"Ben, this is going to be so much worse if we do it on our own. We'll be stuck at singles tables and shelling out for hotel rooms to sleep in. Alone."
— Alice
Plus One is an American Romantic Comedy by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer. It stars Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine as Ben King and Alice Mori, single college friends who agree to platonically accompany each other throughout wedding season. Naturally, sparks begin to fly.
The film, whose cast also includes Beck Bennett, Rosalind Chao, Perrey Reeves, and Ed Begley Jr., debuted at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival ahead of a theatrical and digital release later that year.
Tropes:
- Age-Gap Romance: There's a notable age difference between Ben's old father Chuck and Chuck's fiancee Gina. After hearing that they're engaged, Ben's reaction is "Dad, she's like half your age!"
- Accidental Misnaming: An intoxicated Alice misnames Jess Ramsey as "Jen Rimbley".
- Meet Cute: Discussed when, at Jason and Sarah's wedding, Ben complains that he hasn't had a meet-cute. Alice shoves him at a cute girl.Alice: What's a meet cute?
Ben: It's when two people meet each other and instantly fall in love. Like you know, when you reach for the same cereal at the grocery store. It's adorable, and you're like "Oh my god, you like Lucky Charms too? That's amazing, I'm Ben by the way." - Milestone Birthday Angst: Ben muses that their peers are all getting married because they "saw 30 on the horizon" and began getting engaged.
- Noodle Incident: Ben's best man speech in the beginning is a hit, and Matt praises the use of the "hotdog story", but that incident is never elaborated on.
- Seduction-Proof Marriage: Jess rebuffs Ben by holding up her ringed-up hand and telling him she's engaged.
- Shotgun Wedding: Sarah's sister mentions at her speech that she's not sure whether Jason's proposal or Sarah's pregnancy came first, to awkwardness from the audience.
- There Is Only One Bed: Platonic dates Ben and Alice have to share a bed after Jason and Sarah's wedding. Ben complains that Alice wants to cuddle and doesn't want boners coming in to the equation.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Alice puking is hidden by the metal bucket Ben holds up to her mouth.
