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The Bounce Back

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Nadine Velazquez and Shemar Moore in The Bounce Back. (Black Sheep Films)
Nadine Velazquez and Shemar Moore in The Bounce Back. (Black Sheep Films)

What it's about:

Father, author and relationship expert, Matthew Taylor is on a whirlwind book tour promoting his new best seller, The Bounce Back. He's got it all figured out until he meets the acerbic Kristin Peralta, a talk show circuit therapist who's convinced he's nothing but a charlatan. Matthew's life is turned upside down when he inadvertently falls for Kristin and has to face a painful truth of his past relationship.

What we thought:

When it comes to the romantic genre it appears to be hard to reinvent the wheel.

If you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all, there’s a standard recipe: Two attractive leads who are total opposites are thrown together, through a series of events they develop a relationship, then a misunderstanding tears them apart and eventually after a grand gesture from either party they end up happily ever after.

The Bounce Back doesn’t skip a beat in the tried and tested formula. The film is loosely based on the self help book by Karen Salmansohn.

Shemar Moore (Criminal Minds) plays Matthew Taylor, a relationship guru who is on a press tour for his self-help book. He is a divorcee who, although he gives relationship advice, currently isn’t in one. The only woman in his life is his 13-year-old daughter Aleya (Nadja Alaya).

His book tour hits a snag in the road when he meets clinical psychologist Kristin Peralta (Nadine Velazquez) on a TV talk show. She calls him out for being a snake oil doctor selling pop psychology advice. 

The cameras love these two and so they embark on a journey together promoting his book, presenting opposite sides to the love debate. While on the tour they develop a relationship and the rest follows the rom-com recipe. 

The attractive leads with their great chemistry make this an easy on the eye watch.

A lot of time is spent developing the tension between the characters but no time is spent on them getting to know each other and how their relationship progresses past just the physical attraction. I felt a bit cheated that, as a viewer, I didn’t get to see the emotional connection develop. 

Apart from the central love story there is also a subplot with Aleya going through her first crush and heartbreak which was a nice addition to the story. Everyone can relate to the first experience of puppy love. 

Overall there is enough comedy, romance and eye candy to keep you entertained. It’s a great flick for a date night or a girl’s night out.

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