# This Is Me... Now: A Love Story

**This Is Me... Now: A Love Story** is a 2024 musical film starring [Jennifer Lopez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-lopez), released on Prime Video on February 16, 2024 as a genre-bending Amazon Original companion to her album *[This Is Me... Now](https://www.edgepedia.org/this-is-me-now)*, her first studio album in a decade.<sup>[1](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/watch-this-is-me-jennifer-lopez-prime-video)</sup> Directed by music video director Dave Meyers and co-written by Lopez, Matt Walton, Meyers, and Chris Shafer, the roughly 65-minute film presents Lopez's journey to love through a surreal, mythological lens, financed by Lopez herself at a reported $20 million.<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://au.variety.com/2024/film/features/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-musical-film-ben-affleck-love-story-12832/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | Prime Video, February 16, 2024, globally, as an Amazon Original<sup>[1](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/watch-this-is-me-jennifer-lopez-prime-video)</sup> |
| Runtime | About 65 minutes (listed as 1h 5m on Rotten Tomatoes, 66 mins on Flicks)<sup>[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_me_now_a_love_story)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.flicks.com.au/movie/this-is-menow-the-film/)</sup> |
| Director and writers | Dave Meyers; written by Jennifer Lopez, Matt Walton, Dave Meyers, and Chris Shafer<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup> |
| Financing | Self-funded by Lopez at a reported $20 million<sup>[3](https://au.variety.com/2024/film/features/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-musical-film-ben-affleck-love-story-12832/)</sup> |
| Companion works | The album *This Is Me... Now* (her ninth studio LP and first in a decade) and a behind-the-scenes documentary, *The Greatest Love Story Never Told*<sup>[6](https://apnews.com/article/ad814b8eca82bb999b6e2fab13c91b4c)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)</sup> |
| Reception | 76% Tomatometer (58 reviews) and 72% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes; Metascore 61 from 20 critics on Metacritic<sup>[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_me_now_a_love_story)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup> |

## Spoilers

### Premise and structure

The film centers on a love-obsessed character named Alida, known as The Artist and played by Lopez, who is billed simply as "Artist" rather than under her own name.<sup>[7](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://apnews.com/article/be36dfa0bd8a23924a939299ed9389d3)</sup> It opens with an animated Puerto Rican fairy tale of star-crossed lovers, then moves through a series of surreal set pieces including a dystopian "heart factory," a motorcycle ride across salt flats, and a rain dance finale.<sup>[9](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/this-menow-love-story-musical-extravaganza-fuelled-fairytales-metaphors-obsessions)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)</sup> A "Zodiac Council" of celebrities watches and judges from above, reflecting the film's pervasive use of astrology.<sup>[10](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/feb/15/jlo-movie-review-this-is-me-now-a-love-story)</sup>

The Guardian described the result as "part visual album, part 'warts-and-all' autobiography, part animated Puerto Rican myth, part sci-fi epic, part celebrity satire and part self-help exercise."<sup>[10](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/feb/15/jlo-movie-review-this-is-me-now-a-love-story)</sup> In the film, the Artist counsels with a therapist played by [Fat Joe](https://www.edgepedia.org/fat-joe) about her failed relationships and inability to find true love, and one musical number, "Rebound," depicts an abusive relationship through a dance sequence in a glass house.<sup>[9](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/this-menow-love-story-musical-extravaganza-fuelled-fairytales-metaphors-obsessions)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://apnews.com/article/be36dfa0bd8a23924a939299ed9389d3)</sup>

## Cast and cameos

The ensemble is wide-ranging. [Ben Affleck](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-affleck), the real-life inspiration for the project, appears as a broadcast news anchorman named Rex Stone who declares "Love Is Dead," and as Alida's unnamed motorcycle-riding lover who breaks her heart before returning in the final scene.<sup>[7](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.flicks.com.au/movie/this-is-menow-the-film/)</sup> Other cast members include Fat Joe as the therapist, [Jane Fonda](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-fonda) as Sagittarius, Trevor Noah as Libra, Kim Petras as Virgo, Post Malone as Leo, Keke Palmer as Scorpio, Sofía Vergara as Cancer, Jenifer Lewis as Gemini, Jay Shetty as Aries, and [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-degrasse-tyson) as Taurus.<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup> Derek Hough and spiritual leader Sadhguru also appear.<sup>[1](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/watch-this-is-me-jennifer-lopez-prime-video)</sup>

