Netflix’s Players | What is Netflix’s new rom-com about, who stars in it and when is it out?

For those looking for a new movie to watch this Valentine’s Day 2024, and believe us at NationalWorld when we tell you there is a lot of Valentine’s Day programming this year, you might wish to press the “Netflix” button on your Smart TV remote tomorrow morning. While opening all those Valentine’s Day cards, of course.

“Players” arrives on the streaming giant, bringing together “Jane The Virgin” actress Gina Rodriguez and “New Girl” actor Damon Wayans Jr. as the titular “players” of the film - two friends who come up with more elaborate ways for the pair to engage in one night stands, until matters of the heart start to override the most lustful nature of one of the characters.

It’s the latest film by former music video and “Pitch Perfect 3” director Trish Sie, who we last caught up with after the release of “Sitting in Bars with Cake,” based on Audrey Shulman’s book of the same name and which premiered on Prime Video last September. Reviews were positive, with many regarding Sie’s last feature an almost “genre film,” steeped in ‘80s melodrama akin to “Beaches” or “Steel Magnolias.”

Given the plot points of “Players,” could Sie be venturing further into “genre film” territory once again with a rom-com akin to those of the early millennia based on the notion that “there is no such thing really as a friend with a benefit” (like the movie of the same name or “No Strings Attached”)?

What is “Players” about?

“New York sportswriter Mack (Gina Rodriguez) has spent years devising successful hook-up “plays” with best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.) and their crew. While it has led to countless one-night stands over the years, following their playbook comes with a strict set of ground rules — chief among them: you can’t build a relationship from a play.” 

“When Mack unexpectedly falls for her latest target, charming war correspondent Nick (Tom Ellis), she begins to rethink the game entirely. As the lines between work, fun, friendship, and romance begin to blur, Mack must learn what it takes to go from simply scoring to playing for keeps.”

Who stars in “Players”?

Netflix has listed the following performers cast in lead roles in “Players”:

• Gina Rodriguez - Mack
• Damon Wayans Jr. - Adam
• Tom Ellis - Nick
• Joel Courtney - Little
• Liza Koshy - Ashley
• Augustus Prew - Brannagan

When is “Players” released on Netflix?

“Players” arrives on Netflix in the United Kingdom on February 14 2024 at 8am.