Ever since To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before came out on Netflix the world has fallen in love with Noah Centineo, and I am right there with them. This boy could honestly charm the socks off of anyone.
If you loved TATBILB you are most definitely going to like The Perfect Date. Centineo isn’t the only great thing about this movie. It is an amazingly witty and adorably cute movie.
Centineo’s character Brooks Rattigan desperately wants to get into Yale University but doesn’t have the money he needs to do so or a great idea for his application essay. After taking a classmate’s cousin, Laura Marano’s character Celia Lieberman, to a formal for some cash, Brooks gets the idea to create an app that will allow girls to request his services as their date for the night.
The girls get to decide exactly who they want Brooks to be and how they want him to act for the date. Brooks does everything from going on date with a girl to help her learn how to talk on dates to being a downright jerk to a girl’s father so they will be more accepting of her actual boyfriend. Of course, he does all of these “dates” in true gentlemanly fashion.
Brooks thinks by being different versions of himself he may just find the true version of himself and come up with an idea for his application essay.
The movie isn’t without a queen bee character. The beloved Riverdale star Camila Mendes plays the role in this one and she does an outstanding job as usual.
As I’m sure you already guessed, Brooks does develop a crush for Mendes character Shelby Pace. Shelby goes to the same “rich kid” school as Celia and all the other girls Brooks goes on “dates” with. Shelby isn’t a total queen bee. She does have some redeeming qualities.
In my opinion, the movie was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It spoke true to teen angst. It showed that sometimes everything we want isn’t everything we need. It also showed that college doesn’t mean we have to have everything figured out.
Most importantly it showed that being yourself is the best you you can be. Don’t change for anyone.
Photos Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly and Decider