Love Hard - What We Know So Far
The holiday season and romantic comedies just seem to go together. The holidays are already an emotionally fraught time, especially for young people who might be bringing their significant others home for the first time. Maybe that's why so many popular rom-com movies are set during the holidays.
The latest romantic comedy that's hoping to join the ranks of other Christmas rom-coms like "Holidate," "Let It Snow," and "Love Actually," is Netflix's upcoming "Love Hard." Deadline describes the film, which has been in production since 2019, as a cross between "When Harry Met Sally" and "Roxanne," but updated for the social media and dating-app obsessed 21st century.
The holiday season is still several months away, but if a movie like "Love Hard" sounds like the perfect way to spend an evening in December, it's not too early to pencil it into your calendar. Here's everything we know about "Love Hard."
What is the release date for Love Hard?
Right now, Netflix hasn't yet announced a release date for "Love Hard, but we have a pretty good idea based on what they've shared from their 2021 release schedule. "Love Hard" is listed as a 2021 release (via Cinema Blend), and since it's a Christmas movie, it will probably premiere this November or December. Netflix also usually releases its new movies on Fridays. Currently, the only November/December movie that Netflix has announced a release date for is "Red Notice," which premieres on Nov. 12. "Love Hard" will premiere likely after that film, closer to the Christmas holiday.
Christmas Eve 2021 is on a Friday, so unless Netflix decides to release "Love Hard" just one day before the big holiday, odds are it will release on one of the three Fridays in December before then. Those are: Dec. 3, Dec. 10, or Dec. 17. Netflix will most likely announce the release date closer to the premiere, so check back here before then.
Who is in the cast of Love Hard?
Deadline reported that Nina Dobrev will be headlining the cast, playing the role of the main character, Natalie Bauer. "Silicon Valley" star Jimmy O. Yang will be playing Josh, Natalie's catfisher. "Riverdale's" Charles Melton was originally cast in the role of Natalie's true love interest, Tag, but he had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. He was replaced by Darren Barnet, who's previously starred in "Never Have I Ever" (via Deadline).
Rounding out the cast are Harry Shum Jr., ("Crazy Rich Asians," "All My Life"), James Saito ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"), Takayo Fischer, and Rebecca Staab. Collectively they play Josh's family, the Lin's, whom Natalie is forced to impress. There's also Mikaela Hoover ("The Suicide Squad") as Chelsea, Heather McMahan as Kerry, and Lochlyn Munro as Rex.
"Love Hard" is directed by Hernán Jiménez, who's previously directed "About Us" and "Elsewhere."
What is the plot of Love Hard?
As reported by Deadline, Netflix acquired the script for "Love Hard" in August 2019, written by Danny Mackey and Rebecca Ewing. Deadline also shared a synopsis of "Love Hard." The story follows a young woman, living in Los Angeles and unlucky in love, who falls in love with an East Coaster on a dating app. But when she actually visits him, it turns out she's been catfished. However, she learns that the man she thought she was going to meet lives in the same town. The guy who catfished her then agrees to help her woo her true crush, but only if she first pretends to be his girlfriend over the holidays.
In other words, it's a 21st century take on a classic rom-com setup, with a Christmas flavor. While it's possible the film has changed substantially since the Deadline report, most likely the film will still follow the same general plot.