‘The Lovebirds’ Trailer: Kumail Nanjiani/Issa Rae Comedy Hits Netflix In May

If everything had gone according to plan and there were no coronavirus, The Lovebirds would’ve had its world premiere at SXSW, followed by a theatrical release as of April 3rd. Well, that’s just not how things turned out, and the Kumail Nanjiani/Issa Rae comedy was pulled from the schedule by Paramount, who ultimately decided to call on Netflix to bail them out as they have so many times in the past.

Well, now we finally know when The Lovebirds will be available in the comfort of our own homes. Netflix has given the action rom-com a May 22nd release date, revealed in a brand new trailer. Resembling the Tina Fey/Steve Carell comedy Date Night in many ways, the story centers on a couple who find themselves wrapped up in a murder, with themselves as the suspects.

I think this looks hilarious, and Nanjiani’s face as the murder occurs is priceless. This might’ve been overlooked previously but on Netflix I think this is the sort of easy, silly comedy that could be a big hit. Who doesn’t want to spend time watching Nanjiani and Rae run from the law? Sounds like fun to me.

The Lovebirds is directed by Michael Showalter, who worked with Nanjiani on The Big Sick. Anna Camp, Paul Sparks, Betsy Borrego, and Kyle Bornheimer co-star.

SYNOPSIS: A couple (Issa Rae & Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme – and hilarious – circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.