Romantic comedies are often built on a faulty logic, and it’s up to the filmmaker and writer to convince the audience that the story makes sense anyway. The Weekend is no exception; this is a film driven by an unrealistic premise that would rely on characters consistently making the worst decisions for little to no reason. And I’m not sure the film ever quite makes those decision feel organic. Yet… it still works like gangbusters. And, while there are many people to thank for that, one person in particular deserves special attention.
Folks, there is an exciting, fresh filmmaking voice in our midst: Stella Meghie. As a writer/director, Meghie feels like the sort of breakout talent that Hollywood should be looking out for as audiences rediscover the joys of romantic comedies on the big screens and through streaming platforms. There’s no self-consciousness here, which so many directors take when at the helm of a romantic comedy. She’s clearly proud of her work, and has a deep affection for the genre. That passion is infectious, and makes The Weekend a thoroughly entertaining film.
Let’s get that troublesome premise out of the way first. SNL alum Sasheer Zamata plays Zadie, a stand-up comedian who still hasn’t gotten over her breakup from Bradford (Tone Bell), with whom she’s still friends. In fact, the two are such good friends that they plan a trip together to the bed & breakfast that Zadie’s mother is running. Things get complicated, however, when Bradford invites his new girlfriend, Margo (DeWanda Wise). As the trio try to survive a vacation together, they run into the resort’s other guest, a mysterious single man named Aubrey (Y’lan Noel). And, suddenly, a love quadrilateral is formed.
To be frank, many of the relationships in this film don’t quite make sense. It’s never made clear enough what life is like for Zadie and Bradford as friends. They’re close enough to plan a vacation together, but we’re also lead to believe that they don’t spend much time together anymore. What was their breakup like, and how exactly did they become such good friends again? Why would Bradford invite Margo on this trip, especially when Zadie is openly upset about their breakup? My issue is not that these relationships feel unrealistic; I’m sure many people have been in situations like this. The problem is that the film never bothers to really fill in those details: we’re meant to understand that this is the reality for these characters, and we’re not expected to question it.
But, to be honest, the lack of plotting is the one major flaw this movie has. Everything else is damn near perfect. Meghie injects so much personality and emotion into every beat, and clearly approaches the movie as any fan of the genre would. She fills this movie with moments that are clearly meant to elicit an audience response, whether that be a gasp, laugh, or swoon. The dialogue is terrific, the story is well paced, and the romantic moments have an authenticity to them that feels hard to come by.
And as a director, Meghie proves to be a dynamic talent, with so many dialogue driven scenes inventively staged. One brilliant piece of filmmaking follows the main four characters as they go for a hike, and the camera rotates around as the characters continue to pair off in different ways. It furthers the story along, provides further insights into characters, helps make what could have been a stage-y scene feel decidedly cinematic, and proves how inventive Meghie is behind the camera.
It also helps that she has a great leading lady in Sasheer Zamata, who brings so much personality and emotion to the role that it becomes impossible not to root for Zadie on some level, if not relate to her. Even when she’s handed a story beat that doesn’t quite make sense, Zamata sells it. She’s also, of course, funny, and has great chemistry with both leading men. The other four actors are quite strong too, with DeWanda Wise in particular killing her final scene in the film. But this is very much Zamata’s star vehicle, and she runs away with the whole thing.
Watching The Weekend, it’s hard not to feel like we’re on the verge of a major new filmmaking voice being heard throughout the film community. As this film makes its way around several film festivals to positive notices, Meghie is in production on a studio film she’s written and directed, The Photograph, starring Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield. This film should be on all of our radars; if Meghie managed to helm a film as compelling as this with a premise that doesn’t quite work, imagine how terrific her films will be with a tighter screenplay.
Overall rating: 7 out of 10.
