Netflix looks to make you swoon this month with The Wrong Paris, a brand new original romantic-comedy starring Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly, Drake & Josh) as a small-town girl who dreams of attending art school in France. To help her get there, she signs up for a reality dating show that supposedly takes place in France but is actually set in Paris… Texas. Desperate to get to the right Paris, she attempts to get sent home early but can’t help falling for the handsome bachelor (Pierson Fodé) and his Southern charm. Bolstered by a tight script, talented cast, and interesting storyline, The Wrong Paris might just be Netflix’s next hit movie. Keep reading to find out more!
The Gist: Dawn Blanton (Miranda Cosgrove) is a 25-year-old woman born and raised in the tiny town of Honey Grove, where she lives with her Grandma Birdie (Frances Fisher) as well as her two younger sisters, Emily (Emilija Baranac) and Maxine (Ava Bianchi). Although the girls’ parents died in a car accident when they were young, their mother’s dream of going to Paris lives on in Dawn, who has been saving up money for years working as a waitress at the local diner so she can afford art school in France. When Dawn gets accepted into a two-year art program at the Academie d’Art de Paris, the tightly-knit family is thrilled that Dawn has a chance to spread her wings and achieve her once-seemingly-impossible lifelong goal. Unfortunately, things start to feel impossible again when Dawn learns that she didn’t get financial aid or student housing, making her unable to afford both years in Paris. Determined not to let her sister give up, Emily suggests that Dawn try out for the reality dating show The Honeypot, which is currently casting for a 16th season based in Paris. Although Dawn is initially reluctant, she relents after hearing that she’d get $20,000 just for appearing on the show, motivating her to audition so she can get the free plane ticket to France, get the money, and get kicked off as soon as possible.
Although the main producer, Carl (Torrance Coombs), finds Dawn and her small-town girl angle boring, the other Honeypot producer, Rachel (Yvonne Orji), vouches for Dawn and gets her cast on the show. As they hop on a plane bound for Paris, Dawn gets to know some of the other contestants, including standouts like the Cinderella type Cindy (Madeleine Arthur), the rough-around-the-edges type Heather (Veronica Long), the baby fever-having Eve (Hannah Stocking), the energetic Amber (Naika Toussaint), friendly yet slightly socially repressed Jasmine (Christin Park), and the top competitor, influencer Lexie Miller (Madison Pettis).
But when the plane lands, the production crew reveals the unfortunate twist that instead of Paris, France, this season of The Honeypot will take place in Paris, Texas, as the girls compete for the heart of wealthy weekend cowboy Trey McAllen III (Pierson Fodé). Dawn is extremely upset to be misled and demands to leave the show, but she can’t exit until the bachelor kicks her off. Dawn then tries to get axed first on purpose, but every time Dawn and Trey interact, sparks fly, leading her to grow conflicted as she gets increasingly into the competition, and the cowboy, all while trying to keep her true reason for joining the show a secret.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The Wrong Paris blends the 2015 Western romantic-drama film The Longest Ride with the reality dating show The Bachelor. (For an entirely different perspective on the same location, you might want to check out Paris Texas, the Wim Wenders-directed movie that won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984.)
Performance Worth Watching: Without a doubt, Miranda Cosgrove. She’s charming, funny, and effortlessly likable as Dawn. Seriously, put her in more rom-coms! Put her in more stuff in general!
Memorable Dialogue: This line from Heather to a film crew guy standing a little too close when she wakes up on the plane ride to Paris: “Hey garçon, you mind getting your baguette out of my face?”
Honorable mention for the equally dumb and delightful: “If you do not have a spur, this is the end of the rodeo for you.”
Sex and Skin: While there are some suggestive moments, there’s no overt sex or skin. This is pretty PG-13 at worst.
Our Take: From genuine cast chemistry to committed physical comedy to a gag reel in the post-film credits, The Wrong Paris has us feeling like rom-coms are so back. This movie lovingly parodies The Bachelor as it trades roses for spurs and heightens reality TV tropes to make for a largely self-aware, charming, and entertaining end product. The Wrong Paris is a tight movie full of jokes, committed performances, and even some twists from the usual rom-com beats and storylines, making this title feel truly unique, original, and entertaining.
Miranda Cosgrove and Pierson Fodé have excellent chemistry as romantic leads from their first interaction and do a wonderful job carrying this movie. They both shine onscreen together but are also likable individually as they seem to thoroughly enjoy themselves in every aspect, even fan service (they really oil up and hose down Fodé, but I don’t think you’ll catch anyone complaining about it).
It’s a delight to see former child stars like Cosgrove and Pettis continue to shine and thrive as adults. Cosgrove especially seems game for everything from horseback riding to grappling in mud, although all of the Honeypot contestants give incredible physical performances as they commit to mechanical bull riding, cowboy boot camp, and more. And though Pettis’s character Lexie does play to win, it’s so refreshing to see a rom-com where the ladies are more friends than enemies (the connection between Dawn and Jasmine is especially sweet), and that supportive energy could truly be felt through the screen, adding a layer of warmth to the whole movie. I mean, everyone in The Wrong Paris looks like they’re having a great time making it, so how can we not have a wonderful time watching it?!
Our Call: Despite the competitive The Bachelor reality show setup, The Wrong Paris ultimately feels like it’s celebrating female friendship, well-paced relationships, and having it all in a way that truly makes this movie feel original and satisfying. From the comedy to the acting to the storylines, there’s so much to celebrate and enjoy, making it easy to leave this movie feeling entertained and satisfied. STREAM IT!
