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Isn't It Romantic (2019) movie poster

Plot Summary

Isn't It Romantic (2019) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 89 min · English
Echo score 68
Directed by
Todd Strauss-Schulson
Starring
Rebel Wilson, Faith Logan, Priyanka Chopra, Doris McCarthy, Brandon Scott Jones, Betty Gilpin
Budget
$31M

A New York City architect who loathes romantic comedies suddenly finds herself living in one. When cynical Natalie Bennett is unexpectedly thrust into a world of classic rom-com clichés, she must navigate a series of absurd situations and confront her own skepticism as she’s forced to confront an unexpected romance.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Isn't It Romantic
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Isn't It Romantic (2019)

Where can you watch Isn't It Romantic? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Isn't It Romantic: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Isn't It Romantic (2019) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

The film begins in the early 90s in Australia, where a young Natalie (Alex Kis) is captivated by Pretty Woman. However, her excitement is quickly dampened when her mother (Jennifer Saunders) enters and harshly tells her that women like them never get the happy endings that beautiful women, like Julia Roberts, do. This moment shatters Natalie's spirit, making it difficult for her to enjoy the film.

Fast forward 25 years, and Natalie (Rebel Wilson) is now an architect living in New York City. Regrettably, she finds herself regarded as the ‘coffee bitch’ among her colleagues and is seen as a bit of a pushover. Her closest friends are Josh (Adam Devine) and Whitney (Betty Gilpin), Natalie's assistant. Things take a turn when they land a new client, the handsome billionaire Blake (Liam Hemsworth). As Natalie steps in to join her friends for a presentation, a mix-up leads Blake to mistake her coffee for his, causing her boss to send her back for a fresh cup.

Later, Natalie catches Whitney crying while watching The Wedding Singer. This prompts a cynical rant from Natalie about the unrealistic portrayals in romantic comedies. Despite her friends' attempts to connect with her, Natalie brushes them off, unaware of how closed off she has become.

While commuting home, Natalie encounters a man on another train who seems to be flirting with her. However, the situation escalates into an attempted mugging. In a surprising turn of events, Natalie fights back, but in her frantic escape, she knocks herself unconscious by running into a pole.

When she regains consciousness in a hospital, a charming doctor flirts with her, yet she feels more uncomfortable than charmed. Upon leaving, she notices that the usually unpleasant smells of New York have been replaced with the scent of lavender. However, as she steps into the street, she is unexpectedly hit by Blake's limo, who is now truly charming and takes her home in a flash, leaving behind his number written on flower petals—though in a confusing random order.

Upon arriving home, Natalie is astonished to find her apartment transformed into a luxurious space filled with an endless array of shoes that fit her perfectly. Even her dog seems to have undergone a makeover! Now her neighbor Donny (Brandon Scott Jones) is no longer grumpy but instead embodies the role of a flamboyant, supportive best friend.

At work, Natalie quickly realizes that Whitney is no longer her assistant but is now competing against her. Things take a further twist when, while walking in the park with Josh, they encounter a choking woman—who turns out to be stunning swimsuit model Isabella (Priyanka Chopra). Josh exhibits instant chemistry with Isabella, leaving Natalie feeling abandoned and sidelined.

As Natalie strolls through the city, she finds herself in a surreal romantic comedy dimension where good-looking men seem to be complimenting her at every turn, and random dance parties occur in the park. In a desperate attempt to escape this romantic comedy world, Natalie tries to knock herself out again but ends up attracting unwanted attention instead. Even a police officer with the name Officer Hansom arrests her for fare evasion. An unexpected twist occurs when she uses her phone call to contact Blake, and miraculously, the petals align perfectly, allowing her to dial the correct number.

Once Blake picks her up, Natalie devises a plan: she must make him fall in love with her to escape this strange reality. Following a makeover montage with Donny, Natalie goes on a glamorous date with Blake that culminates in a passionate kiss. However, her attempts to get closer become frustratingly interrupted, cutting to morning after morning.

Blake professes his love for her, but it does little to change her feelings, as she finds herself still trapped in this bizarre romantic narrative. A visit from Josh bearing Chinese food sparks joy, and their genuine connection leaves Natalie conflicted. When Blake’s obnoxious behavior drives Josh away after a chance encounter, Natalie's heartache deepens, especially when Josh and Isabella announce their impending wedding, which happens the next day.

At a karaoke bar, Natalie seizes the moment to showcase her vocal prowess by singing "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," transforming into a lively musical number with crowd participation. However, as she navigates her emotions and finds that Blake is trying to take credit for her ideas, she ultimately chooses to end her relationship with him.

Following a challenging heart-to-heart with Donny, who provides her with clarity, Natalie decides to embrace the ultimate romantic comedy trope of interrupting a wedding to confess her love. While addressing Josh at the church, she realizes that self-love is the lesson she was meant to learn all along. Disappointed, she attempts to steal the getaway car, leading to a crash into a wall.

