Madelaine Petsch has been busy since Riverdale wrapped two years ago, and her new rom-com, Maintenance Required, looks like the perfect vehicle (pun intended) for the scene-stealer.
Petsch plays Charlie, a fiercely independent owner of an all-female mechanic shop who is forced to reevaluate her future when a flashy corporate competitor moves in across the street. Seeking comfort, she turns to an anonymous online confidant — unaware that she’s confiding in Beau (played by Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s Jacob Scipio), the very rival threatening her business. As sparks fly online and off, the truth threatens to tear everything apart.
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Petsch, who is also an executive producer on the movie, tells Glamour that the film, directed by Lacey Uhlemeyer, was exactly what she was looking to do, both from an acting and producing angle. “What initially stood out to me was how different Charlie is from most current female rom-com protagonists,” Petsch says. “Usually in heterosexual rom-coms, the man is the one who doesn’t believe in love and the woman softens him, but here it’s the opposite. I’ve also discovered that I love taking on roles where I can acquire a new skill to get into the character’s skin better, and going into mechanic training sounded like a fun challenge to me. And I’ve always been a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope; I think it’s adorable and timeless.”
So what else do we know about Maintenance Required, which premieres on Prime Video this fall? Here’s why it’s different from your typical rom-com, and how you can watch.
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When does Maintenance Required premiere?
The film premieres globally on Wednesday, October 8, on Prime Video.
Who stars in the rom-com?
In addition to Madelaine Petsch and Jacob Scipio, the cast includes Madison Bailey (Outer Banks), Katy O’Brian (The Mandalorian), Inanna Sarkis (Seance), comedian Matteo Lane, and comedian Jim Gaffigan (SNL, Unfrosted). Of her romantic rival, Petsch says, “Jacob is a really fun and charming actor. I had a great time doing improv with him, and I can’t wait for everyone to watch him bring Beau to life.”
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What is Maintenance Required about?
If you love You’ve Got Mail, then you’ll love the plot for Maintenance. Charlie is “a take no shit female business owner,” Petsch says. “She is a hard worker and really set in her ways when you meet her.” Something else about Charlie? She doesn’t really believe in love, but according to Petsch, “once love hits her over the head, she is so blind to it that it’s pretty charming.” Of course, that comes in the form of a flashy corporate competitor named Beau, who is also the same person who Charlie seeks advice from online, not knowing it’s the same guy.
But even though Maintenance Required is a rom-com, Petsch says it’s also an ode to friendship among women. “I can relate to having fantastic and strong female friends around who encourage [me] to grow and change. It’s also a love letter to female friendship.”
How is Maintenance Required different from other rom-coms?
“I think rom-coms have become a bit formulaic, so we tried our best to bring the film back to those times,” Petsch says, while naming Crazy Stupid Love as a “truly perfect film.”
Also, Petsch says she’s thrilled Maintenance “steers away from the ‘hot female mechanic’ trope,” noting that the costume designer “went out and got vintage mechanic coveralls that were meant to be Charlie’s dad’s before he passed away. They ended up being Charlie’s everyday work attire, so it was refreshing to see Charlie’s sex appeal come from how she carries herself and not the way she dresses.”
Is there a trailer?
Yes! On Tuesday, September 16, Prime Video dropped the trailer, which you can watch below.
And until the film’s premiere, check out Petsch as she breaks down Cheryl Blossom’s best looks from Riverdale.
This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR (US).
