The COVID-19 lockdown forced us to find new ways to connect with others and possibly find love…but the lockdowns were temporary. In Stanley Wong’s romantic sci-fi, Future Date, what would happen if the separation was permanent?
In the not-so-distant future, environmental disasters will ravage the Earth, making it unlivable. Surviving citizens will be forced to live in small pods, as venturing outdoors is dangerous due to high temperatures and other natural disasters. Thankfully, the internet still works.
Our story concerns two strangers, Ry (Stanley Wong) and Ria (Shuang Hu). Ry is an awkward young man with a bit of an obsession with finding his true love. When online dating, his eagerness comes out, which scares off potential matches. On the other hand, Ria is a hardworking businesswoman who can’t seem to find that break that will give her professional and financial security.
To break her rut, Ria enters a contest offering the winner a new home. It’s the status symbol she needs. However, she doesn’t realize that the contest is a relationship contest. Her partner is Ry (whom she has never met), and the contest’s creator, Dallas (Johnny Pemberton), monitors the pair’s progress via hologram. Ry and Ria have three days to reach a compatibility score of 100 or return to their humdrum lives as before.
“Ry and Ria have three days to reach a compatibility score of 100 or return to their humdrum lives as before.”
Future Date examines relationships in the world today. Ry is so desperate to be in a relationship that his dream slowly slips away with every rejection. Ria is so hurt by the relationships in her life that her sole focus is on her career and getting validation that she succeeded by winning a home.
In the vein of When Harry Met Sally, it’s hard not to root for Ry and Ria to fall for one another, and Stanley Tong puts the two through the wringer. It’s a constant battle between what the mind wants and what the heart wants. Storywise, love is teased, and then love is denied. One conceit in the film is that everyone has been isolated and interacts virtually. When Ry and Ria are finally together, they now have the added challenge of reconciling the emotional and the physical.
There is a lot of charm in Future Date. Our leads, Wong and Hu, give fantastic performances. The special effects are top-notch for a low-budget indie. There is no single flaw to this virtual world they live in. This world feels big even though we spend most of our time in a single location.
My only issue is the post-apocalyptic world our protagonists live in. This is a personal preference, whereas comedies often set in these extreme situations but fail to address the stakes. Living in a world that is dying from an environmental catastrophe should not be glossed over; otherwise, it feels wholly ignored. I get it. It’s a device that keeps people isolated over long periods. In the end, it feels cheap. Again, this is a personal preference.
The charm of Future Date lies in its heartfelt exploration of human connection in a world dictated by distance. Wong and Hu’s poignant performances breathe life into a story that cleverly juxtaposes humor and emotion. While the post-apocalyptic backdrop occasionally feels underdeveloped, it is a poignant metaphor for modern isolation, making this indie gem a compelling watch for romantics and sci-fi enthusiasts alike.
"…Love is teased, and then love is denied."