In the aftermath, Natalie wakes up in yet another hospital, initially fearful that she is trapped in the same romantic comedy. To her relief, she soon discovers the real doctor is far less charming but here for her recovery. Once she bursts out an expletive—“Fuck!”—she is thrust back into her reality.

Returning home, she finds comfort in her modest apartment and her somewhat unruly dog. Outside, she has an unexpected yet heartwarming reunion with Donny, now openly embracing his identity. At work, she mends her friendship with Whitney, urging her to stop watching romantic films while at the office. Finally, she presents a pitch to her boss and Blake for a new project, impressing everyone.

Later, she confronts Josh about his obsession with Isabella, only to discover that he was always looking at her. Touched by his honesty, the two share a sweet kiss. As she steps out for coffee with Whitney, she quips about her newfound success in both her career and love life, playfully mirroring a cliché from the genre she has come to loathe. Just then, the film transitions into a joyful credit sequence featuring the cast performing a lively musical number, underscoring the transformation and growth of Natalie’s journey.

Last updated: November 15, 2024 at 16:07

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Plot questions answered

Isn't It Romantic Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Isn't It Romantic (2019): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Natalie hate romantic comedies so much?

Natalie's cynicism stems from her childhood in Australia when she was around 8 years old. While watching Pretty Woman with excitement, her mother entered the room and harshly told her that women like them never get the happy endings that beautiful women like Julia Roberts do. This traumatic moment shattered Natalie's belief in romantic happily-ever-afters and shaped her defensive attitude toward the genre for the next 25 years.

Foreshadowing: The movie opens with this childhood scene, establishing the root of Natalie's defensive cynicism that she carries into adulthood.

  • Natalie
  • mother
  • childhood
  • Pretty Woman
  • cynicism
  • happy endings
Q2

How does Natalie end up in the romantic comedy world?

After being mugged on the subway where she accidentally knocks herself unconscious by running into a pole, Natalie wakes up in a hospital. When she leaves, the city smells of lavender instead of garbage, and she gets hit by Blake's limo. From that moment, she realizes she's been transported into an exaggerated romantic comedy reality where all the clichéd tropes suddenly apply to her life.

Foreshadowing: The hospital scene subtly shifts tone, the charming doctor and changed city smells hint that something supernatural has occurred.

  • subway
  • mugged
  • hospital
  • limo
  • trapped
  • rom-com world
  • fantasy
Q3

Why does Natalie's apartment transform?

Once Natalie enters the romantic comedy world, her apartment undergoes a magical transformation as part of the genre's conventions. It becomes a luxurious space with an endless closet of perfect-fitting shoes, classic rom-com imagery. This represents the genre's promise of transforming ordinary lives into fairy tale existences, which Natalie initially resists but reluctantly benefits from.

Foreshadowing: The apartment transformation happens immediately after the limo scene, marking her entry into the alternate reality.

  • apartment
  • shoes
  • luxury
  • transformation
  • rom-com tropes
Q4

Why does Donny change from grumpy to flamboyant?

Donny, Natalie's neighbor, transforms into a flamboyant best friend because that's a staple romantic comedy trope, the gay best friend who offers fashion advice and emotional support. The rom-com world automatically cast him into this role, much like it assigned Blake to be the charming billionaire love interest. This illustrates how the genre reduces people to archetypal functions.

Foreshadowing: Natalie mentions her neighbor is 'the worst' before the accident, setting up the contrast with his later transformation.

  • Donny
  • neighbor
  • flamboyant
  • best friend
  • trope
  • character change
Q5

What happens when Natalie says "Fuck" at the end?

When Natalie wakes up in the hospital after crashing the getaway car and shouts "Fuck!" as an expletive, it breaks the romantic comedy spell and transports her back to reality. The profanity acts as an anti-rom-com reset button, romantic comedies don't include such language, so the genre literally cannot contain her authentic, unfiltered self. This moment allows her to escape the constructed narrative and return to her real life.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the movie, Natalie tries various methods to knock herself out to escape, foreshadowing that breaking the rom-com rules is the escape method.

  • Fuck
  • hospital
  • break spell
  • escape
  • reality
  • profanity
Q6

Why doesn't Natalie end up with Blake at the end?

Natalie realizes Blake represents the typical romantic comedy billionaire, handsome and charming but ultimately shallow and self-centered. He takes credit for her architectural ideas and his charm is revealed as performative rather than genuine. The movie critiques the rom-com trope of falling for the wealthy love interest by showing Natalie that she doesn't need that fantasy to be complete. Instead, she finds real connection with Josh, who actually sees her.

Foreshadowing: Blake's charming behavior is initially presented as a romantic comedy dream, but his true colors show when he dismisses Natalie's professional contributions.

