Nice Guy Johnny

An above average romantic comedy, Nice Guy Johnny follows the title character (Matt Bush’s Johnny Rizzo) as he arrives in New York City to spend a pre-wedding weekend with his womanizing uncle (Edward Burns’ Terry) – with trouble ensuing as Johnny is forced to reevaluate his relationship after he meets (and inevitably falls for) a free-spirited local (Kerry Bishé’s Brooke). It’s a testament to writer/director Burns’ talent that the familiarity of the premise never becomes as problematic as one might’ve feared, as the filmmaker does a superb job of establishing the various characters and infusing the dialogue with an irresistibly authentic feel. There’s little doubt, too, that it’s the palpable chemistry between Johnny and Brooke that ultimately elevates the proceedings on an impressively consistent basis, with the strong work from both Bush and Bishé ensuring that the viewer can’t help but root for their respective characters’ coupling. (Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Johnny’s fiancée, Anna Wood’s Claire, is almost comically wrong for him.) The winning performances, including Burns’ scene-stealing turn as Johnny’s fast-talking, philandering relative, effectively compensate for Burns’ ongoing reliance on romcom clichés, with the predictably upbeat conclusion cementing Nice Guy Johnny‘s place as an engaging, consistently entertaining piece of work.

*** out of ****