One of the many wedding speeches in "Plus One" is a line that describes love as "finding someone you want to be with as long as possible" The idea of wanting to be with something for an extended period of time is how I feel about the 2019 rom-com "Plus One," which is available on Netflix It's a perfect Valentine's Day viewing

Written and directed by Jeff Chang and Andrew Reimer, "Plus One" stars Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine as Ben King and Alice Mori, friends since college who each have relationship issues Ben believes in "cute encounters" and seeks perfection, while Alice struggles with being dumped by her ex-boyfriend It's a typical yin and yang relationship, but it paves the way for a sincere friendship

Thanks to Vince Vaughn, millennials have learned that wedding season is better than Christmas As much as I love open bars, weddings can be challenging, especially for singles in their late 20s and early 30s Between transportation, lodging, attire, and gifts, weddings quickly become a financial burden, costing hundreds of dollars Existential thoughts about marriage and aging run through one's head, and a prisoner of anxiety is inevitable Repeating this five or ten times in a year can take a toll on you physically and emotionally

If you have felt this way before, you have company, because Ben and Alice share the same millennial anxiety Ben chooses to remain optimistic about his love life, while Alice believes in blacking out and destroying the dance floor Needing a solution, Alice suggests they become each other's date for a future wedding Alice introduces Ben to the woman Even if he doesn't approve, Ben feels lonely, having lost his male friends and companions through marriage With nothing to lose, Ben agrees to a plus-one partnership

The success of a rom-com depends on the chemistry between the two leads; one must genuinely believe that the two characters have the potential to fall in love Sounds simple enough, but often one of the leads outshines the other, resulting in an inefficient rom-com Not just any combination will do: Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson

"Plus One" hit a home run with Quaid and Erskine Quaid, best known for his role as Huey in "The Boys," is tall, funny, and handsome, with the looks of a 90s romantic comedy hero Given that his parents are Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, Quaid has the right genetics for the lead role

Meanwhile, Erskine, who co-created Hulu's excellent series Pen15, is the natural comedian of the duo As Alice, Erskine embodies the friend you want to have a drink with and the woman you want to marry She also gets the funniest parts, from personal maintenance speeches to the desire to cuddle after a long night In addition, Alice describes special occasions as "boom chakalaka," which is something we should all incorporate in our daily lives

The film begins as Ben and Alice embark on their wedding journey together As they go through their respective ceremonies, the longtime friends predictably develop feelings for each other Ben's sarcasm and optimism balance Alice's vulgarity and sincerity, making for a natural relationship It is believable that two people as remarkably compatible as Ben and Alice could be romantically linked after spending so much time together

"Plus One" brings a fresh perspective to what is a staple of the romantic comedy: the friend-to-lover and contractual relationship However, their relationship ultimately stalls when one refuses to commit It's a real problem that many couples face, so it's heartbreaking to see it on screen

Rom-com lovers know that a grand gesture will be introduced to turn things around Think Julia Roberts' "I'm Just a Girl" speech in "Notting Hill" or Billy Crystal's New Year's Eve declaration in "Meet Harry Sully Plus One" gives the two leads a chance to say how they feel Alice confesses her feelings on the sidewalk and Ben confesses his feelings at his father's wedding The speeches are the result of Chan and Reimer's script and Erskine and Quaid's performances

I first discovered "Plus One" on Hulu in 2019 and liked it immediately Even with a small audience, "Plus One" was well received by critics and fans alike, earning a certified fresh score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes Now that Valentine's Day is here, give "Plus One" a try--now that it's available on Netflix, it's easy to try, since it's up on Netflix If not, at least you'll get to hear the refreshing music of Real Estate in this film

At just under 100 minutes, "Plus One" has an ideal running time But once the movie is over, you will want to spend more time with Ben and Alice A wedding might not be a bad idea Boom Chakalaka