Meg Ryan Returns to Rom-Com Realm, Directing and Acting in ‘What Happens Later’

Is there a more maligned movie genre than the romantic comedy? While some action thrillers get shot down by audiences and critics, and a few superhero movies crash and burn, romantic comedies are consistently mocked and treated like the ugly ducklings of the film family. Accused of implausibility and derided as silly – criticisms easily ascribed to action films and sci-fi adventures – the romantic comedy carries captious baggage wherever it’s written and talked about, with some of the language used to describe the genre more than a little sexist or self-loathing, depending on the critic.A new romantic comedy available on demand this week after a short stint in theaters comes from a rom-com actress extraordinaire, Meg Ryan. Known for her iconic roles in “When Harry Met Sally,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” and “You’ve Got Mail,” she directs as well as acts in “What Happens Later.” It’s her second time doing double duty in front of and behind the camera and, based on the modest pleasures of this new film, she should be given further chances to develop her directorial talent. Regarding her acting, she’s just as endearing and sprightly as ever, despite her age and the transformation of once puckish mien into something a bit more sour.David Duchovny is Ms. Ryan’s sole acting partner in the movie, and he, too, appears up in years. With his laconic line delivery and glum manner, though, he provides the perfect counterpoint to the movie’s more fanciful aspects. The premise is pretty simple: During a major snow storm, former lovers Willa and Bill meet again after many years, at a regional airport. She is an upbeat alternative-medicine practitioner who carries a rain stick, while he is anxiety-ridden and works in finance. This “opposites attract” obviousness may leave some rolling their eyes, yet the two performers ground the theme with their definite chemistry and likability.Cutesy coincidences emerge right from the start: they share the same initials (W.H.); they’re flying to each other’s home cities; both need to charge their phones; it’s a leap year day, February 29. Yet their conversation, as they wait out the storm with their respective flights delayed, revolves around past hurts and conflicts, with humor only occasionally leavening the awkwardness of their reunion. The dialogue also addresses aging, climate change, and generational differences, with pronouncements like “the world’s gone mad” indicative of the general tone at times. Most jokes at this stage arrive via the ambient sound in the airport, such as the canned ’90s pop-rock covers piped from the speakers, with Mr. Duchovny’s character’s annoyed reactions to this aural pablum particularly relatable. Also amusing are the intercom announcements declaring the status of flights and the weather, which, curiously god-like, seem to comment on Willa and Mike’s relationship and discussions as well.As the two-hander continues, though, and the duo ease into hanging out together for the duration of the delay, the mood both lightens and darkens, especially during a tender scene in which a tragic incident from their past is recounted and Willa and Bill quietly fall into comfortable closeness. The rehashing of old grudges never fully goes away, but the characters start disclosing their failings and secrets with less sarcastic rancor and the romantic side to the movie blooms beautifully. There’s even a dancing sequence set to The Lightning Seeds’ 1989 alternative classic “Pure,” and it’s an unreserved delight to see the middle-aged actors bop and spin together — charge of rom-com cliché be damned.Visually, the blandly modern airport setting limits the range of imagery, but along with her cinematographer and art department, director Ryan is able to coax some interesting moments using reflective surfaces, lighting smears, and sculptures. (It turns out that most of the movie was filmed at the Crystal Bridges Art Museum at Bentonville, Arkansas.) Her frequent use of two-shots, where both characters appear in the frame, also shows her to be not only a clever observer of interpersonal dynamics but adept at staging and timing. She even employs an emblem of airport terminals — the mechanical moving walkway — to show how her characters are stuck between past and future.While it doesn’t reach the rom-com heights of Ms. Ryan’s movies with the late Nora Ephron, to whom the movie is dedicated, “What Happens Later” makes for a pleasing entertainment when one seeks familiar faces while on one’s couch, a bit of warmth as the weather turns wintry. Its puttering pace and bumpy banter can’t match the charming plots and clever dialogue from classic movies of the genre, yet it does touch on how an amorous breakup from our youth can define who we become. Also, how meeting a prior partner again years later can help with regret, with reconciliation inspiring positivity. Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important announcement: The romantic comedy can say much more than expected.

Meg Ryan Returns to Rom-Com Realm, Directing and Acting in ‘What Happens Later’

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