Year: 2022

Runtime: 92 minutes

Director: Aline Brosh McKenna

Writers: Aline Brosh McKenna

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Chao,  Jesse Williams, Tig Notaro, Wesley Kimmel, Steve Zahn

By Tom Moore

Although Netflix’s new romcom “Your Place or Mine” features a star-studded cast and a seasoned writer in the genre in Aline Brosh McKenna, who also makes her directorial debut here, it’s remarkably disappointing.

The film follows Peter (Ashton Kutcher) and Debbie (Reese Witherspoon), two longtime friends who live on opposite ends of the United States. Although they once hooked up after a drunken poker night, Peter and Debbie live opposite lives with Debbie being a single mom to her son Jack (Wesley Kimmel) and Peter being a wealthy bachelor. After Debbie’s trip to Los Angeles to earn her dream degree is on the verge of being cancelled because no one can watch Jack, Peter comes up with an alternate plan. Peter and Debbie will switch places to fulfill each other’s needs, but the switch comes with unexpected feelings and growth that changes their perspectives on everything.

Now, “Your Place or Mine” is far from being unwatchable or that kind of broken movie that’s an utter mess. To be honest, it’s a passable watch for most looking for something to take their attention for a little bit, but “Your Place or Mine” severely lacks the fun energy of a romcom. Most of the performances are totally lifeless and the comedy doesn’t land whatsoever. The chemistry between the cast is incredibly dull and it’s genuinely a shame to see generally beloved comedy actors like Kutcher, Steve Zahn, and Tig Notaro in something so unfunny. Kutcher and Witherspoon come off awkward throughout and the dialogue really does them no favors.

There’s just this distinctive snark and smugness to the dialogue that’s super obnoxious and it makes the characters tough to like. There are always these smarmy one-liners for Peter that totally fall flat and Debbie often runs in circles with her dialogue. Her constant questioning of things becomes increasingly annoying, and Witherspoon just feels lost in the performance. Sadly, there isn’t much chemistry between Kutcher and Witherspoon either and the film doesn’t do enough to make Peter and Debbie’s relationship interesting. Their story together has no depth and there aren’t many moments that show why their friendship is so impactful and strong. Even when the film starts to acknowledge their hidden feelings, it feels completely forced. There’s no reason to really care about them possibly coming together because there’s no connection to be had with them as characters.

“Your Place or Mine” also feels crudely stitched together and poorly made with its cheap storytelling tools and horrid pacing. The film literally feels like an eternity to watch because the energy is so minimal and there isn’t much to hold your attention. Frankly, you end up wishing it was a little goofier, because the spiritless nature of it hurts the comedy and makes it incredibly boring. There’s an overuse of splitting the frame to show what Peter and Debbie are doing at the same time and it doesn’t add anything to the story. It’s kind of cool in the first scene after the opening flashback since it then splits to them living separate lives. But for the most part, it’s just a cheap and unimpactful aspect of the storytelling.

There’s also some on-screen text that shows up at the beginning and end of the film that doesn’t have the impact it’s supposed to. The text is meant to add to the film’s “clever” comedic bite, but really just amplifies the obnoxious feel of the film’s comedy. What’s most disappointing though is that there isn’t much memorable about this movie. Outside of a nice scene between Peter and Jack in his car before a big moment of growth for Jack, there’s nothing that stands out with this movie. It’s simply an easily forgettable romcom that’ll quickly fade into the background of the genre, regardless of its star power.

Netflix’s “Your Place or Mine” is really nothing special as it doesn’t provide good comedy or a remotely interesting story to keep viewers interested. Even with the talent both in front of and behind the camera, it’s a lifeless viewing experience that puts a real damper on the Valentine’s Day season.