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You Are An Actual Heartless Robot If 'Irreplaceable You' on Netflix Doesn't Demolish Your Tear Ducts
By Lea Palmieri Twitter @littleleap Feb 16, 2018 at 1:00pm
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Irreplaceable You
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I felt like a real tough gal when I realized I probably made it about halfway through Irreplaceable You without crying yet. And then I started crying and I still haven't stopped. Okay, I have, but I get a little misty when I think about this story.
Irreplaceable You stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Michiel Huisman as Abbie and Sam, total soulmates and a couple since they were kids. On the eve of their wedding, they get word that Abbie is not actually pregnant, but is instead diagnosed with cancer. In dealing with her diagnosis, Abbie begins to search for a replacement lady for the love of her life, while balancing her relationship, her treatments, and her new knitting support group, which means this isn't just a cancer romance: this is a cancer romance comedy, and the best one since 2011's 50/50.
The amount of laughs in Irreplaceable You is not insignificant, especially considering Abby's support group includes Steve Coogan, Kate McKinnon and Christopher Walken. McKinnon is in true Kate McKinnon form and maximizes her limited time on screen, including in the form of song. Walken is also at his most charming that we've seen him in years, gobbling up tons of giggles throughout and developing a sweeter than expected friendship with Abbie.
Mbatha-Raw, who has recently appeared in Netflix's The Cloverfield Paradox, is simply splendid here. You feel every emotion along with her, as she freely broadcasts her feelings from her pretty and expressive face, and the movie wouldn't be nearly as effective and heart-wrenching as it is without a convincing performance from her. Huisman is sweet as Sam, and the actor found the right kind of rom-com role for both his acting and his look here.
That the film is as funny as it is, is also what causes the devastation it will do to your heart and the fragile skin around your eyes (seriously: do not press play on this one without a full box of tissues and a really good depuffing eye cream handy). The support group brings welcome and witty laughs to the film, and Veep's Timothy Simons is an absolute dream as Abbie's sarcastic nurse. A cancer comedy is not always an easy feat to achieve, but with a script from Bess Wohl and Stephanie Laing directing, the story feels incredibly natural as it moves along.
While the emotional impact of the film could only be described as "Nicholas Sparks on steroids" as it is swift and significant, the humor and tone is set from the very fist scene. Irreplaceable You seamlessly volleys back and forth between shameless emotional porn and super sentimental storytelling in a way that makes you first forgive it and then savor it. It's impossible not to think about your own life, your loves, and your legacy while watching. Don't bother trying to brace yourself for this one, just let yourself give in to the effective reminder that life is precious, and then, you know, go out there and live it.
Where to watch Irreplaceable You
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