An attempted throwback to the age of RomComs makes you unsure whether the 80s should have called and asked for their movies back.
The 80's RomCom fits into a specific genre all by itself. From Say Anything to When Harry Met Sally, the 80's RomCom has this feeling that surrounds it that hearkens back to a lighter, more fanciful time. In The Perfect Date, Netflix takes this old, tried and pure formula of the 80's RomCom and creates a space for it in the modern world. While the gesture is noticeable and professionally crafted, there are a few questions that bubble to the surface as you watch this film that can't be ignored. Despite that, it's a film that tries its hardest to fill the shoes of the movies that came before it, all the while aiming to bring back the nostalgia that surrounds films of this type.
Brooks Ratigan (Noah Centineo) is an average guy from the suburbs, trying to make his dream of getting to Yale a reality while picking up hours at the local sub shop. He quickly realizes that this won't be enough to pay for his degree, but a chance meeting with classmate sets him up to go on a date with a girl and get paid for it. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, Ratigan jumps head-first into it, meeting Celia Marano (Laura Marano), a girl who loves books and combat boots. After successfully navigating the date and getting paid for it, Ratigan hits on an idea to rent out his services as an escort. By tapping into the skills of his programmer buddy Murph (Odiseas Georgiadis) he builds an app that helps him to get paid to go out on dates with girls, allowing them to customize every aspect of his personality. Rubbing shoulders with the rich and powerful introduces him to the girl of his dreams, Shelby Pace (Camila Mendes), and as the money rolls in, Ratigan seems to be all set for Yale. Unfortunately, life has other plans, and Ratigan gets caught up in a whirlwind of self-determination that sees him wondering about the essential facets of his own personality.
The movie aims to be surprisingly deep, but at times it falls short of this. The characters seem to be the expected norm for 80's RomComs, but names like Brooks Ratigan don't endear them to the audience. There are conflicts and desires in the movie, but after having gone through the era of the gritty '90s, the situations introduced by the film to help the audience connect with the protagonist are a bit weak. The depiction of teen behavior is spot on though and is recognizable to anyone who went to high school in the '90s or '00s, from the internalized angst to the wishing to make oneself stand out, all of them fit seamlessly into this representation of a teenager. The true conflict in the film comes from Brooks Ratigan trying to figure out who he is. At its core, this movie is a film about self-discovery, but it's intertwined with several overlaid themes that support the initial premise. Ratigan has to pretend to be someone else on every date, and while that does seem like a lot of fun, it can lead to an identity crisis. In the case of a teenager who hasn't managed to figure out who he is yet, we see Ratigan struggling to answer this question throughout the film, and it lends a lot of weight to the movie.
The writing in this movie is typical Netflix fare for RomComs. There's a hint of humor, and the script works to bring out the questions the film is trying to ask. Some things are questionable of course - Ratigan's home life and his interactions with his father seem forced as if the writers included it because he has to come from SOMEWHERE right? The parts of the film that explore the deeper relationships between the characters are fleshed out for the most part, although too little time was dedicated to the Brooks-Murph friendship and the audience was expected to take it as a given. While it's an adequate script, some things should have been explored that weren't, and it leaves the viewer a little stranded.
The casting choices for this film were brilliant. Noah Centineo embodies the happy-go-lucky, witty highschooler of Brooks Ratigan and Laura Marano breathes life into Celia Marano, so much so that they seem like the most influential people in any given room. But this strength is also a weakness. The supporting cast of Odiseas Georgiadis and Camila Mendes don't get nearly enough screen time as they should, nor are their ideas and motivations appropriately explored, allowing the actors depth of exploration of the characters. The few moments we do see Murph, the audience has a myriad of questions that never got answered. Mendes is a wonderful actress but doesn't get nearly enough time with the character to make her pop. On the bright side, we still get to indulge in one of our favorite past times of watching Noah Centineo make goo-goo eyes at various women.
While the movie does move at a good clip, there are a few holes in the floor. The most notable problem happens in the scenes that involve Rattigan's father. There is an allusion to a mother who deserted them in the past, and that rounds out the general tone within the household, but looking at Ratigan's behavior, it doesn't seem as though any of this truly phases him. Instead, we are treated to the vision of a struggling writer dad trying to make ends meet at the local community college in between the action of Brooks trying to be every single stereotype of the perfect date there is. The pacing isn't horrible, and it doesn't drag at all, but a few odd moments here and there pull you back too far from what's really going on.
We already established that this movie is the modern-day iteration of the 80's RomCom. While it tries to bring us that feeling of nostalgia, it certainly isn't any Sixteen Candles level of intense. It's a light-hearted film, the kind that Netflix excels in making, but it feels like more cotton candy than anything else. It's sweet, has a satisfying conclusion, and ticks all the boxes for what a film like this should be. But it feels manufactured. And that's probably the most telling thing about its composition. Just like Ratigan is trying to be the guy that every woman wants on their date, the film is trying to be every 80's RomCom you liked to hook you. It does tickle the nostalgia nerve, but it doesn't quite succeed in making itself a classic in the vein of its predecessors.
While it has its flaws if you're looking for a feel-good watch that it's more fluff than substance, this is one that you should check out. Fans of Noah Centineo would enjoy it, and the movie does deliver a unique exploration into teenage self-discovery. If, however, you're looking for something intense, lasting, and lingering then you're better off looking elsewhere. It's a teen movie, definitely, but it's not patterned after the iconic classics like The Breakfast Club. This isn't a film you're going to see grand gestures like boom-boxes outside windows, but it does give a nice, fuzzy feeling when things come together. It's a relatively stable movie, but it won't be remembered for pushing the envelope or doing anything that breaks the mold.
Disclaimer : The views expressed in this article belong to the writer and are not necessarily shared by trinikid.com