After decades of romantic comedies creating false expectations for young women, there’s a comforting new addition to the genre. All That She Wants has such a refreshing approach to modern love and the age-gap relationship is only one aspect that makes it interesting.
Canadian darling Annie Murphy might be known for Schitt’s Creek, but she could really become the next Meg Ryan. As soon as Emma (Annie Murphy) starts twirling around outside embracing the snow like Lorelai Gilmore, you can’t wait to see her post-breakup glow-up.
Luke (Cooper Raiff) is a big part of that because he puts Emma at ease to twirl around after they meet at a club. It’s great to see Cooper Raiff again after discovering him in Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Emma’s horrified to realize she babysat Luke after they hook up, but they move past it through funny dinosaur gifts to mock their age difference. The movie already has so many charming qualities, so their over-the-top shopping spree in a Niagara Falls souvenir store is a bit silly.
It’s nice how the campus scenes and coffee dates romanticize Toronto! Luke’s academic career inspires Emma to get a degree in speech-language pathology after working as a dancer. It’s enviable how Emma devours so many hot dogs and pizzas on her own while maintaining a dancer’s body!
Aside from that, it’s a relief to see such a realistic thirtysomething. Her apartment, clothes and lifestyle are all attainable. She’s not rich, but not broke. And when she wants to have a baby on her own, she’s not worried about affording it.
With Christine Baranski as her mom and Zosia Mamet as her sister, Emma has the ultimate movie family. Her dad’s pursuit of dance lessons post-retirement is very cute! Emma’s brother-in-law (John Gemberling) has an adorable obsession with shopping at babyGap, but he looks too similar to Luke with darker hair and a similar beard.
Their family has a tradition of saying what they’re thankful and hopeful for every holiday season. I’m thankful for seeing this at TIFF and I’m hopeful that filmmakers will think of creative ways to tell more realistic love stories with minimal lies and secrets.
After giving us Plus One, which is such a hidden gem, Andrew Rhymer is back with another incredible romantic comedy. All That She Wants accomplishes a lot with a modest budget.
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I previewed this film as part of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).