Rating: 4 out of 5
The movie is based on college student Zoey Miller (Josephine Langford), who loathes the idea of romantic love until Zach MacLaren (Drew Starkey) becomes a part of her life as he accidentally hits her in the face with a soccer ball. Their second time meeting, he crashes into a stranger’s car with his bike while talking to Miller, and then loses his memory and believes that Miller is his girlfriend when his girlfriend is the other Zoey, Zoey Wallace (Maggie Thurmon). He thinks Miller looks similar to Wallace, but only because of their similar appearances and his cloudy vision. Miller continues to pretend to be Zach’s girlfriend as to not worsen Zach’s condition, but also to pursue a relationship with Zach’s cousin Miles (Archie Renaux).
If you are looking for a fluffy romantic comedy to curl up to, “The Other Zoey”, streaming on Prime Video after November 10th, is perfect for a night at home wrapped in blankets.
Besides its obvious cliches, the movie has its upsides. Miller’s best friend Elle (Mallori Johnson) plays a lovable character and slaps sense into Miller’s character whenever she steps out of line. Miller’s chemistry with male leads, Miles and Zach, makes the movie even more enjoyable. Langford plays the nerdy role well and her cynicism turned to belief in the power of love drives the movie forward, and Miller grows from an insufferable know-it-all to a kind, sensitive girl.
The movie is well-paced, with dramatic scenes to further the plot, but also with heart-warming moments between Miller and Zach, like their sweet kiss at the ski lodge. The gradual development of the relationship between Miller and Zach makes this movie a true rom-com. One of the most dramatic parts of any rom-com is when the leads are split up because of a disagreement. This movie has this, but it feels well incorporated into the film, rather than something added at the end to complete the plot.
Many rom-coms only follow the relationship between the female and male leads, but in this movie, we see relationships develop between side characters, like Elle and her boyfriend or Miller and Becca (her classmate), making it relatable to younger audiences and also allowing for depth in the movie. Romantic comedies wouldn’t exist without the element of humor, and all of the supporting characters do a great job with comic relief, especially Zach’s sassy little sister Avery MacLaren, and Wallace’s quirky dialogues that reflect the modern anxieties of dating.
However, this movie had flaws. The sheer unoriginality of the movie makes it a predictable watch, especially for a rom-com enthusiast. When Zach and Miller do patch up after the disagreement, it feels superficial and doesn’t address the underlying issues that caused them to separate in the first place, like how Zach’s and Miller’s parents would be affected. After watching this movie, it reminded me of Sandra Bullock’s rom-com “While You Were Sleeping,” so “The Other Zoey” felt like a rehashed, modern version because of the similar plot points of amnesia, falling for the other relative, and mistaking the female lead as a fiancee or girlfriend.
Apart from these flaws, I enjoyed watching the movie for its cute rom-com moments, and all the warm feelings in my stomach made this worth the watch.