If we’re being perfectly honest, Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell basically had us at Amber Riley.
She’s been lighting up our screens and hearts since Glee, so it was an utter delight to have her venture into the romance genre again for The CW’s Harlequin slate.
And the film, unsurprisingly, didn’t disappoint, giving us self-discovery, strong friendship, laughs, and a sweet love story, too.
Savvy’s journey throughout the film was a matter of her figuring out who she was again, outside of a five-year relationship with the insufferable Jason.
Sure, she and Jason made peace by the end of the film, and something must have endeared him to her, but as an outsider, he was a nuisance who stifled Savvy’s growth while trying to change her too much.
Jason lost me the moment he forgot their fifth anniversary, spoke down to her about valuing her Nani’s legacy, and thought the perfect gift for her was a gift card for a full-body makeover after pre-ordering her salad on their date.
Frankly, it was a waste of a partnership to have someone whose love language is food be with someone who counts his calories, and to have spent years with a full-figured woman and yet acted as if it was his sworn duty to remind her to “get in shape.”
So, yeah, Jason could kick rocks, barefoot, and if we didn’t have to see him again for the rest of the film, it would’ve been just fine. But alas, that’s not how the drama works.
But then most of the guys sucked in this movie. Ryan, of course, had some amusing moments as her boss who craved all her food, but he was also a pain at times. And Ken brought the comedy, but we knew so little about him.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t have been the only person waiting for Will to get his comeuppance a bit. It rubbed me the wrong way that his own selfishness is what drove him to resist Astrid’s initial desire to return to school.
He eventually admitted that he was afraid that if she grew and changed, she’d get sick of him, and he was scared of losing her. But any halfway decent partner would be more encouraging of their loved one’s dreams and of seeking out a new form of happiness.
All he did was work, and Astrid spent most of her time taking care of their son and trying to figure out who she was again, since she put part of her life on hold for the decade or so that she was married and raising a child.
Also, it was very frustrating that Will was the one who got into Isaiah’s head about being a “rebound” and basically almost sabotaged a perfectly healthy relationship because of some antiquated idea that you have to have a “bad pancake” in between relationships, because the rebound never gets a happy ending.
No, he wasn’t a bad guy or anything; he definitely loves Astrid, and he was easy on the eyes, but I couldn’t quite forgive his behavior throughout the film.
But that’s what made Isaiah so great. He was a genuinely good guy who instantly connected with Savvy, and he not only fell pretty hard for her, but he also saw her.
In just a short time, he understood her so much better than Jason could manage.
The beauty of his serving as her contractor, helping her renovate the kitchen, was seeing all the little ways he took into account who she was and made it his mission to create a world that adapts to her needs, rather than forcing her to make changes to fit everything around her.
Most guys wouldn’t even realize just how meaningful the smallest things were — like that wooden spoon drawer, or him making a whole bookshelf area that has just as much space for her Nani’s cookbooks as Nani’s would have for Savvy’s, because Isaiah could see the vision before even Savvy did.
What was lovely about this film was how Savvy was on her own self-care and self-growth journey, separate from her blossoming romance with Isaiah. He wasn’t her top priority throughout this… the romance was essentially the delicious topping on a full-bodied dessert rather than the whole dessert.
After a breakup, Savvy was forced to examine her life and what she wanted from it. She focused on her mind, body, and spirit, making adjustments to her life.
And, yes, she worked on her body, but blessedly, it wasn’t one of those things where it was about her believing that her life makeover had to include getting rail thin and catering to the male gaze.
Sadly, many films and shows can miss the mark with that, and Savvy Sheldon could’ve gone in that direction by teasing this notion that Jason wanted her to get in shape.
She also had a supportive network. Amber Riley sparkled as much as she always does. But if anyone deserved the title of scene-stealer, it was Nadine Whiteman as Tiny, Savvy’s mother.
The woman was hilarious, with so much personality, and they captured the fun dynamic of a mother/daughter duo and the type of solid, authentic friendship they could have as adults.
Every time Tiny was the one to mention something about Savvy’s sex life, I had to giggle. And it was precious that she emerged with a beau of her own, thanks to pickleball, which seems to be the elite sport for anyone over 40 these days.
As someone whose mother is her best friend, whom she tells just about everything, it was a dynamic I adored. I also loved how much they referenced Savvy’s Trini culture, just small references to it, and of course, through her dishes and styles.
Savvy, combining her Nani’s recipes and Nani’s style, bestowed on Savvy those of her idol, Chef Lucia, which made me smile.
As a foodie, there is NOTHING I adore more than fusion dishes. You get the best of many different worlds. The collaborative nature that brings a dish together is fun—putting a Trini spin on an Italian dish? It’s the type of stuff that makes America and our “bastardization” of food so great.
Savvy and Lucia’s dynamic was such a great aspect of the film, too, and I only wish we had more of it onscreen. But Lucia saw the passion in Savvy, her skillset, and everything else, and because of that, she was instrumental in helping Savvy achieve her own dreams.
In many ways, it seemed like they got inspiration from one another. Viva la sisterhood!
Of course, Savvy and Isaiah were at the heart of the film, and their romance was just so sweet. There’s nothing better than being seen and known, and Isiah was that for Savvy when she needed it most.
He was kind, a little awkward after experiencing his own breakup, and he really cared about Savvy. Their connection was sweet and simple, and sometimes, that’s exactly what’s necessary. They were aligned in all the right ways in how they approached life, viewed the world, and their values.
And outside of allowing Will to get inside of his head and stoke insecurities, Isaiah just loved and trusted in Savvy, and it was beautiful. I appreciated how they both have a similar love language of “acts of service.”
For him, it was creating the perfect kitchen to honor not just her but the memories of her nani. And for Savvy, it was food and pouring her heart and soul into every meal she gave him. Hell, he even attempted that too.
The pumpkin scones were dry, but he had the spirit.
It’s Isaiah’s ability to meet Savvy at her level, no matter what she was trying to achieve, that made him the perfect person for her, and vice versa.
I’ve noticed, thus far, the male leads aren’t as well-rounded and dimensional as the women. And that makes sense given the women are the stars of the film. But fortunately, it hasn’t detracted from the cuteness of the romances.
But those are my thoughts. I’m turning it over to you. What are yours?
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