Puppy Love
is a 2023 comedy romance starring Grant Gustin and Lucy Hale. The slice-of-life movie is a breath of fresh air with a not-so-complicated plot. The chemistry between Nicole and Max adds to the list of factors that make this film a good, entertaining watch. It had its few emotional and funny moments. But overall, it is a satisfactory rom-com with goofy scenes that make this movie wholesome and light-hearted.
Character Description
Max Stevenson is a peculiar yet “reasonably funny” guy with social anxiety that he has been dealing with since Covid 19. The constant habit of using sanitizer, avoiding public interaction, and living all alone never really left him. He still works from home. He is in therapy so that he can cope with this excessive need to stay away from people and to gain more confidence. Max prefers to be alone; he believes in the ‘nothing ever good happens after 9’o clock’ theory. In his own words, “he hates people!”
Nicole Mathew is chaotically witty and kind. She has a keen eye for art but decides to pursue another career as a home stager in the furniture industry. Her ex-boyfriend calls her a shut-off as she keeps everyone around her at arm’s length.
Plot
Max and Nicole go on a date together with their dogs (Chloe and Channing Tatum) that turns out to be, let’s just say not good. They vowed that they would lose each other’s number without blinking for a second.
But surprises always come unannounced. Max’s dog Chloe starts acting weird, and as surprises come Max and Chloe will have to cross each other’s path once again. Because Chloe and Channing Tatum are going to be parents.
This unforeseeable turn of events brings Max and Nicole closer as they begin to trust each other, and they start helping one another deal with their issues. That being so, they start getting used to each other and eventually, they become a pack that supports one another.
“Until It Ends, There Is No End”
The movie surely had its low points as some parts were a little dragged and unnecessary like when Max and his best friend go to buy a pregnancy kit for the dog which was stupid however, the director may have done it on purpose to show the ignorant side of Max.
Yet some scenes were just beautiful like when the Glee actor sings ‘’All Through the Night” by Jules Shear for Nicole at the night pub, a place full of people, which he was not comfortable with earlier.
Puppy love can have different interpretations but from where I see it’s not just a movie where two people who don’t like each other later on fall in love. Instead, the movie tries to depict the story of two people who don’t trust easily.
Someone who is as closed off as Max and Nicole, they do seem to enjoy the company of their dogs that they adopted which tells us how they both prefer people who are loyal and trustworthy. Well, we all are somewhat like them we may think that we are better off alone, and we may think that it is making us strong but in reality, it is a weakness. Being not able to trust someone is the same as not letting anyone in and sharing how you feel.
The movie defines the characters and their insecurities so well that they become truly relatable. Max who is used to living alone and socializing as little as possible is afraid that people might judge him if he expresses himself. But he realizes in the end that he is no different than other people. Because all this time he was also judgemental at times. His passion and love for music are concealed under his fear of facing people.
Although letting one person in changes him, at the end of the movie he finally conquers his fear of people judging him and gains enough confidence because of Nicole to go up the stage and sing at the open mic which was the finest moment from the movie.
