Another so-and-so romantic comedy that almost hits the right notes while addressing the issues of trust in romantic relationships in the
digitalized era of internet and social medias. Almost impossible to avoid cliches from the genre (for better or worse), "Red Flags" attracts
us a little because the couple is charming, some of the situations are greatly presented, and the story has a nice pacing. What kills the
enjoyment is the seriousness of important themes, treated in a shallow manner, overreacted and things that weren't fully explained or fully
developed.
You definitely know how it goes (or should know): a good girl (Kes van den Broek) coming out of a bad relationship and with many trust issues
tries to avoid entering a new one but when Mr. Perfect (Danny Dorland) comes along things heat up and it feels like that love finally
found her. She's a carefree hotel worker, still undecided of what to do with her life; he's a rich type who is very popular as an influencer,
but his wealth comes mostly from his parents. But this smug prince charming is very requested everywhere with countless social gatherings and
parties, so it's quite obvious that the girl might see some problems with him, or dating isn't his thing though he proves otherwise - in problematic
ways.
Anyway, the real revelation of the man's red flag was kinda dumb and forced, and I'll leave out of this review. But if we were to talk about
certain real experiences, the actual red flag that could make her avoid him for good was the end of their first date. The worn out device of
wetting each other with a hose, then the guy takes control of everything with a passionate kiss while holding the hose creating a rain-like
effect, that was beautifully, actually. What comes next is a cup of tea invitation but the man's gotta go because the internet folks needs him,
it's a "work" commitment. If one cannot give you the time when a special moment comes, then they're not for real, as they're not seeing you as
a priority. Change plans for that special someone, but he didn't.
Then there's the previous boyfriend, who somehow returns asking her back. Was it a cheating situation or she felt used for something she wouldn't
aprove? The script made it look a cryptic thing, and the captions didn't help much either.
What I admired the most was how the girl kept her guard and composure for most of the time, you can sense that she really fights back
in resisting this new adventure/potential good romance; and an ending I could not see it coming (which would work better for a different movie).
But having the great final moment doesn't improve an overall idea, or everything that we've been through. Small entertainment and nothing more. 5/10.