## Background

The project grew out of Lopez's rekindled relationship with Affleck. She met the actor while filming *Gigli* in 2001, became engaged in 2002 around the release of her album *[This Is Me... Then](https://www.edgepedia.org/this-is-me-then)*, which was inspired by that romance, and the pair broke up before reuniting and marrying in 2022.<sup>[6](https://apnews.com/article/ad814b8eca82bb999b6e2fab13c91b4c)</sup> The new album and film form a sequel to the 2002 record, and the film's title draws on a description of their romance in one of Affleck's love letters to Lopez.<sup>[11](https://time.com/6695363/jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck-relationship-timeline/)</sup>

Lopez told *Rolling Stone* she wanted to do "something different, new, special, one of a kind," and asked collaborators to trust her vision even when they did not know what they were signing up for.<sup>[12](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-ben-afleck-album-55872/)</sup> The release is one component of a three-part project that also includes the album and a making-of documentary.<sup>[7](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)</sup>

## Reception

Critical response was mixed to favorable. Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 76% Tomatometer from 58 reviews, with a critics consensus calling the film "an extravagant ode to the titular emotion" and "an over-the-top delight for fans"; its audience score stood at 72%.<sup>[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_me_now_a_love_story)</sup> Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 61, based on 20 critic reviews split evenly between positive and mixed, with a user score of 7.3.<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup>

Reviewers divided over the film's candor and its craft. [The A.V. Club](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-a-v-club) called it "a genuinely moving, absurdist autobiography of a dynamic persona in flux," while RogerEbert.com wrote that "there is bravery here as Lopez opens up her old wounds for all to see."<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup> [Sight and Sound](https://www.edgepedia.org/sight-and-sound) praised it as "impressively well-structured and economical filmmaking" that balances sincerity with tongue-in-cheek meta comedy.<sup>[9](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/this-menow-love-story-musical-extravaganza-fuelled-fairytales-metaphors-obsessions)</sup> The Guardian found it "too many parts to make something that feels whole," and The Guardian's reviewer nonetheless credited Lopez's "undeniable screen magnetism."<sup>[10](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/feb/15/jlo-movie-review-this-is-me-now-a-love-story)</sup> The New York Times judged that the project "doesn't seem to have brought Lopez any closer to serenity or levity," while [The Irish Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-irish-times) called the film bizarre but "always watchable."<sup>[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2024/02/16/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-review-jennifer-lopezs-bizarre-film-is-always-watchable/)</sup>

## References

1. [How to watch 'This Is Me...Now: A Love Story', About Amazon](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/watch-this-is-me-jennifer-lopez-prime-video)
2. [This Is Me…Now: A Love Story Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/this-is-menow-a-love-story/)
3. [Jennifer Lopez's $20 Million Gamble, Variety](https://au.variety.com/2024/film/features/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-musical-film-ben-affleck-love-story-12832/)
4. [This Is Me... Now: A Love Story, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_me_now_a_love_story)
5. [This Is Me...Now: A Love Story, Flicks](https://www.flicks.com.au/movie/this-is-menow-the-film/)
6. [Music Review: Jennifer Lopez returns to her pop music throne, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/ad814b8eca82bb999b6e2fab13c91b4c)
7. [A Guide to All the Cameos in This Is Me...Now: A Love Story, Time](https://time.com/6695358/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-cast-jennifer-lopez/)
8. [Movie Review: J.Lo's very wacky, very wild, very J.Lo journey to love, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/be36dfa0bd8a23924a939299ed9389d3)
9. [This is Me…Now: A Love Story review, Sight and Sound (BFI)](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/this-menow-love-story-musical-extravaganza-fuelled-fairytales-metaphors-obsessions)
10. [This Is Me … Now: A Love Story review, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/feb/15/jlo-movie-review-this-is-me-now-a-love-story)
11. [A Comprehensive Timeline of Bennifer, Time](https://time.com/6695363/jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck-relationship-timeline/)
12. [How Jennifer Lopez Masterminded That Ben Affleck-Inspired Album and Musical Movie, Rolling Stone](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-ben-afleck-album-55872/)
13. [This Is Me … Now: A Love Story review, The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2024/02/16/this-is-me-now-a-love-story-review-jennifer-lopezs-bizarre-film-is-always-watchable/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Musical and music films (individual works) › Musical films of the 2010s and 2020s › Released 2021 to 2026*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

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