“…grappling with anxiety over her upcoming college graduation when she chances upon a local ‘sugar baby’ scheme…”
Lastly – a minor grievance. In what elite, nonsensical world does this cast live in where college journalism students are in the running for a $50,000 award? A quick Google search will show you that prizes of such an exorbitant sum are few and far in-between. They also are reserved for long-term craftsmen or craftswomen who have demonstrated a lifetime of exemplary, in-depth reporting — not individuals who write dating columns for their school newspaper. This plot component also begs to justify the protagonist’s decision to delicately pimp herself out in the name of her story.
In the wise words of the millennial Internet: “weird flex but ok,” Carly Stone.
It is less about the story and more about the storyteller in offbeat rom-coms like these. Barden gives it her all — in a wide-eyed, overeager way that’s refreshingly opposite to her portrayal of the moody, devil-may-care leading lady in The End of the F***ing World. In that sense, she unveils a rare ability to charm the audience irrespective of a set role.
Such versatility obvious in The New Romantic should catapult the actress from emerging name to breakout star. One look at her IMDb page suggests that this is already underway — Barden has recently wrapped production on Jungleland, a film that will co-star Charlie Hunnam. Sharp as her older, greying, decadently rich benefactor is flawless. He manages to be both creepy and attentive, in a way that puts him above Blake’s other suitors while simultaneously cements him so far into his predatory game.
