Plots: Among a handful of films that cheekily brave the ‘swiping’ culture now popular among millennials, “Bad Match” and “Love Hard” go the extra mile to put online dating to arduous tests. Whereas David Chirchirillo’s “Bad Match” unleashes a dangerous dimension of obsession with people you meet online, “Love Hard” fights for its voice in the realm of lies, gullibility, and self-discovery in the digital age.
Notwithstanding the risks it carries, searching for love through mobile apps specifically built, or at least marketed, for that purpose is increasing in popularity. But success with online dating is a far cry from reality, or so we’ve seen. Success in it is rarely achieved and by very few, if at all.
What’s more, the last thing we needed are films also testifying these unfortunate truths! As you’d guess by reading the title, “Bad Match” brings a frightening episode of a promising love match going horribly wrong on a mobile dating app, leading to unfathomable outcomes in two people’s once-happy lives. The film is obviously more relatable for millennials owing to the current trends of dating apps they are enchanted with. While on a highly different note, “Love Hard” meanders through the risky tunnels of online dating; it bring lies, deception, and a bag of bittersweet surprises to a naïve yet tenacious young woman.
Although both films take interesting but incomparable routes to weave their stories and highlight the risky facets of modern-day online dating, for us movie buffs, let us revisit the swipe lanes of each and see which movie has a better chance of matching our expectations!
If Only ‘Bad Match’ was Made on a Bit Larger Budget and had More Weight
Going by its story, what begins as a display of karmic exploits of a young man (Jack Cutmore-Scott as Harris) using dating apps to quench his thirst of casual attraction later becomes an unfortunate series of events involving kidnapping, violence, and murder. And with matters slowly spinning out of control, the movie highlights how terribly dangerous, naïve, and foolish it can be to trust a lovely face you met online.
However, even though the film knows its focus well, it falls short of size and breadth. The film lacks the necessary space and has limited resources to create the effect it intends to create. Not calling out the limitations of a small-budget film, however, most viewers would agree that giving more substance to the central roles and some more room to the storyline would have improved the film’s overall effect. Nevertheless, the film does reach the finish line and deliver its message.
‘Love Hard’ Deals with Trust Factor and Catfishing, Albeit in a Fairytale, Rom-Com Setting
Who’d expect finding love among a swarm of online profiles competing to get a piece of your time and attention? At least, Natalie Bauer (Nina Dobrev) didn’t. But as we see follow her unanticipated experiences with online dating in this idyllic romantic comedy, we get a bird’s eye view of some serious problems that are lurking openly on today’s web.
As Natalie discovers who she thought was a handsome, Mr. Perfect from the East Coast talking to her on mobile is a totally different person in reality, her luck pulls off a series of happenings she didn’t anticipate. But the movie comes full circle in hitting the ‘happy forever’ bell at the end as Natalie finally re-discovers the meaning of love for the better part of her life. Be ready to watch some inter-cultural mingling, familial intricacies, and re-evaluation of your beliefs in this 90-minute romance drama. The makers of the film chose to make it into a light-hearted comedy; however, looking at the lethality of cybercrimes related to online dating, not many such real-life incidents result in happy endings, to be bluntly honest.
Disappointment Uplifted by Happiness, Excitement marred by Tragedy
Call it cinematic magic if you will, but stories taking serious turns is what really piques viewers’ curiosity this is something we notice equally strikingly in both “Bad Match” and “Love Hard.” On one side you have a character regretting his lustful actions knocking on his own door seeking vengeance, and on the other you witness a character blaming her lack of maturity and gullible nature for her disappointments. And it’s because of these developments in each films’ storyline that audiences might stay interested until the end. While “Bad Match” summons frightening vibes of karma demanding justice in the most gruesome way, leaving you appalled at the end, watching “Love Hard” first makes your heartbeat race, then freeze, and then dance its way back to its rhythm.
So, Who Gets a Bigger Slice of Appreciation?
Well, it might be fairer if you decide for yourself! (pun intended). Both films are very distinct and unique in their creation, in virtually all aspects except one of their core themes. Both films hit their highs and lows while singing their symphonies. So, although a direct verdict is seemingly not possible to arrive at, still if we were to judge by the entertainment value, “Love Hard”—with its wholesome fun package, cute rom-com tricks, and a flurry of worldly clichés waiting for you—might make a better watch!
*Both “Love Hard” and “Bad Match” are available to stream on Netflix.
