2018’s Ibiza, directed
by Alex Richanbach.
Starring Gillian Jacobs, Phoebe Robinson, Vanessa Bayer,
Richard Madden, Jordi Mollà, Michaela Watkins, and Anjela Nedyalkova.
What is it about?
Ibiza is about a New
York based cosmetics business woman, Harper (Gillian Jacobs), who is sent on special
assignment to Spain. Taking her 2 best friends, Leah and Nikki (Phoebe Robinson
and Vanessa Bayer), the wild group are swept up by the exotic locals and
electronic dance scene. Harper becomes entranced by a charming DJ, Leo West
(Richard Madden), but will have to decide between her career goals and a
weekend of partying with her best mates and potential boyfriend. With a
mercurial and demanding boss (Michaela Watkins), will she keep her job and be
able to find happiness?
Why is it worth seeing?
Ibiza is a Rom Com
that really knows how to party, and during all the fun manages to sneak in some
moments of female bonding and romance. While it’s recommended to not think
about it too much, it manages to flow along a crest of good vibes to become a
place worth visiting.
Front and centre in all of the fun is Gillian Jacobs, who’s
capacity as a level headed heroine is increasing in each role she takes on. Her attractiveness and love for fun draw us in,
even when her and her friends’ attitudes threaten to resemble that of the ugly
Americans. Her best buddies, Phoebe Robinson and Vanessa Bayer, prove excellent
as the supporting cast. While the material they’re given along the lines of Bridesmaids debauchery isn’t that funny,
it’s their chemistry that makes them successful. Richard Madden, as the object
of Jacob’s affection, isn’t as dynamic- and the claims that he is more of a
musical producer rather than a plug and play DJ seem disingenuous.
Most important to the carefree vibes of the group’s
adventure, is the country of Spain. Populated with a never ending variety of happy
go lucky, endlessly gregarious, and helpful characters, they are as likely to
play guitar and give the ladies a ride as they are to offer refreshments, MDMA,
and no strings attached sexual experiences. It proves an ideal setting to
populate the movie's EDM vibes.
Like most rom coms, Ibiza
is a fantasy that has little bearing to reality. At times, it veers close to
the scatological failure that is Girls’ Trip, but unlike that unpleasantness it has characters worth caring about,
and its ending makes a choice that is refreshing for the genre. Even the
escalated psychotic aggression of Jacob’s boss (Michaela Watkins) borderline works-
at least for anyone who has had an employer before.
Not that funny, and veering close to fantasy having little
to do with reality, Ibiza’s charms of
characters worth caring about, camaraderie, and interesting conclusion make for
a care free romp through the Spanish world of EDM.
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