At Midnight
for the most part thanks to streaming , romantic comedies have been making a comeback in the last few years . It ’s a move that has been welcome by many , though like any beloved music genre , not every offering is of equal lineament . Paramount+ ’s latest original , At Midnight , total to the tabular array with a syrupy sweet premise and a pair of deeply appealing leads . It halt magical spell that can win over cynical viewer and even possesses true humor . Unfortunately , the overall instruction execution — and more importantly , the central relationship — does n’t quite hold up with close examination . At Midnighthas a certain Old Hollywood dash that give it a unequaled border , but its surface - storey approach produce the Romance language more frothy than impactful .
Global starletSophie Wilder ( Monica Barbaro)is the brass of a hugely successful superhero franchise alongside her ego - absorbed fellow , Adam ( Anders Holm ) . Their picture - perfect romance is shatter when , in the thick of filming their third movie , Sophie learns Adam is cheating on her . Despite being thoroughly put - off , Sophie is pressure into sustain their separation quiet as production continues on position in Mexico . There , she meets the dreamy coach of her hotel , Alejandro ( Diego Boneta ) , who claims to have big pipe dream and is n’t too thrilled at the prospect of babysitting actors . However , it is n’t long before light begin to fly between Sophie and Alejandro through a series of meet - ups at midnight , paving the way for a deeper connection to grow .
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Director Jonah Feingold , who co - wrote the script alongside Maria Hinojos and Giovanni M. Porta , could n’t have pluck a better set forAt Midnight , as the beachside sight of the Riviera Maya in Mexico ( and the hotel that serve as the backdrop for much of the plot ) elicit feelings of warmheartedness and easygoing relaxation . It sets an enticing leg for a star - crossed romance , and Feingold baffle Sophie and Alejandro ’s story off to a promising start with the requisite meet - cunning . It ’s both endearing and inept , and the snippiness in their backchat gives the estimate it ’ll be a irksome burn path to fuck . That is n’t quite the case , asAt Midnightis more concerned in see how they work together rather than get together , but Sophie and Alejandro still make for a very sweet couple . It is gentle to bribe into their other flirt , specially because Barbaro and Boneta have literal alchemy . This is especially clear during one of their midnight adventure when they go dancing , though the initial decision to have their thoughts see as voiceover veers a flake skinny to grovel .
The boastful payoff facingAt Midnightis that Feingold , Hinojos , and Porta have set up a ten thousand of possible obstruction for Sophie and Alejandro that never become real problems . There ’s Sophie ’s bastard family relationship with Adam , and the rule that says Alejandro can not date stamp hotel guests . These factors are the reasons why the duo can only meet at midnight . As the film progresses , the stake decrease considerably . When conflict actually does form up around Sophie and Alejandro , it feels manufacture and intended only to drag out the runtime . Furthermore , authentically compelling threads about Sophie ’s career beyond the superhero franchise are left dangle , keepingAt Midnight ’s history firmly at the open .
For a fluffy read-only storage - com , that is n’t a dire affair . Sometimes , the charm of a romance is simply the moral force at its center , and little else around it count . fortunately , Feingold has surely crafted a movie with its own personality . Whether it be through old - fashioned transition or the witching porta citation , Feingold givesAt Midnighta classical touch that brings one back to movies of decades retiring . One of the safe parts ofAt Midnightis that the Mexico - based characters actually address Spanish rather than turn back to English when they realistically would n’t . It bring the movie an bona fide contact and impart it a real sense of place . Additionally , the popping refinement - specific liquid body substance in reality lands more often than not , particularly when it comes to satiric gag about build up out franchises . ComingoffTop Gun : Maverick , Barbaro really gets the opportunity to strike here as an actor catch at a carrefour , and Boneta cement his appeal as a romantic hero . Supporting players Catherine Cohen and Casey Thomas Brown get in some sound laughs , though like a fistful of other elements withinAt Midnight , their characters ' over - the - top nature sometimes clash with the quieter side of the film .
Diego Boneta and Monica Barbaro in At Midnight
At Midnightisn’t the strongest fixed storage - com , mostly due to obligatory conflict that palpate less organic than they should . However , through the seriousness of the lead , the flick finagle to be an entertaining ride , albeit one that might not linger long in viewers ' creative thinker . With love in the air thanks to the imminent arrival of Valentine ’s Day , hopeless romantics will likely notice plenty to revel aboutAt Midnight . It ’s a sugared , slight slice of love - induced blissfulness .
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At Midnightbegins cyclosis on Paramount+ Friday , February 10 . It is 100 moment long and rated R for some voice communication .
Diego Boneta and Monica Barbaro in At Midnight
Monica Barbaro and Diego Boneta in At Midnight
