Jonah Feingold’s debut feature is a sweet, millennial take on the classic romantic comedy. While it doesn’t break new ground, it’s well executed, has a standout cast, and clearly Feingold has much potential in the genre. The premise feels very of the now — Wendy (Francesca Reale) and Milo (Jaboukie Young-White) meet on a dating app, only to quickly ghost each other. Pretty soon Milo gets hit up again by Wendy, pretty out of the blue. She proposes a friends-with-benefits relationship and has a contract prepared in advance. Against his better judgment, Milo agrees, and any fan of a rom-com knows that shit goes sideways from that moment forth (and there’s lots of feelings involved). 

Feingold says he loves all things rom-com and set out to do a modern take on all the classics that have inspired him.

"I wanted to make a film that spoke about the minutiae of modern dating, so I wrote a film that I felt was marketable as a first feature. I wanted to be able to write and go out and shoot ... I wanted to make a movie that was hyper-relatable to the way my friends and I are experiencing modern dating." 

Most romantic encounters in the film feel real and genuine to Feingold’s credit, and one can’t help but wonder if some encounters were inspired by Feingold’s real life.

"I have found what I believe to be love on the apps," he said.

"But it was fleeting love. I have never used any personal dating stories in the movie or in my writing because that feels so specific and private, but I think the way in which the story is told is deeply personal. It’s an optimistic take on modern love, and it’s certainly romanticizing New York as a city. While I never ran into an ex at a plant shop, or sent an 'I miss you' text on Valentine’s Day, that was a big thing for the cast and crew. I mean, we’ve all sent an 'I miss you' text. We wanted to be sure the things we were talking about were specific yet universal enough that they really do feel authentic."

Feingold, seemingly a perpetual optimist and hopeless romantic per his rom-com take, does believe that dating apps can be used for good.

"I have found happiness through the apps. I think the more authentic you can be and the more you can trust in the process, the better success you will have finding a partner."

Of course, not everyone gets hit up to sign a friends-with-benefits contract in the process. 

A strength of Dating & New York is the work of scene stealer Jaboukie Young-White. Feingold says the super indie aspect of the movie is what won him his cast.

"Fifteen days and a whole lot of fun was a good pitch," he said.

Feingold also wrote Young-White a personal letter and when they met they just clicked. Feingold also had an unexpected personal connection to the cast. When he reached out to Catherine Cohen, he discovered that she was dating his longtime friend from high school Brian Muller, and he asked the new couple to take on the role of a foil for the lead couple in the film. Turns out newly-in-love Cohen and Muller were on board, and the rest is history. 

Feingold is clearly thrilled that he has made a film within his favorite genre.

"I love that you can play with it in different ways and have magical subway signs, and have these onscreen reality moments and you can bend the genre, but still come out at the end feeling good and happy to have had some laughs. What I hope to add to the genre is an understanding of how tech plays a part in a hyper-specific way in modern romance. It’s something as simple as you look at the contact list of our film, and every character is made from scratch and is part of the story. If you freeze frame on Milo’s 'I miss you' text, his battery is dying. There’s also no hand-held shots to give it a timeless look. We were really hoping to make it feel like a piece of cinema and not a toss-away film."

There is no denying that Dating & New York is a lovely bit of escapism. Feingold agrees.

"You should watch our movie if you are in need of a laugh or escaping the chaos of everyday life, and you want to watch something that will make you feel good and make you smile. Also, if you are someone who has swiped on an app before, this really dives into the minutia and chaos of modern dating. Also, supporting indie movies is important. This is a film that was made by an incredibly passionate and diverse group of young creatives, and we need audiences to help keep indie movies alive."

IFC is distributing the film, which premieres Sept. 10, 2021.