Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Love Hard wants to be a charming, modern rom-com but trips over its own premise. Building an entire movie around catfishing—then asking us to root for the romance—requires some serious narrative gymnastics that this script just can't pull off.

The TV-MA rating is earned: sexual references, profanity, drinking, drug mentions, and (according to multiple parent reviews) some genuinely offensive religious content. This isn't a 'sneak it past the kids' situation—it's genuinely not appropriate for anyone under 18.

But here's the bigger issue: even for adults, it's just not that good. A 53% on Rotten Tomatoes and 42 on Metacritic tell the story—this is algorithm-generated holiday content that checks boxes (diverse cast! modern dating! Christmas!) without delivering actual laughs or heart. The relationship at its center is built on lies and manipulation, which the movie tries to hand-wave away with a third-act confession and a kiss.

If you're an adult who needs something playing while you're doing literally anything else during the holidays, fine. But this isn't worth your focused attention, and it's definitely not something to share with your teens as a 'fun rom-com.' There are better options in every category.

Age Fit

This is strictly adult territory (18+) due to TV-MA content and mature themes. Even then, it's mediocre Netflix filler that most adults will forget five minutes after the credits roll.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

35

The entire premise revolves around catfishing and deception—not exactly modeling healthy relationship behaviors. While the rom-com eventually lands on some 'be yourself' messaging, the journey there involves lying, manipulation, and using someone as a prop to win over someone else. Multiple parent reviews note it's 'insulting and offensive to religions' and lacks common sense values. The tone skews raunchy rather than heartwarming.

Imaginative

28

This is paint-by-numbers rom-com territory with a thin digital-age twist. Catfishing premise has been done (hello, MTV's Catfish since 2012), and the execution here is formulaic: meet-cute gone wrong, fake relationship hijinks, inevitable third-act confession. No creative risks, no fresh perspective on modern dating culture. It's Netflix algorithm bait, not imaginative storytelling.

Safe

40

Rated TV-MA for good reason. Web searches confirm 'a lot' of language, 'some' sexual content and drinking, plus references to drugs. Kids-in-Mind rates it 3.3.5 for sexual content, profanity, and thematic elements. Parent reviews call it 'very suggestive' with drug references and religious insensitivity (including a scene involving throwing baby Jesus). Not graphic or triggering in a traumatic sense, but definitely not safe for kids to stumble upon.

Enriching

32

There's a kernel of 'don't judge people by their looks' and 'authenticity matters' buried in here, but it's undermined by the fact that the entire plot rewards deception and the heroine literally uses one guy to get closer to another. Any lessons about modern dating or self-acceptance are drowned out by lazy writing and problematic relationship dynamics. Entertainment value is middling—53% on RT, 6.3 on IMDb suggests it's forgettable holiday filler.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

If you're an adult looking for mindless holiday background noise while wrapping presents, it exists
Nina Dobrev is charming enough to almost sell this mess
Might spark conversations about online dating safety and authenticity (though not in the way the filmmakers intended)

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What to Watch For

TV-MA rating means sexual references, profanity, drinking, and drug content throughout
The entire premise glorifies catfishing and using people—not great relationship modeling
Multiple parent reviews flag religious insensitivity, including a scene involving disrespecting nativity figures
Formulaic and forgettable—even adults might find it hard to stay engaged

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think someone would create a fake profile on a dating app? What would make someone do that?"
"If you found out someone lied about who they were online, would you give them a second chance?"
"The movie treats catfishing kind of lightly—but in real life, what are the actual dangers of meeting someone from the internet?"

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