Today’s quick review: Accidentally Engaged. Clarissa Beyers (Lexi Giovagnoli), an actress working for her big break, lands in a pickle when the press mistakes her for the new girlfriend of Chas Hunter (Brent Dougherty), a famous actor. To protect Chas’ real relationship, Clarissa agrees to go along with the ruse. But the lies spiral out of control when she takes Chas to her best friend Maya’s (Lexi Atkins) wedding.
Accidentally Engaged is a romantic comedy about a struggling actress who winds up in a fake relationship with a big star. What begins as an innocent mistake escalates into a fraudulent engagement that forces Clarissa to lie to her friends and family. Accidentally Engaged aims to be a light story about love overcoming lies. However, its mediocre characters and sedentary plot keep it from doing much more than going through the motions.
Accidentally Engaged doesn’t put its premise to good use. The plot progression centers on Clarissa and Chas’ animosity evolving into genuine affection, all while their sham relationship gets harder and harder to control. But instead of escalating naturally, the plot relies on artificial developments and forced developments to make any progress. The result is a relationship that develops much more slowly than the movie wants it to.
Progression issues aside, Accidentally Engaged has shaky fundamentals. The characters are too ordinary for their own good, with none of the spark of a more ambitious romcom nor the resonance of a realistic drama. Their personalities are shallow and not especially interesting, while Chas and Clarissa have very little chemistry. The movie also relies on conversations to report on the story, rather than finding ways to show the events directly.
Accidentally Engaged still checks enough of the boxes to satisfy fans of the romantic comedy formula, but discerning viewers will find it to be a poor choice. If you are a fan of the genre and just want a light, dialogue-focused story about a budding relationship, Accidentally Engaged is a passable choice. Steer clear if you are looking for rich characters, a gripping plot, or innovation.
For a romantic comedy about an actor and an artificial relationship, try The Reality of Love. For a romcom of similar caliber, try Betting on the Bride. For a classic madcap comedy about a fake relationship, try Christmas in Connecticut.
[5.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4742556/). I give it a 5.0 for weak characters and a bare-bones plot.