Isn't It Romantic? (2019) * * 1/2

Directed by:  Todd Strauss-Schulson

Starring:  Rebel Wilson, Adam Devine, Prianka Chopra, Liam Hemsworth, Betty Gilpin, Brandon Scott Jones

Isn't It Romantic? is a spoof which works much better than it has any right to.   Its plot is similar to the failed 1991 John Candy comedy Delirious, in which Candy played a burned out soap opera writer trapped in his own soap opera.   But, Isn't It Romantic? is a romantic comedy which parodies other romantic comedies, or at least recognizes their clichés.   Isn't It Romantic? tries hard to avoid those clichés itself, and in many ways succeeds, although there are two ill-timed musical numbers which  kill the mood.

Natalie (Wilson) once idolized Julia Roberts by watching Pretty Woman, but has given up on any hopes of love for herself.   She is an architect who is disrespected at work, even by her assistant who watches romantic comedies on her computer in full view of everyone.    Her only friend is Josh (Devine), a nerd who clearly likes her, but she has clearly friend zoned.   She rails against the conventions of movie romances, not really understanding that these clichés are also part of their charm.

But after an attempted mugging in the New York City subway, Natalie bangs her head and wakes up living in a romantic comedy, with her office and apartment looking as perfect as movie sets and a handsome Aussie billionaire (Hemsworth) who in this alternate universe adores her and says "beguiling" a lot, as if he had just heard the word for the first time today and wants to use it in every sentence he can.   This new world is so nice and sweet that it frightens Natalie, because this world can't possibly be real.   Curse words are bleeped out and there is no actual hanky panky allowed.   Only kisses, dancing, and singing.   Oh, and she has a stereotypical gay friend (Jones) who materializes out of thin air whenever she seems to need him the most.

Wilson is likable and energetic, and we understand her earlier behavior is caused by defensiveness and fear of rejection.    She learns a lot about herself and even more about Josh, who she grows to love (of course), but doesn't exactly lose her edge either.   Isn't It Romantic? doesn't always work, but it does have a certain sweetness to it which makes its success somewhat surprising.