Between Materialists, Oh, Hi!, and a few streaming titles that felt more like algorithm snacks than actual meals, it’s been a drought for rom-coms over the past few years. The genre has seen flickers of life with a few titles here and there, but that Nora Ephron sweet spot, where banter carries real feelings and the jokes never undercut its humanity, is largely missing. Which brings us to Maude Apatow, who is making the genre all her own with her easy-to-love directorial debut, Poetic License. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Apatow delivers an ambitious and refreshingly intellectual rom-com that feels like a return to form as it spins the genre for a new generation. One of the best comedies of the year, it’s proof that the rom-com still hits when someone this sharp and self-aware is behind the camera.
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