Film

The Layover

Name: The Layover
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 2017
Cast: Kate Upton, Alexandra Daddario, Matt Barr, Matt Jones, Kal Penn

Other titles called The Layover: the 2011 series (Travel Channel).

Comedy
Romantic comedy
Light-hearted

A romantic comedy about two best friends who become rivals when their plane is grounded in St. Louis and they both fall for the same charming stranger. It's a light, fizzy film that trades on chemistry and banter, with the energy of a girls' night out that occasionally stumbles over its own plotting.

TMDb rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy raunchy, loud female-friendship comedies where the bawdy set pieces matter as much as the romance, and the bond between the two leads carries more weight than the love triangle.

Skip it if you want a sharp, tightly plotted romcom, since this one is loose, leans on its premise and runs on broad gags more than wit.

What it asks of you: At 88 minutes it keeps moving, light and quick, with little pause for anything but the next gag, so you can switch off a little and just laugh.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Bridesmaids2011

Proves that ensemble female comedies can be genuinely hilarious and heartfelt. Sharp writing, stellar cast chemistry, and moments of real emotional weight beneath the laughs.

But Relies heavily on crude humour and extended set-pieces that some find exhausting rather than funny.

What Happens in Vegas2008

Similar premise—two strangers stuck together—but with better banter and a cast that commits fully to the romantic chaos. Lightweight but genuinely fun.

But The plot contrivances pile up quickly and it never pretends to be anything deeper than fluff.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall2008

Romantic comedy that actually understands how people behave: messy, jealous, funny. Great supporting cast and songs you'll remember.

But Heavier on pathos than pure comedy; some viewers find the earnest bits slow the pace.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Layover

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Ugly Truth2009

Both pivot on female friendship vs. romantic competition, but *The Ugly Truth* tips hard into cynicism and genuine antagonism rather than staying light.

Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler spar with real edge; it's a battle-of-the-sexes romance that actually understands why people clash. Cynical, raunchy, surprisingly smart.

But The gender politics are aggressively mid-2000s and pretty retrograde; if that bothers you, the whole film becomes uncomfortable.

The Wedding Ringer2015

Two leads with genuine chemistry riffing on best-friend dynamics across an adventure story. Silly but assembled with real craft and heart.

But The plot is basically a Hallmark movie stretched to feature length; if you notice that, you'll be annoyed.

Trainwreck2015

Amy Schumer and Bill Hader have the kind of comfortable chemistry that makes romantic comedies actually work. Funny, sharp, and surprisingly touching.

But Schumer's voice and comedy style won't land if you're not already in her corner.

27 Dresses2008

Jane and Olivia have real rapport; the film zips along with decent gags and an energetic pace that doesn't give you time to think too hard.

But The plot mechanics are transparent and the emotional beats feel obligatory rather than earned.

The Proposal2009

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds play a forced-proximity story with charm and timing. Light, watchable, occasionally genuinely funny.

But Relies on fish-out-of-water clichés and doesn't subvert any of them; the romance feels more contractual than passionate.

Ghostbusters2016

Four women with strong individual comedic voices; the ensemble chemistry carries what could have been a cynical remake. Fast-paced and unafraid to be silly.

But The central premise works against it—fans of the original bristle, newcomers might feel lost; tonal whiplash between character moments and spectacle.

The Kissing Booth2018

Pure comfort-watch energy: teen romance, light stakes, cast that seems genuinely happy to be together. Perfect if you want something to float through.

But The plot is tissue-thin, the love triangle is contrived, and the emotional growth minimal; it's wish-fulfilment not storytelling.

Lost River2015

Both are set during a physical transition (weather delay vs. urban decay) that becomes a stage for character reckonings; both use location as more than backdrop.

Ryan Gosling's directorial debut is a surreal, gorgeously shot fever dream about ordinary people in a rotting Midwest town. Atmospheric and genuinely strange.

But It's experimental and elliptical—meaning-making is difficult, pacing is deliberate, and there's no satisfying plot in the traditional sense. Some will call it pretentious.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always2020

Both films examine what happens to friendships and attraction when ordinary people are thrown into temporary, contained spaces together—but one is fiction-as-truth and one finds the drama in reality.

A documentary following cruise-ship staff over a season—real relationships, real work, real stakes. Intimate and funny and unexpectedly moving about how people form bonds under pressure.

But It's structured like a narrative but without a plot arc; if you want destination rather than presence, you'll find it slow.