Story
Music superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is about to marry Bastian (Maluma), the man of her dreams. But it will be a very unusual wedding. The pop icons will end a music tour by performing their hit single, Marry Me, and then getting married in front of an audience of 20 million viewers.
Coolidge High maths teacher and single dad Charlie (Owen Wilson) has never heard of Kat Valdez. But in an effort to show his daughter, Lou (Chloe Coleman), that he’s actually fun, he agrees to go to the concert with her and his colleague, Parker (Sarah Silverman), after Parker is dumped at last minute by her girlfriend.
Moments before going onstage to take her vows, Kat sees an online post showing Bastian cheating with her assistant. Utterly devastated, Kat looks into the audience and sees Charlie holding a sign that says ‘Marry Me’, which Parker had just passed him. Deciding to be spontaneous and embrace the moment, Kat says she’ll marry the man with the sign instead of the man who has just broken her heart. Completely stunned yet encouraged by his daughter and the vast audience around him, Charlie goes ahead and marries Kat.
No-one can believe what has happened. Bastian leaves for Puerto Rico, determined to win Kat back. Kat’s managers hatch a plan to make things work while the media frenzy dies down. Charlie wants his simple, media-free life back and is worried about how all the attention will affect Lou.
Despite all the obstacles Kat and Charlie face and the fact that their worlds are so different, the chance they’ve taken might turn out to be the best decision either has ever made.
Themes
Separated parents and parents remarrying; betrayal: infidelity; the perils of fame; obsession and reliance on social media: bullying and media manipulation
Violence
Marry Me has some violence. For example:
- Bastian tries to grab Kat. As she moves away, there’s pushing and shoving as he tries to pursue her. Security guards stop him.
- Kat throws a rock through a window.
Sexual references
Marry Me has some sexual references. For example:
- Kat describes how her former husband made a sex tape of them and later sold it.
- Bastian is rumoured to have had an affair with Kat’s assistant. This later proves to be true. He is also very flirty with other women.
- There are numerous references to Bastian’s cheating.
- While kissing Kat, Charlies asks if he’s about to have the best night of his life.
- In the end credits, a couple say that they hooked up at the Jimmy Fallon show but had sex later.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Marry Me shows some use of substances. For example, adults are seen drinking at parties and promotional events.
Nudity and sexual activity
Marry Me has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- While performing on stage, Kat wears a revealing risqué costume that includes a sequined G-string and bikini top.
- Many of the dance moves are quite suggestive.
- Kat and Charlie kiss passionately a few times.
- Kat wears some very low-cut and revealing outfits. These include a dress with a neckline that plunges down her chest and exposes side cleavage.
- Charlie is shown in bed with a bare chest while Kat stands in the doorway wearing his shirt. Sex isn’t shown but implied.
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in Marry Me:
- People track social media ‘likes’, ‘emojis’, comments and posts. Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok are all mentioned by name.
- iPhones are shown and used.
- Kat does a promotion for the Vitamix blender. She uses it in other scenes and is also shown promoting it on billboards.
- Kat appears on the Jimmy Fallon Show, and there are other excerpts from this show throughout.
Coarse language
There is some coarse language in Marry Me.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Marry Me is a romantic comedy that celebrates the underdog and reminds you that not everything ends up the way you think it will. Although the plot is fairly predictable, this movie features a wonderful cast and some excellent new songs. It’s likely to be enjoyed by mature or older teenage audiences.
These are the main messages from Marry Me:
- Believe in the magic of taking a chance.
- If you think about a question long enough the answer will come.
- If you want something different, you need to do something different.
Values in Marry Me that you could reinforce with your children include compassion, courage, trust, helpfulness, integrity and sacrifice.
Marry Me could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues and their consequences, like the:
- negative effects of bullying, criticism and negativity on people, either in real life or online
- power of social media and the harm it can do when used inappropriately
- consequences of betraying people you claim to love
- effects of excessive consumerism and media manipulation.