Netflix
By GEORGE COSTANTINO and JASON NATHANSON, ABC News
(LOS ANGELES) — Looking for something to watch this Memorial Day Weekend? Perhaps a semi-romantic comedy is up your alley? The Lovebirds stars Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani as a couple in and out of love solving a murder mystery.
The film was supposed to get a theatrical release today, but when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of theaters across the country, Paramount Pictures decided to release it on Netflix. Nanjiani tells ABC Audio that’s fine by him.
“Issa and I spoke and we were like, Netflix would be such a great place for it because people are stuck at home, they need to watch something, they need to laugh,’” he explains. “Obviously, I’m a little sad that we’re not in theaters, but…there are so much bigger problems to worry about.”
But is a movie about a bickering couple the best choice for a couple already stressed out from sheltering in place with each other? Rae says absolutely.
“You have to just establish like, ‘hey, we’re watching this to have a good time, don’t talk during the movie right now because you talk to me every single other time and I just want to get away from you at this moment,’” she suggests. “I think if you set ground rules, it’s it’s bound to make the couple healthier.
So if theaters reopen in July, will Rae and Nanjiani be first in line to buy tickets?
“Hell no I’m not first in line to go,” says Rae with a chuckle. “But I have faith in our economy and our industry that they’ll get it together. But I won’t be there.”
Adds Nanjiani, “I’m going to be like, let everyone go out, see how it goes and then I’ll, I’ll, right behind you.”
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