“Pitch Perfect 3” director Trish Sie made a Valentine’s Day comeback with her new Netflix movie, “Players,” featuring all-stars such as Gina Rodriguez, Tom Ellis, Damon Wayans, and former Vine and YouTube star Liza Koshy.
Set in New York City, the film follows sportswriter Mack, played by Rodriguez, and her friends as they devise elaborate schemes to become “players” going from hook-up to hook-up without a care.
But when the perfect guy walks into her workplace, Mack, love-stricken, embarks on a “play” she’s yet to accomplish: Playing for keeps.
The close-knit relationships that Mack shares with her friends Brannaugh, Ryan, and Adam, played by Wayans, bring a happy-go-lucky vibe to the film; no matter what problems they encounter, they could always address them together and try to work out a viable solution.
The friends’ dynamics complemented each other; every character was well-defined and enhanced in every group outing.
Through Mack’s character, the film preached that love does not always have to be interpreted in a romantic context. The care that Mack put into her feature article was indicative of how much she loved both herself and her work.
But Sie’s film took to defining romantic love, too, through moments that threaded the relationship between Mack and her main love interest Nick, played by Ellis.
When Mack first started to take an interest in Nick further than a one-night escapade, she voiced her feelings to her friends. Begrudgingly, they agree to help her out, even though every one of their “plays” were never made to last.
In helping Mack, the group functioned like a well-oiled machine. Each friend was given something to research about Nick, from the kind of food he ordered to his hobbies, to his dating history.
Drawing upon their findings, they formulate a plan unlike any of their previous, more devious plans, to make Mack a permanent part of Nick’s life — one step at a time.
Even though the writing was awkward at times, I was left feeling more endearment than cringe by the time the credits rolled. Love can be found anywhere; through romances, whether they be long or short-term; good friends; and most importantly, in yourself.