So, fun fact, I'm not particularly into reality TV. I have too much sympathetic cringe to watch people embarrass themselves in front of the camera. I like a competition show, like Project Runway or MasterChef, but dating shows like The Bachelor are not really my thing. That didn't stop me at all from really enjoying The Wrong Paris, the new Netflix movie about a woman who thinks she's about to go to Paris, France, and ends up in Paris, Texas instead.
Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove) is a Texas girl who dreams of going to art school in Paris. She's got the talent, but not the money; she spent it on her grandmother medical expenses. Dawn's little sister comes up with the solution: go on a reality dating show, where she'll get a $20k appearance fee just for being on the show. The real kicker? They'll fly her out to Paris for free. But there's a twist: Dawn isn't in Europe, about to start a new adventure all on her own. Instead, she's less than an hour from home and surrounded by bloodthirsty bachelorettes who are all hunting for one man: Trey McAllen.
Trey McAllen is played by Pierson Fode, who I had never heard of before this movie. He is... well, here he is:
And here's a whole gifset dedicated to that scene, courtesy of the r/ladyboners subreddit: Pierson Fode in The Wrong Paris: A Gratuitous GIF Story Sequence: r/LadyBoners. Go on, take a look. I'll wait.
So yeah, that's Pierson Fode, and he looks like that the whole movie. So, you should probably watch this just to enjoy the hammer blow of his attractiveness for an hour and forty-five minutes. This is female-gaze filmmaking at its finest. Like, there's one scene where Dawn is talking to a man about a horse (no, really), and that man is wearing a perfectly reasonable shirt/waffle shirt layering situation, and then Pierson Fode walks in wearing an open shirt with the sleeves cut off, glistening like he just emerged from a bottle of lube. Here, I found the picture:
I wouldn't trust a man this hot, but I would sure have fun distrusting him.
Anyway, reality show hijinks ensue, including challenges and silly outfits and lots of squealing. It's fun! I laughed! The other reality show contestants are one-dimensional but entertaining, and acting legend Frances Fisher is effective as Dawn's grandmother. The real stand out from the supporting cast is Yvonne Orji, who plays a reality show producer who is rooting for Dawn and Trey to get together. She has a number of hairstyles that I found very inspirational.
Could you watch this with your grandmother? Depends on whether your grandma likes The Bachelor. There are a lot of shiny people in skimpy outfits, but very little on-screen steam. Cosgrove and Fode have great onscreen chemistry, and the sets look like reality TV should look. I enjoyed myself, and I think you will too.
It's starting to be fall, which means it's practically Christmas, right? Netflix will hopefully serve up another delicious platter of Christmas rom-coms this year, but so far only two have been announced:
- My Secret Santa: About a woman who disguises herself as a man for a job and then falls for her boss.
- A Merry Little Ex-Mas: Two exes try to celebrate the holiday together, with a star-studded cast including Alicia Silverstone and good old Pierson Fode.
What movies do you think I should cover this year? Let me know.
Check out my blog to see my reviews of 2024's Netflix Christmas movies, including Hot Frosty, The Merry Gentlemen, Meet Me Next Christmas, and Our Little Secret.