The New Romantic (2018)

The New Romantic feels like a rom-com that grew up, looked around at the post-grad economy, and decided to tell the truth with a grin instead of a lecture. Jessica Barden makes Blake crackle with nervous charm and messy sincerity, so even when she’s making questionable choices you can’t stop rooting for her to find a version of adulthood that doesn’t feel like a punishment. Director Carly Stone keeps the tone bright and conversational—funny, a little bruised, and surprisingly tender—while letting the story ask uncomfortable questions about money, desire, and what we trade for validation. It’s not for viewers who want pure escapism or a tidy fairy tale, but if you like smart, contemporary dramedies with a real pulse under the jokes, this one is an easy yes.

The New Romantic is clearly trying to be a witty, modern coming-of-age story that pokes at romance myths while exploring the messy reality of sugar dating and self-worth. The problem is it often settles for a glossy, “quirky” tone where you can feel the script pushing for Meaning, even when the characters and ideas aren’t developed deeply enough to earn it. The pacing can be uneven, and the big questions it raises about feminism, power, and transactional intimacy get touched on more than truly examined. Still, Jessica Barden brings an appealingly sharp, awkward energy and there are a few genuinely funny, relatable moments—just don’t go in expecting a hard-hitting social critique or a fully satisfying rom-com payoff.