I’m quite the generous reviewer, as you may have noticed. However, I’ve learned that when my inspiration is lacking, it’s usually because the film I’m reviewing isn’t as exceptional as I’d initially believed. Such is the case for Set It Up, directed by Claire Scanlon. A cute film, just not an overly exciting one.
Set it Up stars Zoey Deutch as Harper, the young and over-worked assistant of successful sports reporter Kirsten (played by Charlie’s Angels superstar Lucy Liu). Striving to maintain her place as a woman in a male-dominated arena, Kirsten exudes a tough, no-nonsense exterior, the brunt of which falls heavy on Harper’s dutiful shoulders.
Charlie (Glen Powell) is Harper’s male counterpart; executive assistant number two and loyal employee of Rick (Taye Diggs), an arrogant and condescending finance legend. Charlie and Harper are always the last ones in the building, unable to leave work until their bosses do, and both Rick and Kirsten always stick around well into the night.
Upon a chance meeting one evening, Charlie and Harper concoct a plan to manipulate their respective bosses into falling in love. They put the plan to action in the hopes that Rick and Kirsten will spend more time with each other than at their desks, and the two overworked assistants will finally be able to leave the office before dark. And of course, the plan works seamlessly.
Cue the fireworks, the to-be-expected explosion of everything blowing up in their faces, and the resulting cute romantic twist (again, notably predictable) that transpires between Charlie and Harper. I am a big fan of Zoey Deutch – which makes me a pretty biased viewer – and though her character, Harper, had the most depth of them all, she still experienced very little development throughout the film.
Writer Katie Silberman scripted something that we’ve all seen before, in what was a rather unoriginal way. The setting was typical and nondescript, though I did enjoy the creative vibes of Kirsten and Harper’s office.
Set It Up is an easy watch, one that’s great for a night in with your girlfriends but not a film that I’d recommend being put on the list to watch twice.
Fun Fact:
During the scene at the Yankees game, the song “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News plays over the stadium intercom. It was also the theme song for “Back to the Future” which starred Zoey Deutch’s mother Lea Thompson.
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