What to Watch Verdict
Cute and quirky rom-com is a perfect escape from reality.
Pros
- +
Brilliant casting and acting makes these characters jump off the screen
Cons
- -
The ending feels rushed compared to the rest of the movie
Wallbanger is the newest original movie from Passionflix, the romance streamer that turns romance novels into feature movies and series. The movie, based on the book by Alice Clayton, follows neighbors Caroline (Kelli Berglund) and Simon (Amadeus Serafini) as they move from enemies to friends to lovers in this charming, lighthearted rom-com that elevates the book by giving Clayton's story and characters space to become fully realized.
Caroline is thrilled to move into her new San Francisco apartment, but when she settles down to sleep she's awakened by her neighbor's nocturnal activities. He's so "active" that he knocks a picture off the shared wall between their apartments (and, incidentally, between their headboards); that picture lands on Caroline's head. After getting to know the carousel of nighttime guests who keep him company, Caroline finally storms across the hall in her pink nightgown to confront the "wallbanger."
It turns out that the wallbanger, aka Simon, is friends with her boss, and all of a sudden Caroline is thrust into a forced friendship with him as her besties become very close with his best friends. But the truce between them eventually leads to them becoming actual friends.
The movie, which hearkens back to classic feel-good rom-coms of the 1990s and 2000s, features both laugh-out-loud and sweet moments with a dash of drama thrown in to keep things moving. Whether you've read the book a dozen times or you're meeting Caroline and Simon for the first time, Wallbanger has something for everyone.
One of my favorite things about Wallbanger is the interactions between Caroline, Simon and their friends. Berglund and Serafini headline a cast that includes Roselyn Sanchez, Ryan McPartlin and Cathy Ang; if you didn't know better you'd think they have known each other for ages. And Caroline's cat should win an award for best supporting actor.
Wallbanger was directed by Passionflix founder and CEO Tosca Musk. The movie is set in San Francisco but moves to a cabin in the woods and as far away as Spain, and fans are able to go along for the ride as Caroline and Simon take in the stunning landscapes. I won't spoil the surprise for fans who haven't seen it yet, but the movie features some fun cameos that will put a smile on Passionistas' faces.
Whether you're looking to spend a fun movie night for friends or want to watch something solo, Wallbanger is a perfect choice. You'll laugh and then you'll laugh some more. Here's to hoping that there are many more rom-coms to come from Passionflix.
Wallbanger is available now, exclusively on the Passionflix streaming platform.
