‘Because Of Cupid’ Made This Cynic Believe In Love (For A Hot Minute)

And Want To Be Loved…

I was told a long time ago that I shouldn’t write reviews so personally. Analyze the acting, I was always told. Find references that you can compare the story to, I was told, so viewers have a baseline of what to expect. I was told to talk about why it makes a difference or why it was important that this story was made.

But here’s the thing – stories are subjective and I don’t believe in just rattling off things, but not explaining how it made you feel, so people understand why it is that you connected with the movie. Reviewing movies isn’t easy, but you’ll find the people that you connect with by doing it.

While I am one that will tell you over and over again that I don’t believe in love, I am fine with being called out for that. I watch every movie that has to do with love and write about it. My room is littered with tons and tons of romance books. It’s all kind of crazy because love is the most intimidating thing in the world, but in books and movies, it seems like it’s not.

It feels as though it’s a possibility.

Because of Cupid is one of those movies that will stick with you. Maybe. It definitely does for me, but then again, I love a friends to lovers trope. I also love mythology, but had to look up what this is talking about.

The reason that this movie works (beyond the writing) is because of its casting – Amy Groening and Evan Roderick. Groening and Roderick have on screen chemistry that makes you believe that this is a possibility. That love is a possibility.

THE BAR

THE TEA

Cupid at the bar. Ok, got it. Cupid must know that he’s needed to push Marcus and Naomi to face their emotions and move forward. Hal, who is Cupid, is the best. He’s happy AF and really is just ready to get everyone together

He knows that Marcus in love with Naomi. It’s about the time where Cupid is making love connections – you know as he does. You can tell that he’s not what he seems – trying to come off as Hal. He knows everything that people are thinking and feeling, which is creepy, but tracks with the whole God thing.

When he invited them to his tea shop and that’s where he gives Marcus the love potion. Marcus doesn’t want to use it, and tells Naomi that she can’t try it because it’s made with melon and she’s allergic.

That night at work, Uncle Richard brings the judge for the mocktail contest to the bar and they are told to “wow” him to see if they can get a spot. For that pop, Naomi adds the love potion, thinking it’s melon so she doesn’t take it.

Personally, I want to know what was in that elixir, because all of them seem to fall in love really quickly. Like 0 to 60 in under a second.

I stood up and clapped when Marcus started singing, as his grand gesture to tell Naomi he loves her. She doesn’t believe it, because the whole love potion angle.

This is why I don’t go to tea shops or drink tea. Too big of a risk.

THE CONTEST

Uncle Richard isn’t given the props that he deserves here. His idea and his push are (in my opinion) one of the reasons that Naomi and Marcus are together.

In order for them to earn money towards buying the bar, Richard pulls some strings and gets them in. It’s because of this that a lot of things change. I think that Uncle Richard isn’t given enough credit.

It was because of him that the two were in the mocktail competition that lead them to spending a lot of time together and both coming face to face with their emotions. They know that there are people on the love potion and have decided that they need to get the antidote.

Scientifically there is nothing in this potion that screams that anyone should be falling in love. But, emotions are heightened, and what is so annoying is that Naomi isn’t open to the idea that Marcus could be in love with her.

They win the contest – yes. But what I am was more concerned about was the way that Naomi and Marcus would recover from this. He’s found this confidence (which the potion is supposed to do) and that’s great. But also, it’s making Naomi have a hard time believing in him.

The winning is nice. People taking the antidote is nice. But it’s the way that these two have opened up and found each other after everything that kills me. Why? Because I think that there is this fear that they won’t get past themselves and that’s just a reminder that we all may be in that same boat.

Do you ruin the friendship? Has the friendship already been ruined?

THE CUPID

Finding the antidote is interesting to watch. But more than that what makes this movie is the way that we watch Naomi and Marcus come together. They are bringing things out of each other that they didn’t know that the other person was capable of.

But here’s the thing, everyone is capable of so many things. We just need to believe in ourselves.

As we’re nearing the end of the movie, Hal is there on the night of the singles mixer. He’s popping up at the weirdest of times, but he’s always offering solid advice. Marcus tells him that the antidote didn’t work on him. Everything feels the same. He still loves her.

And of course he does – cause it’s not real and the love potion was never a factor for him. It only works if both people take the love potion. Because Naomi never had, everything that Marcus did was because he wanted to. He just thought that he was under the influence.

That placebo got him.

I, imagine that made him feel a little self conscious, but also as if he’d grown and that was exciting. His love for Naomi was not a potion – it was years of love and excitement that had come to the surface.

The question that would remain is if she loved him.

And that was something he was about to find out.

THE GRAND GESTURE

Now, if I was Naomi I would be hesitant to open my heart to my best friend after he took a love potion. It would be really hard to open my heart to that possibility, because ruining the friendship – well, that would be hard.

And what if he doesn’t really love me?

But for Naomi, she knew that she needed to open her heart, take a risk, and tell him her feelings. She does that by singing the same song he did with his grand gesture.

Seeing the smile on his face when he walks over to her and really knowing that all he did was not because of a love potion, but because of his heart was too sweet. Could I understand that she didn’t want to believe it was real and that it was all about the love potion? Yes. Because that’s safe.

And Naomi needed safe.

I think we all need safe when it comes to love. Letting someone in – it’s a risk. Taking risks isn’t easy for a lot of people (myself included). Watching her let down her walls and let him in – well that made tears come into my eyes.

You see I am a cynic. But watching this and seeing the way that Naomi and Marcus let go of their fear and really just embrace who they are and the love that they have – hit me in the feels.

And for a moment – this cynic (me) – found myself saying out loud, “I want to have a love like that.”

That’s the biggest compliment I can give.