Dating & New York (2021)

Dating & New York takes a familiar rom-com setup and makes it feel freshly lived-in, thanks to a script that’s quick on its feet and dialogue that snaps with real, modern dating-app energy. Jaboukie Young-White and Francesca Reale have the kind of chemistry that turns casual banter into something you want to lean closer to, while Catherine Cohen barges in like a comedic lightning bolt and keeps the movie humming. The vibe is breezy, bright, and distinctly Manhattan—more about the messy comedy of boundaries and feelings than grand, sweeping melodrama. If you’re allergic to romantic-comedy conventions, you’ll recognize some beats, but the charm here is in how smartly and warmly it plays them.

Dating & New York wants to be a modern, apps-era rom-com with a clever “friends-with-benefits contract” hook and a very New York sense of self-awareness. The problem is it teases freshness, then slides into familiar rom-com beats so predictably that the supposed twisty honesty can feel a bit smug and oddly safe. The pacing drifts, and the central romance doesn’t always generate the spark you’re waiting for, which makes the emotional payoff land softer than it should. Still, if you’re in the mood for a light, PG-13 relationship comedy with a few charming moments and you don’t mind clichés, it can play as easy background comfort rather than a must-see.