The release of Jennifer Lopez’s This Is Me Now…A Love Story on Amazon Prime has received glowing reviews from long-time JLo fans as well as skeptics who were pleasantly surprised to experience a cinematic marvel. This Is Me…Now: A Love Story creatively showcases the lessons from Jennifer’s three marriages and various toxic relationships on her journey to self-love and long-lasting love with captivating visuals, catchy songs, and exquisitely choreographed dance sequences. Here are three reasons viewers who’ve been in toxic relationships with narcissistic people or believe they’re suffering from love addiction will find this movie all too relatable and enjoyable.
The movie provides striking visuals to depict the chaos of toxic relationships and love addiction.
From the very beginning, the movie establishes itself as distinct from most movies from the visually striking metaphors we see from the opening scenes. The machinery of Jennifer’s heart beats in sync with the rhythm of her dancers; this makes for an astoundingly beautiful opening scene, depicting how toxic love depletes Lopez whereas self-love and finding a compatible partner revives her. The wedding dance sequence is joyful and comedic, fraught with elaborate pink and luxurious floral decor, as it flashes back and forth among Jennifer’s three “weddings,” and three different husbands, pointing to her rather legendary history of romantic relationships and “love for love.”
In the catchy song, “Rebound,” Lopez depicts the push-pull dynamic of toxic relationships encapsulated in the push-pull dance sequence between her and her toxic “rebound” lover. The rope between them speaks volumes about the highs and lows of such dysfunctional relationships and trauma bonds that develop without any words. The glass windows of her luxurious home are smashed to bits by her partner’s aggressive fist, and her heart-wrenching scream, symbolizing the torment she experiences as a result of this toxicity, shatters all the glass around her, as well as the illusion and any rose-colored glasses she once wore of the new relationship. Viewers who have experienced toxic relationships are able to deeply understand on a visceral level the confusion and chaos embedded in the cycle of manipulation through these scenes.
Aside from the dramatic montage of JLo and Ben on a motorcycle (a call-back to their famous Vanity Fair photo twenty years ago) – there is also an intricately detailed, breathtakingly romantic narrative of the myth of star-crossed lovers Alida and Taroo from rival tribes who were forbidden to be together. When Alida and Taroo asked the Gods for help for their romance to thrive, they were transformed into a flower and hummingbird, causing Taroo to endlessly search for his love Alida in every flower throughout time. This opening scene is gorgeously done, as each part of the narrative is ”zoomed out” in its sequence, unpacking every plot point of the myth like the unwrapping of a Russian doll. These analogies give even more sensitive viewers an opportunity to reflect without being too overwhelmed – since the message is packed within the captivating visuals, the choreography, and each song’s lyrics, movie viewers are allowed to be swept away by the symbols of her journey, rather than outright dialogues or plot points. Viewers are allowed to interpret this journey for themselves, and although Lopez clearly has a commentary on how the public views her love life, scenes are left up to the viewer to become personally meaningful.
Love addiction is touched upon in a more light-hearted yet still poignant manner, making it all too relatable for viewers.
There is a wonderfully star-studded cast of the “Zodiac Council” which helps steer Jennifer’s fate from the cosmos. Keke Palmer’s incredible impressions of Maya Angelou and Trevor Noah’s proclamation that Jennifer is going from relationship to relationship and “running out of signs to date!” is funny and all too real. Then there’s the hilarious intervention from her friends juxtaposed with scenes from Jennifer in Love Addicts Anonymous meetings and her therapy sessions, especially the scene where the therapist abruptly interrupts her long, heartfelt monologues about love with the declaration they’ve run out of session time (again, all too relatable). This is Me… Now is clearly half-comedy in its own right, and this makes it both touching and accessible to viewers who’ve had a pattern from jumping from relationship to relationship, are in a trauma bond with a narcissist, or may even suffer from love addiction themselves.
Self-love and inner healing are paramount to this love story.
Although the movie is technically a love story about Jennifer re-uniting with her ex, Jennifer Lopez chose not to include Ben Affleck’s face in the movie for a few reasons. She did not want the movie to be primarily about her getting back together with Ben (smart choice), but rather her journey of self-love and becoming more confident within herself. Some of the most beautiful scenes in the movie include Jennifer communicating with her “younger self,” representative of the inner child that did not get enough self-love and appreciation and embracing her with compassion and acceptance. This is a theme all viewers can relate to on their journey to self-love and healing, and no matter what you may think of JLo’s history of relationships or her current husband (we urge you not to reunite with an ex), the movie holds a poignant message about prioritizing yourself that will remain evergreen. Whether you enjoy gorgeous visuals, the themes of a love story, catchy music or a tale of self-love, This Is Me…Now is a short and sweet movie that will be both aesthetically pleasing and relatable.