Dating and New York

Boy meets girl. Boy asks girl out. Boy falls in love with girl and the rest is history.

This classic story has been told time and time again but Dating and New York gives it a modern retelling. With an endless amount of dating app, it seems like love is easily accessible but in this day and age, too many choices make it hard to commit.

Milo and Wendy meet online in the land of New York City. They seem to hit it off and after spending one night together, they ghost each other. Milo and Wendy reconnect as the film progresses and layout some boundaries. They only want to experience the positives of a relationship without being committed to one another.

Dating and New York looks at the perfectly curated world within social media and what happens when the facade is broken. Milo makes his decisions based on what would be instagrammable and it puts unnecessary pressure on him. Milo’s insecurities to have the perfect relationship push him to convince Wendy that it is worth it. While Milo is a hopeless romantic, Wendy is the opposite and has commitment issues. Their differences are perfectly displayed in a scene where they get ice cream and Wendy selects multiple flavors while Milo sticks with one. The film hits hard at society’s inability to focus on what is currently in front of them.

Milo exhibits the struggles of today’s social media users. He uses social media as a form of assurance and validation. When he doesn’t get what he searching for he enters a place of insecurity. The film never dives deep into either character of Milo or Wendy to find the source of their fears and insecurities. It is too focused on the highs of their relationship.

What makes the film enjoyable is how it is set up as some kind of escape fantasy but dips into the reality of dating and relationships. It looks at a generation seeking something but scared to actually commit. Overall, it is a very charming film with playful banter and beautiful visuals such as the storybook opening.