Summary
Picture This is a disappointing romantic comedy that flounders with its unoriginal, derivative plot—only Simone Ashley’s performance and sporadic cultural moments offer a brief respite from its shakiness.
Picture This has all the traits of a failed romantic comedy, but some elements hold it up at times, making it a decent option for a date night. Kind of.
It certainly helps that Simone Ashley is the female lead. She was captivating as Kathani ‘Kate’ Sharma in Bridgerton, and she brings that same energy to this film. There is a charming aura about her; she is expressive and knows how to dominate a scene. Regardless of the script, she always delivers.
However, Ashley’s chemistry with her gay best friend in the film, portrayed by Luke Fetherston, ironically holds the story together. They portray their friendship so effectively that I questioned the purpose of the romantic storyline.
Picture This, directed by Prarthana Mohan, follows 30-something Pia (Ashley), an entrepreneur who operates a struggling photography studio with her friend Jay (Fetherston). She has low expectations for romance in her life and proudly advocates her independence, despite not informing her family about the failing finances.
However, with her sister Sonal (Anoushka Chadha) about to get married, which means an Indian wedding with plenty on the schedule, Pia receives a prediction from a Spiritualist Leader, who informs her that within her next five dates, she will encounter her true love.
In most of the rom-com, Pia is resistant to love and instead endures her failing business while her friend Jay panics on the sidelines, knowing they are on the verge of eviction. Pia goes on her dates, but in the background, the other male lead, Charlie (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, The Silencing), is her real love interest—he’s her childhood sweetheart.
Now, I have to admit that I have a bias here; I have seen Tiffin in the After movies, pining over his romantic lead, Tess, so as soon as I saw him, I knew he was the selling point. Again, I’m not entirely sure how lucky the director is, but the casting helps balance some of the generic direction by the actors being as enthusiastic as possible.
It may seem like I am being miserable in some ways, but when a film features a montage and slideshow of side-by-side scenes, it’s clear that the director is trying to be creative for creativity’s sake; however, it comes off as cheap and tacky.
It also doesn’t help that Picture This is essentially a remake of Five Blind Dates, which also didn’t fare well critically. The story is essentially the same, just set in a different culture. Credit where credit’s due, though; both films are earnest in their cultural observations. Picture This focuses on the themes surrounding Indian weddings and the extensive schedule that comes with both families coming together.
The comedy is OK; it’s at least amusing, even if it’s not laugh-out-loud funny. I think it needed to push the boundaries a bit more instead of being overtly vulgar at times just for effect. There isn’t a single clever joke throughout the entire feature.
But once more, Simone Ashley lights up the room. I suppose she supports the theory that sometimes, a star makes the film rather than the filmmaker. Picture This, while not entirely recommended, fits this scenario.
