpsed thriller. Could that be his jawline? Is that his chest? It’s positively his voice we hear telling a sleeping Lopez, “You understand how a lot I like you?” Going incognito to play cable-news pundit Rex Stone, Affleck dons a nasty blonde wig, a prosthetic nostril and a Trumpian spray tan. He additionally adopts a folksy accent that recollects Gary Busey, and a supply that’s half Tucker Carlson and half Keith Olbermann (a person Affleck as soon as memorably mocked on “Saturday Night Live”). But as an alternative of ranting about politics, ol’ Rexy is anxious with the state of affection and connection on this planet — a subject of nice curiosity to Lopez’s character, who is solely known as the Artist. He’s the anchor of her love, however she’s barely tuning in.
It might need served the undertaking higher to have much less of Affleck on the display screen and extra of him on the web page. After all, that is the man who co-wrote “Good Will Hunting” — among the best of all remedy films. Did the real-life Affleck attempt to encourage his spouse to open up, the best way Robin Williams’s therapist, Sean, wished his affected person to do? Did he urge her to suppose a bit extra deeply about love and vulnerability? It’s onerous to guess from his mid-credits monologue.
Can we play Name That Ex?
Yes, we will.
Marriage may be a sacred union that ought to solely be entered into with the utmost care, as Jane Fonda’s character instructed Lopez’s in “Monster-in-Law,” however that didn’t cease both Fonda in that movie or Lopez in actual life from giving it a attempt 4 instances.
In the previous, Lopez has used her place as a film producer to touch upon her personal marital historical past. In 2002’s “Marry Me,” as an example, she performed an artist who had been married 3 times. In this new undertaking, she has a whirlwind rom-com sequence, set to the track “Can’t Get Enough,” during which she cycles by means of three weddings with three interchangeable husbands (performed by Tony Bellissimo, Derek Hough and Trevor Jackson). Could this recreation of musical grooms be a commentary on her previous marriages to Ojani Noa (1997-1998), Cris Judd (2001-2003) and Marc Anthony (2004-2014)?
Other former companions — from damaged engagements and diverse alliances — are referenced in sequences when she’s tethered to an abusive Libra (“Rebound”) and entangled with a a lot youthful man carrying a gun. (A nod to a well-known incident with Sean Combs — or to Casper Smart?) The Artist’s mates take bets on how lengthy every union will final and ultimately stage an intervention. They simply can’t determine if their pal is hooked on intercourse, to like or to the wedding-industrial advanced. In a remedy mic drop, her shrink (performed by Fat Joe) sends her to a help group.
Lopez paid how a lot to movie this?!
Lopez dodges that query, however Variety experiences that this three-part multimedia undertaking — the album, this accompanying visible expertise and a forthcoming making-of documentary, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” (due out Feb. 27) — price a cool $20 million. When her authentic financing plan fell by means of, she determined to fund it herself — and she or he didn’t stint on high-profile visitor stars. Her Zodialogical Council contains Jane Fonda (a buddy since “Monster-in-Law”), Keke Palmer (additionally a buddy, since “Hustlers”), Trevor Noah, Post Malone, Jenifer Lewis, Kim Petras and Neil deGrasse Tyson, amongst others.
What do you imply, Zodialogical Council? Like astrology?
Kind of.
Anthropomorphized zodiac indicators kind a type of Greek refrain to observe over the Artist, and so as to add comedian aid. (Sofia Vergara says in an end-credit scene that this was “one of many weirdest issues I’ve ever completed in my life.”) The zodiac indicators don’t actually do something, reminiscent of intervene within the motion; they simply add vibe. One of them is life coach Jay Shetty, who really presided over the Bennifer 2.0 nuptials.
One of Lopez’s character’s issues — and perhaps J. Lo’s, too — is that she depends on zodiac indicators to find out interpersonal compatibility. (In actual life, there have been claims that she minimize Virgos from dance auditions.)
So is that this Jennifer Lopez’s “Lemonade?”
No, it’s a bit completely different artistically.
Lopez has a number of genres she desires to play with, and whereas there are some pretty moments of visible poetry, there aren’t sufficient for this to qualify as a visible idea album. Or sufficient insights, both. If you’re hoping that Lopez (or her character) will dig deep in her remedy classes, you’ll most likely be disillusioned. The Artist presents herself as somebody who is able to reveal all, however she really reveals little or no, even to herself. Her grand concept of affection is about getting it, not giving it. And ultimately, you would possibly marvel, was this actually a love story in any respect?
