Taglines: He’s whoever you want him to be.
The Perfect Date movie storyline. Brooks Rattigan (Noah Centineo) has the academic chops to get into his dream Ivy League school, but he’s missing an outstanding extracurricular–and the money. When he seizes on an opportunity to make some extra cash by posing as the boyfriend of a self-assured, combat-boot-loving girl named Celia Lieberman (Laura Marano), he finds that he has a knack for being the perfect stand-in.
With his programmer friend Murph (Odiseas Georgiadis), Brooks launches an app selling himself as a plus-one for all occasions. Along the way, he meets the girl of his dreams (Camila Mendes). But when business starts to boom, Brooks must reassess everything of which he was once sure.
The Perfect Date is a 2019 American teen romantic comedy film, directed by Chris Nelson from a screenplay by Steve Bloom and Randall Green. It is based on the novel The Stand-In by Steve Bloom, published by Carolrohda Lab in October 2017. The film stars Noah Centineo, Laura Marano, Camila Mendes, Odiseas Georgiadis and Matt Walsh. It was released on April 12, 2019, by Netflix.
About the Story
Brooks Rattigan is a teenage boy with dreams of getting into Yale, while his father, Charlie wants him to go to the University of Connecticut, which offered him a full scholarship. He works at a sub shop with his best friend, programmer Murph, but financing his college dreams proves troubling.
Brooks seizes the opportunity to make some extra money by posing as the boyfriend of his classmate’s wealthy cousin Celia Lieberman of Greenwich. He finds he has a knack for dating with his adaptable personality. Brooks meets beautiful but snobby Shelby and makes it his goal to win her over. Celia lies to Shelby and tells her he is from Darien rather than working class Bridgeport.
Murph creates and launches an app for Brooks, selling him as the plus-one for all occasions. After finding out that Celia has a crush on Franklin Volley, they set up a plan to fake break-up, in which each of them gets to be with Shelby and Franklin respectively. As business booms for Brooks, Murph feels neglected and cuts him off. Celia sets up an interview for Brooks at Yale, and is upset when she discovers he researched the Dean previously so lied to him in order to be liked. He justifies it, saying that it is no different from what he has been doing with his app.
Celia realizes that Franklin is not the person for her, however does not tell Brooks. When they conduct their fake break up, she is hurt by his words, and slaps him. Brooks is under the impression that it is all part of the act.
Following the “break-up”, Shelby kisses Brooks and asks him to accompany her to her school formal. They find it difficult to relate to one another and struggle to hold a conversation. At the formal, Brooks sees Leah, a girl who had used his app to “practice dating.” She thanks him for helping her through his app in front of Shelby, who is offended and disgusted by the app’s theme. Brooks reveals to Shelby that he is not from the wealthy town that she believes he is from, and that he needs the money to go to Yale. She calls him a liar and leaves.
Brooks approaches Celia, who is also at the dance. She declines his offer to dance, saying that she is not a backup. Brooks returns home and talks to his dad about what has been going on in his life. His dad reminds him that nobody truly knows who they are, and tells him he is proud of who his son is becoming.
Brooks decides to accept UConn’s offer, because if he has to pretend to be somebody else to go to Yale, he does not want to go. He makes up with Murph and also meets up with Celia to give her a letter. In it, Brooks reflects on how his previous ambitions were to drive the fanciest car, go to the nicest school, and date the prettiest girl. But he has discovered that these ambitions made him a bad friend, an ungrateful son, and a self-obsessed person. The times when he felt the most himself was when he was with Celia and wants to be with her.
The Perfect Date (2019)
Directed by: Chris Nelson
Starring: Noah Centineo, Laura Marano, Odiseas Georgiadis, Camila Mendes, Matt Walsh, Joe Chrest, Carrie Lazar, Alex Biglane, Blaine Kern, Zak Steiner, Ty Parker, Wayne Péré, Autumn Walker
Screenplay by: Steve Bloom, Randall Green
Production Design by: ames A. Gelarden
Cinematography by: Bartosz Nalazek
Film Editing by: Brad Wilhite, Tara Timpone
Costume Design by: Ann Walters
Set Decoration by: Angela Gail Schroeder
Art Direction by: Zach DePolo
Music by: Joe Wong
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Netflix
Release Date: April 12, 2019 (United States)
Views: 20
