Picture This: Film Review
Like most people, I became a huge fan of Simone Ashley during the second season of Bridgerton and I have been keeping an eye out for her work ever since. She’s glorious in Picture This, even if the film itself is predictable and only semi funny.
In this romantic comedy, she plays Pia, a photographer whose London studio is on the brink of closure. If that’s not enough, her younger sister Sonal (Anoushka Chadha) is getting married and she has to constantly see her ex Charlie (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), the groom’s best man, at all the events. After a guru predicts that she’ll find her man within five dates, her family sets up with suitors in the hope she’ll find her match before the wedding.
Inspired by the 2024 Australian film Five Blind Dates, Picture This is a sweet romantic comedy that focuses on Indian culture, marriage pressures and their wedding customs. There are some awkward comedic attempts that fall flat, and there could have been more jokes overall, but I still laughed a bunch of times. You know exactly how the story is going to pan out, but it’s still an enjoyable journey getting there, and the outcome is satisfying.
Ashley isn’t the main comedic draw though; she acts as more of the straight man to the weird and wacky characters around her. Pia’s gay best friend Jay (Luke Fetherston) gets the majority of the funny lines, while her dates make the most of their short appearances. I particularly enjoyed Ted Lasso’s Phil Dunster as the acoustic guitar-playing yogi Milo, and Nikesh Patel as the awkward Akshay. Asim Chaudhry plays a larger-than-life and unrealistic date named Sid, but he still made me laugh.
Ashley is effortlessly watchable and likeable and you root for Pia’s success even though she’s a pretty selfish character at times. She is also stunning and manages to make some of the most random ensembles work. Tiffin isn’t the most charming romantic lead you’ve ever seen but he felt grounded, realistic and his feelings were convincing.
If you’re in need of light escapism and something to lift your mood, Picture This is for you.
Now streaming on Prime Video
Rating: 3 out of 5.
