Summary
Once it gets the message out there, the film becomes a run-of-the-mill romance, and the ending is hardly fireworks either.
This review of the Netflix film Tell Me When contains no spoilers — the comedy was released on the streaming service on April 23, 2021.
Ah, another story of an average man allowing life to pass him by in the corporate world, to be soon stunned by a wonderful woman in his life that he has fallen in love with; that’s the basic premise of Tell Me When and one we have seen so many times. When the lead character Will (played Jesús Zavala) witnesses his grandfather’s death, he decides to fulfill his wishes — to leave LA for Mexico city, visit the most iconic sites, and fall in love.
There’s an air of self-discovery in Tell Me When. Will’s grandfather senses that his grandson had lost his identity and drive — he felt LA had cocooned him into a routine-filled human being that knew little about his roots — he had no drive, no ambition, and no romance in his life. The audience transparently understands the end game in the Netflix film, and once Will lands in Mexico City, we see the character’s eyes open up.
Netflix’s Tell Me When is a middling story. Unfortunately, Will does little to inspire the audience — as he’s a character that revels in being reactive and low-beat, he cannot get you off your seat, even when we presume he is excited — you’d think the director would have prompted some transformation, but nothing is forthcoming. Fortunately, with the introduction of Dani, the love interest (played by Ximena Romo), there’s life that is breathed in the film. Without this character showing an optimistic view of life and convincing the audience that she cares, this film would have fallen over quickly.
Tell Me When encapsulates a generation of adults who “settle” rather than aim to be happy. It champions those who sink into their job and forget what the meaning of life is. Will is the adult in many of us, watching life pass us by, leading to that inveitable regret — the Netflix film gets that message across strongly.
Once it gets the message out there, the film becomes a run-of-the-mill romance, and the ending is hardly fireworks either.