  • Blake
  • billionaire
  • relationship
  • rejection
  • rom-com critique
Q7

Why does Josh end up with Isabella instead of Natalie?

The movie deliberately subverts the traditional romantic comedy expectation that the protagonist's best friend will end up with them. When Josh and Isabella meet during the choking incident, a classic meet-cute, they genuinely connect. The film uses this pairing to challenge Natalie and the audience's assumptions about how romantic stories should unfold, while also freeing Natalie to pursue self-love rather than romantic rescue.

Foreshadowing: The choking incident in the park is intentionally staged as a textbook rom-com first meeting between Josh and Isabella.

  • Josh
  • Isabella
  • wedding
  • subversion
  • best friend romance
Q8

What is the main lesson Natalie learns in the movie?

The central lesson is that self-love is the key to happiness, not waiting for romantic rescue. Throughout the film, Natalie believes she needs to make Blake fall in love with her to escape the rom-com world. However, during the interrupted wedding scene, she realizes she's been looking for external validation and acceptance. The movie concludes with her embracing her authentic life, career success, genuine friendships, and self-acceptance, rather than a fairytale romance.

Foreshadowing: Donny tells her she needs to stop looking for someone to complete her, hinting at the self-love realization before the church scene.

  • self-love
  • lesson
  • wedding
  • self-acceptance
  • happily ever after
Q9

What was the point of the flower petals with Blake's phone number?

The scrambled flower petals represent a classic romantic comedy trope, the mysterious, poetic way love interests connect. Blake writes his number on rose petals that are rearranged in a confusing order, requiring the characters to piece them together. This is played as a charming meet-cute device in typical rom-coms, but the movie highlights its absurdity by showing Natalie struggling to assemble the petals correctly until the rom-com magic aligns them perfectly.

Foreshadowing: The random petal arrangement is introduced during the first limo encounter, establishing the trope before it becomes plot-relevant at the police station.

  • flower petals
  • phone number
  • Blake
  • rom-com trope
  • meet cute
Q10

Why does Natalie choose to go back to reality instead of staying in the romantic comedy?

After experiencing both worlds, Natalie chooses reality because she's finally accepted herself and her life. The romantic comedy offered her superficial梦想, a luxurious apartment, perfect shoes, and a billionaire boyfriend, but it was ultimately a fantasy that required her to be someone she's not. By the end, she values her modest apartment, her actual friendships, and her real career aspirations more than the exaggerated, hollow romance the genre promises.

Foreshadowing: Natalie repeatedly tries to escape the rom-com world throughout the film, showing her preference for authenticity over fantasy.

  • reality
  • choice
  • authenticity
  • escape
  • return home

Movie threads

More Movies Like Isn't It Romantic, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Isn't It Romantic tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Meta-comedy and genre satire movies like Isn't It Romantic

Self-aware stories that playfully poke fun at their own movie genres. If you liked the self-aware humor and genre parody of Isn't It Romantic, you'll enjoy these movies. This list features comedies that cleverly satirize film genres, from horror to romance, using meta-humor and absurd situations to deliver a fun, perceptive viewing experience.

  • metafictional
  • self-aware
  • satirical
  • witty
  • playful
  • absurd
  • Tone: light, whimsical, self-aware
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often place a cynical or genre-savvy protagonist into a hyper-realized version of a familiar movie world. The plot revolves around the character navigating and often trying to escape the exaggerated clichés, leading to a journey that is as much about understanding the genre as it is about personal growth.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared approach to comedy through meta-commentary. They share a light tone, fast pacing driven by situational humor, and a core theme of exploring the rules and expectations of popular storytelling formats in an entertaining way.

Movies about cynics finding love and optimism like Isn't It Romantic

Stories where a guarded protagonist learns to open their heart through chaos. Fans of Isn't It Romantic who enjoyed Natalie's journey from cynicism to self-love will find more movies like it here. These stories follow similarly guarded characters who are thrown into humorous or fantastical situations that challenge their worldview and lead to romantic and personal fulfillment.

  • lighthearted
  • hopeful
  • comedic
  • transformative
  • romantic
  • whimsical
  • Tone: lighthearted, hopeful, comedic
  • Pacing: fast, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a character whose core belief—that love is a sham, people are disappointing, or happy endings are fake—is directly challenged by their circumstances. The external plot, often comedic or high-concept, serves as a catalyst for an internal arc where the protagonist must choose between staying safe in their skepticism or risking vulnerability for a chance at real happiness.

Why they belong together: These movies share a central character archetype and emotional arc. They blend comedy and romance with a theme of personal transformation, featuring a light emotional weight, a happy or hopeful ending, and a focus on the humorous clash between a realist's perspective and an idealized world.

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Every angle

Isn't It Romantic (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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