What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIsn't It Romantic
Todd Strauss-Schulson · Film · 2019
If you loved Isn't It Romantic, start with Schmigadoon! (Ken Daurio, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 1 book, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Isn't It Romantic across media.
You loved how Isn't It Romantic subverted reality, so these picks explore the blurred lines between scripted tropes, fantastical worlds, and our own perceptions.
Books on the same thread
Romantic Comedy
Curtis Sittenfeld · Book
Explores: imposter syndrome, creative collaboration, power dynamics.
If you enjoyed the meta-commentary in Isn't It Romantic, this book offers a similarly sharp look at the power dynamics and artificiality behind the glossy veneer of modern celebrity romance.
Series on the same thread
Schmigadoon!
Ken Daurio · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Isn't It Romantic: Satire.
Much like the protagonist in Isn't It Romantic, the couple here finds themselves trapped within the rigid, musical tropes of a fantasy world that forces them to confront their relationship.
What We Do in the Shadows
Jemaine Clement · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Isn't It Romantic: Fish-out-of-Water.
The mockumentary format here echoes the self-aware satire found in Isn't It Romantic, using a fish-out-of-water lens to examine the absurdities of characters navigating a world they barely understand.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Park Shin-woo · Series · 2020
Explores: healing through love, emotional baggage, found family.
While Isn't It Romantic uses comedy to deconstruct fairy tales, this drama explores the emotional weight of those stories, focusing on healing and the reality behind the romantic narrative.
W: Two Worlds Apart
Song Jae-jung · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Isn't It Romantic: Fantasy Romance.
If the meta-fictional premise of Isn't It Romantic kept you hooked, you will appreciate how this series forces its lead to navigate the dangerous, illogical constraints of a fictional world.
Podcasts on the same thread
99% Invisible
Podcast
Explores: design history, architecture history, urban design.
Natalie’s career as an architect in Isn't It Romantic is a key detail, and this podcast offers a fascinating, real-world deep dive into the design and infrastructure she studied.
In Your Dreams with Owen Thiele
Podcast
Shares a thread with Isn't It Romantic: self-discovery.
This podcast captures the same obsession with fame and self-perception that drives the characters in Isn't It Romantic, blending personal evolution with a humorous, satirical look at modern stardom.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Isn't It Romantic a satire of the romantic comedy genre?
Yes, Isn't It Romantic functions as a satire. The protagonist, Natalie, has long dismissed rom-coms as fantasy, only to find her own life transformed into one. The film explores her experience as she becomes the leading lady of the very genre she previously doubted.
What is the premise of Isn't It Romantic?
In Isn't It Romantic, an Australian architect living in New York City named Natalie wakes up after a subway accident to discover her life has become a romantic comedy. She must navigate this reality after spending her entire life believing such tropes were merely fantasy.
Who directed Isn't It Romantic?
Isn't It Romantic was directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. The 2019 film follows the story of Natalie, an architect who finds herself trapped in a romantic comedy after being knocked out while fleeing from a mugger at a subway station in New York City.
Is Isn't It Romantic set in New York City?
Yes, Isn't It Romantic is set in New York City. The story follows Natalie, an Australian architect living in the city who views rom-coms as unrealistic. Her perspective changes when she wakes up inside a romantic comedy following a subway station incident.