SEATTLE — From the skyline to the street names, Love, Guaranteed showcases Seattle like it's a character.
"Seattle's great,” said actor and comedian Damon Wayans Jr. "That was one of the best stand-up weekends that I've had. People laughed so hard, I was like, ‘I'm moving here.’"
He stars alongside Rachael Leigh Cook in the unapologetically predictable but joyful rom com. She plays Susan, an attorney, and Wayans plays Nick, who wants to sue a dating website for fraud after going on 986 dates and not finding love.
Cook came up with the story idea after reading about a man who sued Coors for not using Rocky Mountain water to brew beer. She pitched the idea to writer and Mercer Island native Elizabeth Hackett, who created the script with writing partner Hilary Galanoy.
They brought some personal experience into the process.
"We both met our husbands doing online dating, and actually Hilary wrote my dating profile for me,” Hackett said.
Galanoy added, "It worked out well. We were also bridesmaids in each other's weddings."
Though the scenes were shot on location in Vancouver B.C., the film is set in Seattle and features an array of recognizable establishing shots.
"So many rom coms are set in New York City or San Francisco and I feel like, other than Sleepless in Seattle, there haven't really been that many there,” she said. “There's also something about fall in Seattle - actually, I'm missing summer in Seattle which I'm very angry about right now. But fall in Seattle is such a lovely season, it's before the rain really starts and it's such a gorgeous time where it's still warm and there are leaves and it's beautiful.”
Galanoy added, "Fall in Seattle just really lends itself to the whole romantic vibe of the movie."
The dating site at the heart of the lawsuit - called 'Love, Guaranteed' - is owned by a pretentious lifestyle expert who promotes a namaste lifestyle while running a cutthroat business. She's played by Heather Graham.
"I definitely feel like I've gone on spiritual journeys and gone on yoga retreats and tried to get enlightened, so I can relate to her in certain ways,” Graham said. "I want to be like her in that I want my own billion-dollar empire, that would be amazing. But, I think I'm a little bit nicer."
In true rom com fashion, Susan and Nick fail at online dating but succeed in finding unexpected romance.
After working together, Cook and Wayans have a good sense of each other’s strengths. So, what dating website profiles would they write for each other?
“She’s hard working, consistently pleasant, and doesn't eat a lot,” Wayans said.
Cook countered, “(He) has an amazing amount of random fascinating knowledge, some people say I'm funny, and he’s vegan.”
Nodding, Wayans added, “By the way, my sister calls me 'Snapple Facts.' Anytime I come in the room, I'm like, 'Hey guess what' and she's like, 'What now, Snapple Facts?'"
Love, Guaranteed is now streaming on Netflix.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.