Review: The Perfect Date

The Perfect Date takes the well-worn gigolo movie idea, sets it in a high school, and makes it G rated. The result is a fresh twist on an old story with the hot young actor Noah Centineo playing The Perfect Date.

The perfect word for Noah Centineo and The Perfect Date is cute. The definition of cute is appealing and delightful. Cute also implies light-weight or not serious. So: cute.

Centineo plays Brooks Rattigan, a high school senior with good grades, a top SAT score, and a burning desire to get into Yale. He stumbles onto the idea that he could be paid to be a stand-in date and save for college that way.

His first attempt as a stand-in date was to take Celia Lieberman (Laura Marano) to a dance. She was bitterly snarky with an outcast vibe. She stomped about in big boots.

After that first date, Brooks realized there was money in stand-in dating. He got his childhood best pal Murph (Odiseas Georgiadis) to build an app for his services. He started getting dates. He went to art shows, rodeos, on practice dates, walks, and on other kinds of harmless dates.

Brooks and Celia hit it off, despite her abrasive personality. But he really wanted to date Selby (Camila Mendes), the beautiful rich girl he met at a party. He eventually gets a fancy date with Selby (see the image up top).

Celia helps him get an interview with the Yale admissions officer. He should be happier than ever!

Right?

Maybe not.

With themes about honestly, knowing yourself, and setting self-actualizing expectations for your life, The Perfect Date has a uplifting message. It’s full of clever dialog, incisive quips, and aspirational teenaged characters.

You can see the film on Netflix.

Check out Noah Centineo in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.