Stuti Gokhale
Directed by Jason Orley, ‘I Want You Back’ is an entertaining romantic comedy movie starring Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Gina Rodriguez, and Scott Eastwood, among others. It follows Peter and Emma, two heartbroken strangers who meet after getting dumped by their partners Anne and Noah. Soon, both of them find out that their former flames have happily moved on with other people. Desperate to win them back, Peter and Emma hatch a hilarious plan to separate their exes from their new lovers.
A comic take on adult relationships and breakups, ‘I Want You Back’ portrays the highs and lows of falling in love in a highly realistic manner. The effortless performances of the cast members and the relatable concepts of the storyline further make the audience wonder whether it is a true story. If that’s your case too, we’ve got the answers to all your questions. Let’s dive in!
Is I Want You Back A True Story?
No, ‘I Want You Back’ is not a true story. It is based on a stellar screenplay written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. Director Jason Orley stated in an interview that he immediately fell in love with the script after he read it. “I immediately fell in love with Isaac and Elizabeth’s funny, heartfelt script… I am so honored that they, along with the amazing team at Amazon are allowing me to bring their timeless love story to life, and that I get to do it with such an incredible group of actors,” he said.
Several movies have a similar theme depicting the impact of heartbreak on a person’s mind, such as ‘Someone Great,’ which depicts a woman trying to get over her boyfriend after ending a long-term relationship. On the other hand, ‘First Wives Club’ also shares a common theme of getting back at former lovers out of hurt. Another movie that has a slight resemblance to ‘I Want You Back’ is ‘Cruel Intentions,’ which the protagonist Peter also refers to in the former while defining his and Emma’s motives. The latter revolves around step-siblings who make a devious bet to woo and break the heart of a new girl at their school.
Furthermore, the movie ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ has a parallel narrative about trying to rekindle a romance with an ex by sabotaging their current relationship. All these movies highlight the lengths to which a person can go to reclaim their love as well as their denial to accept the end of a relationship. Such instances also occur in real life and have far more grave consequences than shown on-screen. For example, there are numerous cases where a jilted lover sought extreme revenge on an ex for breaking up with them.
Therefore, even though the Amazon Prime original is purely a work of fiction, it surely draws inspiration from the actual way some people respond to heartbreak and the extremities they pursue while trying to achieve their desires. Almost everyone can likely relate to the emotions of the protagonists as it reminds them of similar situations that transpired in their lives or that of someone they know. In addition, the hard work of the actors adds a bigger touch of believability to ‘I Want You Back,’ making it understandable why many would think it is based on real events.
Read More: Where Was I Want You Back Filmed?
