In Spite of Ourselves (2026) – Review and Summary

A baker and comedian remind you that their jobs aren’t the only things that rely on timing and seem easier than they are – so is trying to be in a relationship.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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“In Spite of Ourselves” Film Details

  • Director(s): Josh Loeb
  • Writer(s): Josh Loeb
  • Runtime: 1 Hour(s) and 39 Minutes
  • Public Release Date (In Theaters): October 2, 2026
  • Genre(s): Romance
  • Content Rating: Not Rated
  • Primary Language: English
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Movie Summary

Archie and Hannah are up and coming in their respective fields. Archie is a comedian who will soon be taping his first live special, and Hannah? She is working on moving up in the ranks and not just baking the best cinnamon rolls around, but expanding to other ways to show her culinary talents. The two meet at the restaurant Hannah was working at, and their first date was nearly perfect. You could say that for the rest of the movie, they chase the perfection they felt on that first date and try to avoid how it ended.

Cast and Characters

Hannah (Conor Leslie) and Archie (Brett Dier) in In Spite of Ourselves

Archie (Brett Dier)

  • Character Summary: Archie is a LA-based comic on the rise who, by his peers and friends, may not be considered a people person, but there are exceptions.

Hannah (Conor Leslie)

  • Character Summary: Hannah is a baker and a Portland native who aspires to expand beyond baking and eventually run her own place.

Review and Commentary

Highlight(s)

The Push and Pull of Archie and Hannah’s Relationship [83/100]

Unlike many romance movies, the will they or won’t they of In Spite of Ourselves isn’t throw something at the screen levels of frustration. Instead, you go back and forth between squealing in excitement and your shoulders dropping, hoping you are only witnessing a minor setback. Because whether it is them being on opposite sides of the country, or their communication issues, you are given the same level of hope and disappointment as the leads feel.

But let it be clear: when things are good, it’s warm and cozy, and you’ll love seeing them cuddle and supporting each other through their individual trials and triumphs. You’ll hope that, despite Hannah’s friend, the distance, and Archie’s insecurities, because Hannah believes in them and Archie is aware of how good of a partner Hannah is, he’ll step up and she’ll continue to give him grace.

(L-R) Conor Leslie and Brett Dier in a scene from IN SPITE OF OURSELVES

Which isn’t to say Hannah gets nothing out of this. Archie’s humor may not be for everyone, but he does make Hannah laugh, even when she wants to cry. Also, he does truly make an effort. Sometimes his timing is off, but the movie makes it clear from the beginning that timing is going to be one of the major issues between these two. After all, it took a lot of effort for them to get a rhythm in their respective careers, and even now they still make mistakes. So it was never going to be quick for them to figure out how to be in a relationship with one another.

It Being Well Established Hannah and Archie Have Their Own Lives [84/100]

Something In Spite of Ourselves does surprisingly well is balancing Archie and Hannah’s lives. It’s not just in showing Archie on stage or Hannah cooking, but also showing them interact with their friends and establishing those relationships. Then there is their issues beyond the relationship and how they are handling that. What you get, which not a lot of romance films do well, is an understanding that these are two individuals with full lives trying to figure out a way to integrate into each other’s lives and make it work.

Hannah is dealing with one friend who is almost as pessimistic as Archie seems at times, her uncertainty about the next chapter of her career, and also a health issue. Archie is dealing with his father’s health, alongside his two friends who love him dearly, but can be a lot. Also, they are comics like him, and you can see his success doesn’t produce jealousy or envy, but does lead to little comments. The type that helps you understand why, when things get difficult for Archie, if he isn’t calling Hannah, he keeps things to himself.

(L-R) Brett Dier and Conor Leslie in a scene from IN SPITE OF OURSELVES

That’s how In Spite of Ourselves crafts these two characters. It makes it clear they have baggage they have to rearrange in their lives and hearts, and it is going to be challenging for them to be vulnerable about their imperfections. But in watching them struggle, you get one of the most earnest depictions of the pursuit of love you’ll find.

On The Fence

Archie Is Probably Not Going To Make You Laugh [74/100]

Humor is admittedly subjective, but I’d submit that Archie isn’t someone who is going to win you over with his stand-up comedy. The jokes just aren’t strong, and it is hard to say if they are even niche. But while he may not make you laugh with what he says on stage, he will make you smile regarding his banter with Hannah and how he flirts with her. That’s where his charm comes in and what leads to you understanding how his humor has led to his success. He’s not the quick joke-and-he-has-you-hooked type; you have to spend some time and make an effort to get into what he is selling.

Overall

Our Rating (80/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)

In Spite Of Ourselves figures a way to balance the highs of the honeymoon period with the lows of what makes a new relationship frustrating, without causing you to lose investment in the relationship it is selling. Yes, it does an excellent job of making you want Hannah and Archie to be happy, but it never forgets that it marketed you a relationship, and through it all, you never uncross your fingers and toes that Archie and Hannah will make it.

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.