Movie Review

Alison Brie stirs up drama in rom-com Somebody I Used to Know

Loving and losing is a concept with which most adults are very familiar. And it’s a safe bet that most of those people have spent at least some time wondering what might have been with a former partner and, especially in the age of social media, thinking about reconnecting with that person.

The new film Somebody I Used to Know offers a fresh take on that idea, centering on Ally (Alison Brie), a reality TV producer who ventures back home to Washington after her show gets canceled. When she gets there, she runs into her ex-boyfriend Sean (Jay Ellis), and after a day/night of fun together, there seems to be a rekindling of that old flame.

Photo by Scott Patrick Green/Prime Video

Kiersey Clemons in Somebody I Used to Know

That is, until the following day, when an impromptu visit by Ally to Sean’s family home leads to the discovery that Sean is set to marry Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons) that very weekend. When Sean’s mom JoJo (Olga Merediz) asks her to step in as videographer for the wedding, Ally jumps at the chance, if only to sort through her confusion over the state of Sean’s feelings.

Written by Brie and her husband, Dave Franco, and directed by Franco, the film has a similar concept to the 1997 Julia Roberts rom-com My Best Friend’s Wedding, with perhaps a bit more grounded approach. And lest you think that Brie and Franco don’t know that, they make sure to throw in a reference to that film in a tense but illuminating conversation between Ally and Cassidy.

While the film offers plenty of humor – Haley Joel Osment steals the show as Sean’s goofy brother, Jeremy – most of the story is told in a straight-up manner, with the comedy feeling more organic than forced. With Cassidy rightfully suspicious of Ally’s presence/intentions, each person in the triangle is given plenty of opportunity to address the awkward situation, something that doesn’t always happen in these types of movies.

The series of situations that advance the plot – a tubing trip; a concert by Cassidy’s punk rock band, Dirty Blush; the rehearsal dinner – all come off as well-considered and true to life rather than inserted just to create drama and/or comedy. Even moments that threaten the balance, like Brie reuniting with her Community co-star Danny Pudi or Ally’s mom (Julie Hagerty) having an active sex life, work in the context of the film, a testament to Brie and Franco’s writing.

Brie is highly effective in the lead role, eliciting empathy even when her character engages in somewhat questionable activity. The 41-year-old Ellis may finally be getting his due, turning in a strong performance here after his recent stint on Insecure and supporting role in Top Gun: Maverick. And Clemons makes the “other woman” role her own, winding up just as appealing as Brie.

By using comedy as a booster to its story rather than making it the whole basis, Somebody I Used to Know escapes the traps that bring many rom-coms down. With a trio of engaging actors at the front, and great supporting actors, it’s one of the more successful entries for the genre in a long time.

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Somebody I Used to Know debuts on Prime Video on February 10.

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Movie Review

Shaun the Sheep gets PG-spooky in new movie for the Halloween season

Photo courtesy of Aardman / Sky UK LTD / StudioCanal 2026

Shaun the Sheep in Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.

Since his introduction over 30 years ago, the Aardman Animations character Shaun the Sheep has been almost as popular as the studio’s flagship characters, Wallace and Gromit. There is never a shortage of trouble Shaun can get into as he leads his flock and proves to be a thorn in the side of his farmer and Bitzer, the farmer’s loyal sheepdog.

His antics lead everyone down some slightly spooky roads in the new film, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. At first, things are only slightly awry as Shaun and the flock are growing a secret pumpkin patch to have their own jack-o-lanterns. But when the farmer accidentally destroys the pumpkin patch, Shaun tries to regrow it quickly with a Frankenstein-esque experiment.

However, disaster looms when Shaun uses an old bottle of Hair-Gro as the container for the serum he creates. Naturally, the balding farmer uses it on his head, and everyone soon discovers how truly successful it is, with pumpkins growing out of control and the farmer sprouting hair all over his body. Through a series of mishaps, the farmer becomes the titular beast, creating mayhem while Shaun and others try to stop him.

Directed by Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, and written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, the film goes down just as easy as every other Aardman project has. They get the Halloween vibes started from the opening credits, with things like the sheep doing the “Thriller” dance, and continue the fun throughout, referencing everything from Psycho to Friday the 13th in a nice, PG way.

With no script — every character is mute save for reaction noises — the movie relies on sight gags for its humor, and the Aardman team is endlessly inventive in that respect. Sometimes it’s small things like a sheep using toilet paper rolls as binoculars, and sometimes it’s something like forcing the Bigfoot-like farmer to be shaped into a rectangle as he escapes through a window. But there’s a never-ending stream of such moments, so even if one doesn’t tickle your funny bone, chances are the next one will.

The biggest benefit of the characters not talking is that there’s no need for deep character development. The filmmakers do a great job of giving the basic traits of each character, and then use those attributes to color everyone’s actions for the rest of the film. Shaun is the troublemaker, the farmer is a bumbling fool, Bitzer is preternaturally smart, and the town’s vet is empathetic, and the combination of those characters and others makes for a highly entertaining blend.

Like all Aardman creations, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is a fun lark that doesn’t make its audience think too hard. With just enough references to keep viewers engaged but not so many as to be overbearing, the film puts its well-worn characters to good use once again, delivering a Halloween season story that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

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Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is now playing in theaters.

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