The New Romantic
2018 · Directed by Carly Stone
Original language: English
- drama
- comedy
The story
In order to escape her looming post-graduation fate that includes student debt and zero romantic prospects, Blake Conway becomes a sugar baby. As the aspiring journalist and hopeless romantic documents the adventure, she sets out on a quest to figure out if society is right to judge these women and if her own self worth comes with a price.
What it’s like
Bright, unfussy daylight and handheld, close-in camera work keep the mood intimate and a little restless, the way a young woman's life feels when she is trying on a new identity. The palette runs to warm apartment interiors, cool hotel suites and the glossy surfaces of upscale restaurants, with a wry, chatty energy carried by quick cuts, voiceover and direct glances to the lens. Its vibe is bittersweet and sharp-tongued, the sort of comedy that lets a serious question sit beside a joke. It suits a weekend afternoon when you want something funny with an ache underneath, or a lazy evening on the couch with a glass of wine. Pacing is brisk and conversational, and the emotional line follows a recent graduate slowly seeing past her own cynicism and the expectations pressed on her, with her friendships and self-doubt given as much room as the romance. Intensity is low: some sexual situations and frank talk about money and dating, but no violence, gore or real cruelty, and the discomfort is social rather than frightening. It is for people who enjoy romantic comedy with a critical eye on class, desire and self-worth, and for anyone who has felt the pressure of a life that does not match the plan.
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