Rom-coms are back in the fast lane again, and Prime Video has just released the trailer of Maintenance Required, a slick, grease-spotted love story gearing up to hit theaters on October 8. With Madelaine Petsch starring as a small-town mechanic who despises her rival by day and fancies her on Instagram by night, this film is essentially You’ve Got Mail with car grease, and I am not annoyed.
Charlie’s Got Wrenches and Issues with Trust
Petsch plays Charlie, the proprietor of an all-female garage shop, and honestly? She’s delivering main character vibes. She’s spirited, strong-willed, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend her shop. However, when Beau (Jacob Scipio) drives into town in his flashy corporate shop directly across the street from her shop, Charlie finds herself in a high-stakes battle over customers. The joke? That Beau is her anonymous online confidant and the one to whom she’s been spilling her guts. This guy’s her competition and her lust object. The rom-com deities plain and simple stated, “Make it messy. Make. It. Messy.”
Under the Hood: A Love Story
The premise is deliciously dramatic: girl vs. boy, grease vs. gloss, online intimacy vs. awkwardness IRL. Yeah, the trailer has us questioning how these two didn’t realize they’re literally on opposite sides of the road from one another, but I’m happy to suspend reality. Perhaps there’s a clandestine mechanic dating app we’re unaware of. Either way, it’s effective because sometimes the greatest rom-coms don’t come to revolutionize the wheel but polish it even brighter.
The Cast Is Providing a Rom-Com Ensemble
Headlined by Lacey Uhlemeyer, Maintenance Required holds nothing back when it comes to casting. Allying itself with Petsch and Scipio are Madison Bailey (Outer Banks), Katy O’Brian (The Mandalorian), Inanna Sarkis, Matteo Lane, and comedic great Jim Gaffigan. A mix of up-and-comers and established scene-chewers feels exactly perfect for a light romantic comedy.
Why I’m Hooked Already
This film is check-marking all of my guilty-pleasure favorites: secret identities, slow-burning enemies-to-lovers angst, and at least one fated “you lied to me!” scene. Top it off with vintage automobiles and an all-female garage? I’ve already popped it on the list.
Release Information
- Premiere: October 8, 2025, on Prime Video
- Runtime: 100 minutes Rating: PG-13
- Genre: Romantic Comedy
Fall is becoming prime rom-com season, and Maintenance Required is the kind of cozy, ridiculously endearing story of love I will be absolutely fine snacking on popcorn and drinking a glass of wine while viewing.
