I just watched ‘The Wrong Paris’ today and as I write this review I still honestly don’t know what rating I will give it out of 7. Hopefully by the end I’ll figure it out. Spoiler warning I’m going to write in detail.

The story follows Dawn (played by Miranda Cosgrove) an aspiring artist and country girl who joins a dating show that promises to take place in Paris, France. Dawn’s dream is to attend a Parisian art school she can’t afford unless she takes part in the show as she’s been helping her sisters and grandmother Birdie, who is played by the one and only Frances Fisher. Yes, you read that right Frances played Ruth DeWitt Bukater aka Rose’s mum in ‘Titanic’. But the first twist in the movie? It’s not Paris, France they fly out for the show but Paris, Texas. Talk about a plot twist. As if that’s not enough Dawn quickly discovers that she actually knows the cowboy suitor Trey (played by Pierson Fode) from before she was cast in the show. The plot follows Dawn and Trey getting to know each other and navigating the chaos of the dating show.

It’s no surprise there’s been a rise in cowboy films and shows lately and honestly I am not complaining. When I saw the trailer, I wasn’t really expecting too much from the movie but it did surprise me in a good way. As always, there were things that I loved and things that weren’t my cup of tea so let’s get into both.

I have to start with the chemistry between Dawn and Trey. Of course, it was awkward at times but isn’t every dating experience awkward before you really get to know someone? For me their connection felt real and honest throughout the movie. I actually loved that they already knew each other before starting the show as it made their relationship feel less like a forced reality TV dating show and more real. I have to mention the height difference between Dawn and Trey! Where are these men who are so tall? Asking for a friend.

I can’t be the only one who felt like they were mentally flipping through a romance novel while watching ‘The Wrong Paris’. Trey having Dawn’s back during the ‘fight’ scene at the bar. Their dance. The way they annoyed each other but also clearly cared. When the horses escaped, Trey was next to Dawn to protect her it all felt like it was straight out of a book. Their bickering felt real and not staged. And can we talk about the way Dawn stared at Trey as he was washing the horse? Or at least I hope it was a horse I was too distracted by Trey in that scene to notice anything else. And let’s be honest we were all Dawn in that moment.

Another aspect that I loved about their connection is that they found ways to connect when there were no cameras, like when Trey took Dawn to his special place and she introduces him to her family. But I think the most important aspect is that Trey never forced Dawn to choose between him and her dream. He actually supported her dream and told her so. It’s the little details that made me love their story as it’s what I think love should feel like: awkward, real, slow, overwhelming, but deeply felt.

Now I need a minute to talk about that ranch. I feel like I fell in love with it. The scenery was absolutely stunning: the house, the henhouses, the land. Can you imagine how recharging it would be to spend time there with no signal, no pressure, just surrounded by nature? Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if a cowboy or two or more happened to ride by to make the view even more enjoyable.

As you can tell by now, I have enjoyed the movie but there are a few aspects that weren’t my cup of tea especially the portrayal of women. I understand that the film is like a parody of dating shows and they want to show the type of women who would go there, but it just felt like they were the shallow stereotype. Lexie, for example played by Madison Pettis felt excessive especially her bull riding scene. And although it showed the lengths contestants might go on the shows I just personally didn’t like it. I honestly kept hoping her character would get more development or even a pivot that would take her beyond the ‘stereotype’ but unfortunately that moment never came.

It felt that the women were just portrayed as competing against one another with no real support which I personally found frustrating. I’m a big believer in showing women as real, complex, layered characters rather than the stereotypes. This is why I appreciated the friendship between Dawn and Jasmine (played by Christine Park). Although they are both competing for Trey’s heart they still valued their friendship, their realness and valued being there for one another. It made me wish we had seen more of this in the film but I also understand why this wasn’t the case. Rachel (played by Yvonne Orji) was one of my favourite characters. Not only is she independent, strong and knows what she wants but she also saw Dawn’s strength, struggle and uniqueness, kept her secret although she shouldn’t have, gave her guidance and even confronted Trey when he wasn’t listening to what Dawn had done to be there for him. To be honest, Rachel felt like a fairy godmother guiding and helping Dawn.

If there is one thing I wish we got more of, it was Dawn’s story. It felt like her connection to Parisian art, passion for studying and the connection with her mother felt unexplored and very vague. Why Paris? Did her mum attend it? Why that school? Why not in the country? We were told about her dream in a vague manner and never really shown the depth of why it’s such an important dream for her. I do feel like this extra layer could have made the story even stronger as we would have gotten to know her better.

I really loved the ending of the movie. Dawn doesn’t give up her dream to be with Trey and he doesn’t hold her back either. Instead he supports her, helps her finds a solution and stands by her side. I loved that when it was the ring vs the money scene, Trey encouraged her to take the money because not only did her dream matter more but he was sure they would continue their connection no matter what her choice was. For me, that showed he cared for her deeply and wanted to be there for her. I loved that their story wasn’t about sacrificing their dreams for love but actually finding a way to hold both. I wish more films leaned into this as love doesn’t have to mean sacrifice but a partnership where they lift each other up instead of holding back.

So while at times the movie was awkward and leaned into the stereotypes more than I would personally have liked there’s also something authentic about the connection portrayed between Dawn and Trey. It actually made me root for them and smile as it reminded me that love stories don’t need to be flashy to be real.

‘The Wrong Paris’ might not be groundbreaking cinema but it’s the type of film you watch with a blanket, a cup of tea and the guarantee of feeling better by the end. Sometimes that’s exactly what we need and not a movie that would challenge us but one that would make us feel good, remind us to never give up on our dreams and that love will find us when we least expect it.

In the end ‘The Wrong Paris’ is exactly what the title suggests: it’s full of the wrong moments that turn right when you least expect it and need it. The movie also made me realise I would binge-watch any reality dating TV shows with cowboys. So Netflix if you’re reading this maybe that could happen? Or if it’s something already being made let me know because there’s something about the mix of romance, comedy and country life that just works.

If I had to sum ‘The Wrong Paris’ in one sentence it would be this: while it might not be a film that stays with you forever in the moment you’re watching it, it gives you everything you need: laughter, romance, drama, awkwardness and transports you into the story which is why for me it’s worth watching.

Oh, before I end this review can we please bring back bloopers at the end of movies? I love seeing actors break character and have fun on set. Why did we stop getting those anyway?