Felt the movie "squandered the appeal" of its stars with a plot that felt both "frantic and lazy" [5].
: Unlike many generic rom-com capers, the film acknowledges its leads' race as a driving plot point. The couple’s refusal to call the police after witnessing a crime is rooted in their distrust of the justice system , a layer Issa Rae felt was essential to keep the script grounded in their reality [26, 29]. Critical Perspectives Time Magazine The Lovebirds
: One of the film's most memorable and discussed "bits" involves Nanjiani’s character, Jibran, going on a long-winded rant about the logic of the "extra" dollop of milkshake served in a metal shaker at diners [6, 18]. Felt the movie "squandered the appeal" of its
While initially intended for a theatrical release, The Lovebirds (2020) became one of the first major films to pivot directly to Netflix during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns [33]. This transition cemented its reputation as a "breezy" and "fleeting" streaming delight, though critics were deeply divided on whether its charm came from the script or the sheer magnetism of its leads [22, 25]. Critical Perspectives Time Magazine : One of the
Praised it as a "delightful screwball comedy" where the "rat-tat-tat of the zings" matters more than the actual plot [6].
: Reviewers at RogerEbert.com noted that the film breaks the classic "straight man/goofball" formula. Instead of one partner being the anchor, both Rae and Nanjiani play the "Bob Hope" part—blabbering, panic-prone "doofuses" who say the wrong thing at the worst possible time [11].