Review of The Dating List

Haven't watched many films during lockdown, curiously enough. There are some good films on BBC iPlayer but I've seen most of them. There are lots of bad or mediocre films on Netflix and Prime. There are probably some good ones too, but they are either hard to find or don't fit in with the mood - I don't want to watch anything too harrowing or even emotionally engaging at the moment.

But the consequence is that you end up watching stuff that's not emotionally engaging - of course - but also not engaging in any other way. Like this pointess, dull romcom - why was it made? None of the actors have anything remotely resembling presence, the script is boring, the setting bland - I thought Portland Oregon was meant to be a cool and interesting town, but it doesn't look like it here.

There ought to have been enough in the scenario to sustain interest - a would-be junior editor at a publishing house is taken on as a temp to sort out her bitch-boss's romantic life for her, because she hasn't got the time to screen the responses to her online dating profile. There's a pseudonymous author who guards his privacy (but somehow is one of the profiles that the heroine has to screen - why does that even make sense?), and some bitchy corporate politics.

But it's just boring - to be endured rather than enjoyed.

Watched on All4 via Chromecast. The ad breaks were the best bits.