Adam DeVine has often graced our screens playing the lead or the scene-stealing supporting actor in both rom-coms and comedies, proving time and again in the likes of Isn’t It Romantic (2019) and the 2010s Pitch Perfect franchise that he is a warm and genuinely funny talent. In fact, the TV spin-off of Pitch Perfect, titled Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin has had a second season renewed, in which he reunites with Sarah Hyland, his one-time love interest in the mega-popular show Modern Family. Clearly, his comedic appeal is enough to float a spin-off comedy series, and even land him in the upcoming action-comedy The Out-Laws co-starring none other than ex-Bond Pierce Brosnan, which is due to air on July 7, 2023. However, in one romantic comedy in particular, he was able to tap into an oft-overlooked dramatic skillset — Netflix’s When We First Met.

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Why Does Adam DeVine Shine in ‘When We First Met’?
Image via Netflix

In When We First Met, Adam DeVine stars as a romantic lead opposite Alexandra Daddario. The premise of the movie is that Noah (DeVine) met Avery (Daddario) at a party and instantly fell in love with her, a love that he has been nurturing for years whilst remaining her close friend. However, the very day after they first met, Avery met Ethan (Robbie Amell), who eventually becomes her fiancé. Thus, in the present day, Noah is dutifully celebrating Avery and Ethan’s engagement party, whilst inwardly suffering.

However, there is a twist: by falling asleep drunk in a photo booth (which played an important role in his and Avery’s first meeting), Noah discovers that he can travel three years back in time to the day that they met – and then fast-forward to the present to witness the consequences of modifying history. The time-traveling romantic comedy sees Noah traveling repeatedly back and forth in time to re-do their meet-cute and try to win over Avery, the one he believes he is destined to be with.

Adam DeVine Plays Right into ‘When We First Met’s Time-Travel Device
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The photo booth which serves as a classic time-travel apparatus isn’t just a fun gimmick or an easy fix to help Noah to earn the love of Avery. Its constant rewrites of history also allow Adam DeVine to explore various archetypal characters, because the persona Noah chooses to adopt at each replay of the night they met leads to him fully becoming that character in the present day. This ranges from the self-absorbed and callous alpha male type to the financially successful yet emotionally cold work-driven type. Each iteration brings Noah closer to Avery and gives DeVine a dramatic outlet.

As an alpha male, DeVine plays a character that is confident, arrogant, and a little ridiculous, visually exemplified by his bleached hair and outlandish wardrobe, and delivered convincingly with aplomb. As a work-obsessed owner of a mansion and a fancy car, DeVine initially plays a complacent and entitled part with due smugness, fully expectant that his romantic and career dreams should fall into place. This allows DeVine to get his teeth into the endless possibilities and dangers of whom one could become when meddling with time.

What Is the Message Behind ‘When First We Met’?
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The theme of authenticity which runs through When We First Met allows DeVine to show off his dramatic chops and reveal a level of vulnerability. It is summed up best when Noah states: “I make a decision, and then I wake up three years later with the consequences.” Every small action he chooses to take snowballs, and in time, they change the course of his life and that of his loved ones. After exploring numerous alternate life options, during which DeVine still often maintains a humorous guise, Noah realizes that he was never meant to end up with Avery, after all. All the scenarios which result in a relationship with Avery cause her and Ethan pain at being apart, as destiny seems to be drawing them together. In the scene where Noah realizes that he is hampering true love, the crushing disappointment of his heartbreak is palpable, as is played subtly and poignantly across DeVine’s face. Ultimately, Noah needs to relinquish his various facades to become truly authentic, which is the key to everyone’s genuine happiness – including his own.

During the times within When We First Met when DeVine’s character lets down his guard, the actor is able to finally throw himself into the heartfelt scene in question. He has real chemistry with actor Shelley Hennig of Teen Wolf: The Movie, who plays Avery’s best girlfriend Carrie. They have more in common than he and Avery did, whom he discovers borrowed a lot of personal interests from Carrie in the first place, leading to him directing his feelings toward the wrong person. The moment of connection occurs when, during his alternate life as Avery’s wealthy fiancé, he lets down pretenses and asks Carrie why Avery doesn’t love him. DeVine delivers a grounded performance, reflecting that his character is finally confronting reality, and when engaging in this emotional breakthrough, he lets his character’s true kindness shines through. The vulnerable and honest moments he shares with Carrie lead to a wholly natural and palpable chemistry between the two, earning their eventual romance.

Why Does Adam DeVine’s Slapstick Performance in ‘When We First Met’ Work So Well?
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It wouldn’t be an Adam DeVine movie without its due slapstick comedy moments. The scene where he tries to keep up with his friends’ jogging session during his alpha male phase whilst wearing ridiculous, squeaky leather pants, is undeniably hilarious. Similarly, when he cockily builds up to playing the piano for an audience at his engagement party, only to end up playing utter nonsense because his wealthy alternate self had neglected this passion for years, the result is a moment of great physical comedy, with DeVine playing it brilliantly bemusedly. But the movie’s key message is that manipulating life’s events for one’s own selfish gain has lasting negative effects. It also makes a strong case against projecting your own romantic ideals onto someone else, which cannot result in a meaningful relationship.

The movie’s sincere messages and its fun portrayal of time travel are balanced effectively, allowing Adam DeVine to dig into his role of many faces as he navigates Noah’s life-changing journey. With DeVine playing the clown but then grounding the act in heartfelt emotion, When We First Met combines the rom and the com effortlessly.