These days, finding love could be as easy as swiping right. As the world of online dating has grown over the last two decades, websites and applications such as Tinder, Bumble, and OK Cupid have opened the doors for many budding romances.
In our second pandemic Valentine’s, it's about time that we kick back and revisit the kinds of romances that have been taking the internet by storm.
When Susan (Rachel Leigh Cook), a headstrong lawyer who can’t resist a fight for what’s right, begrudgingly takes on a case to save her miniscule law firm, she finds herself on a quest against love.
After almost a thousand dates, Nick (Damon Wayans Jr.) wants to sue the popular dating app Love, Guaranteed for fraud. After all, what app can guarantee love, right? But as the plot thickens and momentum builds up around the case, so does the unmistakable attraction between Nick and Susan.
With its comedic side characters, corporate tension, courtroom drama, and the seamless chemistry between its lead characters, this film brings the age-old dilemma of whether love is worth sacrificing in favor of doing what’s right. Spoiler alert—you can have both.
Ready to believe in love? Love, Guaranteed is available for streaming on Netflix.
In this classic quest for cash and opportunity, go-getter high school senior Brooks Rattigan (Noah Centineo) begins a side hustle as a stand-in boyfriend to save up for his dream of going to an Ivy League college. The app gives girls a completely customizable experience; from picking out the place, the vibe of the date, the date’s purpose, and even Brooks’ personality.
As Brooks’ first stand-in client, Celia Lieberman (Laura Marano) challenges his attempts at chivalry and being a proper date. Celia is edgy, unconventional, and unapologetically herself—a direct opposite of Brooks, who gets a little too good at being everything except himself. Predictably, a close friendship forms, and by the end of the film, the audience will be rooting for the two to end up together.
The Perfect Date is a predictable teen romcom in every way possible, but it can be a delight to watch. After all, luxurious dates and comedic banter aside, the film does tackle the relatable issue of trying to figure out who you are, outside of the things that make you sound impressive.
You can stream The Perfect Date on Netflix.
People in the digital dating scene are no danger to disasters. But for LA-based writer Natalie Bauer (Nina Dobrev), chronicling her own worst dates has practically become a professional endeavor. So when Natalie meets the "perfect" guy Josh (Jimmy O. Yang) on a dating app, the two hit it off and she decides to surprise Josh with a Christmas visit. Only, it seems that Natalie was in for a surprise than what she initially intended.
The heartfelt, comedic story of catfishing gone south is equal parts festive, disastrous, and earnest in its approach. It might feel a bit too Christmas for a Valentine's watch at times, but the messages that the film holds on the danger of white lies going out of control leads viewers into one satisfying happy ending.
It’s always a good day to love hard. Stream Love Hard on Netflix.
Fate meets statistical fact in this ironically imperfect online dating flick. As the multi-million dollar company Robinson Technologies faces a prospective downward spiral, its lazy, overconfident CEO Wes Robinson (Christopher Russell) is desperate for a fresh new product to shake the market and get the company's sales up to par.
Robinson Technologies finds its saving grace when Vivian (Kimberly-Sue Murray), a talented, career-driven programmer in the company, develops an algorithm that pairs users with their romantic "perfect match.” But as public interest, media coverage, and performance statistics rise and fall at a rapid rate, Wes and Vivian reluctantly face the idea of finding their perfect match in each other.
The Perfect Romance is undoubtedly a light-hearted, albeit predictable, watch. The idea of predicting one's most compatible romantic partner is an intriguing food for thought. But before second-guessing any current romantic partners you've met on a dating app, just remember that ultimately, who we're compatible with is more about the chemistry than the relationship's statistical compatibility.
Find your perfect match and stream The Perfect Romance on Netflix.
The final pick goes to a film that is the very definition of hot and heavy. Amidst the euphoric party scene of downtown Los Angeles, hookup culture is made easier with online dating. For the most part, it's all fun or chaos or both.
But when two date-savvy millennials, Martin (Nicholas Hoult) and Gabi (Laia Costa) match on a dating app, the two find much more than a one-time "DTF" arrangement. The film delves into the highs, lows, and unparalleled turmoil of an electric romance. The chemistry between Hoult and Costa is seamless, and takes the film's heavier themes up a notch. It is as much a commentary on today's cultures of hookups and dating apps, as it is a drama-romance film.
But while it reminds viewers about the heights at which physical and emotional boundaries are pushed in today's dating world, it also ultimately shows how even relationships that throw caution into the wind, could be more than just a fleeting flame.
For those eager to check out the hookup culture in today’s modern world, Newness is available for streaming on Netflix.
