Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Nobody Wants This!
Netflix’s new rom-com Nobody Wants This includes a perfect kiss scene between Adam Brody’s Noah and Kristen Bell’s Joanne that beats almost any other I’ve seen. When I first heard the news about the show, I leapt at the chance to cover it. Brody and Bell, aka Dave Rygalski from Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, as a couple in the cast of Nobody Wants This? Yes, please! As an unapologetic rom-com lover, I had high expectations going into the Netflix show. The show hooked me when I saw Noah and Joanne’s meet cute in the first episode.
I expected plenty more witty banter and intense chemistry, but I still wasn’t prepared for Noah and Joanne’s kiss scene. When it comes to top-notch kiss scenes, the competition is fierce. At the top of my list are the scenes of Holly Golightly and Paul Varjack in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Jennifer and Needy in Jennifer’s Body, Nick and Jess in New Girl, and Ennis and Jack in Brokeback Mountain. Despite competing with a century of movies and TV shows, the first kiss between Joanne and Noah will unquestionably top this list of the best kisses for many viewers, myself included.
Why Kristen Bell & Adam Brody’s First Kiss In Nobody Wants This Is So Perfect
The Cinematography, Writing, And Acting Choices Make The Nobody Wants This Kiss Scene
Breaking it down, the kiss scene between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody is perfect for so many reasons. Firstly, the fact that they wait to kiss until after they’ve spent more time together allows for a build-up over time. The Nobody Wants This scene also proves that consent is sexy – an assertion I will always stand by. Unlike most top kiss scenes, Noah and Joanne discuss kissing before it happens, which increases the emotional thrill. This makes the payoff so much more satisfying.
I find it deeply intimate that Noah loosely puts one hand on her cheek and the other on her lower back, making it seem like an action filled with emotion and tenderness.
Additionally, the body positioning in the kiss plays into the scene’s success. I find it deeply intimate that Noah loosely puts one hand on her cheek and the other on her lower back, making it seem like an action filled with emotion and tenderness. There’s no demand in his actions, making it even better when Joanne leans into it. The scene is also staged in a way that makes them feel like they’re in their own world despite life continuing around them.
The kiss scene is also a prime example of why the soundtrack of Nobody Wants This is so brilliant. They picked the perfect selection for the song “See Her Out (That’s Just Life)” by Francis and the Lights. The music starts enticing but lower in volume and complexity, building up and swelling as they get closer to kissing. The music editors smartly chose a part of the song without lyrics so that the action onscreen would get complete focus.
Lastly, the lighting on Kristen Bell and Adam Brody leading up to and during the kiss subtly influences the scene in a way that I love. In the first two episodes, they discuss how different their lives are, presenting them as star-crossed lovers. Before the kiss, Joanne’s face is lit with warm tones, and Noah’s is lit with cool tones. As they lean in, their faces remain lit the same way, but the backs of their heads become lit up with the opposite person’s tone, making it feel harmonious.
Joanne & Noah’s Nobody Wants This Romance Is Refreshing Compared To Recent TV Rom-Coms
Nobody Wants This Isn’t A Stereotypical Romantic Comedy
On top of the phenomenal kiss scene, Nobody Wants This offers a romance that feels exceptionally fresh and real. Rather than continuing the will-they-won’t-they romance throughout the entire season, the two start seeing each other in episode 3 and become an official couple in episode 4. Once they decide to be together, they try to make it work. Other than the momentary blip where Joanne feels the ick, I never see a moment where they never stop falling for each other. I love the straightforward nature of their relationship because it feels authentic and relatable.
Nobody Wants This
reflects the growing trend of people focusing on their careers and finding love later in life.
Moreover, zany hijinks don’t impair Noah and Joanne’s relationship. There’s no unbelievable makeover scene or fake dating situation that brings them together. While these tropes of rom-coms are so much fun, they get tiring when every TV show and movie in the genre uses them. Instead, the primary conflict in Nobody Wants This is their differing life experiences, values, and religion – issues that I’ve seen tear apart real-life relationships. Because of this, Joanne and Noah’s relationship looks more like a genuine romance that isn’t made-for-TV.
In addition, I love the fact that the rom-com focuses on two characters in their 40s who are child-free, not divorced, and enjoying their careers. Far too often, romantic comedies focusing on people 40 and over lean into the “second-chances” trope, whether that be finding love after kids, divorce, or a career change. While this is valid, it’s not everyone’s experience. Nobody Wants This reflects the growing trend of people focusing on their careers and finding love later in life. It’s incredibly encouraging to see more variety in the types of characters appearing in the rom-com genre.
Nobody Wants This Finally Gives Kristen Bell & Adam Brody The Rom-Com Success They Deserve
Kristen Bell And Adam Brody Got Their Big Breaks As Teen Drama Romantic Leads
While this is their first romantic comedy together, the two lead actors of Nobody Wants This are known for playing romantic leads in the early aughts. Romance wasn’t the focus of Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell’s big break, but the titular character’s love life was a significant part of the show. Meanwhile, Adam Brody played Lane Kim’s boyfriend in Gilmore Girls, and his breakout role as Seth Cohen in The OC was deemed a teen heartthrob. Since then, both actors have appeared in romantic dramas and romantic comedies.
Adam Brody Romantic Comedies |
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In The Land of Women (2007) |
Baggage Claim (2013) |
Life Partners (2014) |
Think Like a Man Too (2014) |
Sleeping With Other People (2015) |
Kristen Bell’s rom-coms have seen mixed success; most are vastly underrated. Adam Brody has also appeared in multiple strong rom-coms that don’t get the attention and recognition they deserve. Some of his romantic roles have been leads, but many have been supporting characters. He actually appears briefly in my favorite rom-com of all time – Sleeping With Other People. However, neither has had a hit romance role since their start. As such, it’s great to see Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This, one of the best TV romances in recent years.
