For most of us, the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were spent sheltering in place, disinfecting our groceries, searching in vain for toilet paper, and becoming obsessed with Joe Exotic as we tried to make sense of the new world. But, for the couple at the center of the 2023 Netflix movie release, Longest Third Date, the experience was even more intense, because they were stuck in a foreign country with the only person they knew being someone they met just weeks earlier.
If you have heard about the new Netflix title and are sitting on the fence about watching it for one reason or another, stick around, because we’re about to break down five things you should know about Longest Third Date, including its story, the tone, how long it takes to finish and the rating. Let’s go back to 2020 with Matt and Khani…
Longest Third Date Follows A Couple Whose Short Trip Became An Extended Stay
As the name suggests, Longest Third Date follows New Yorkers Matt and Khani as they traveled to Costa Rica for their third date, having only known each other for a few weeks and a couple of dates at that point. Little did they know when they booked their impromptu trip in March 2020 that they would spend the next 79 days together after air travel in and out of the United States was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Documentary Features Extensive Footage Shot By The Couple During Their Months-Long Date
As revealed early on, Matt is a vlogger who essentially films every aspect of his life. This initially annoyed Khani in the early goings of their relationship, but the footage leads to a nearly hour-by-hour rundown of their extended third date, one that would see them spend time in a nearly empty resort, chase bugs out of an Airbnb, and stay in a treehouse deep in the Costa Rican jungle.
Romance, Awkwardness And A Pandemic
One on hand, Longest Third Date is an exploration of a budding romance, and on another it's a documentary about a clash of cultures, ideals, and personalities (this leads to some incredibly awkward moments involving the pair). On top of that, the documentary film serves as a reminder of what it was like to live in the middle of a pandemic, especially the early stages, where literally no one had an idea as to what was going to happen today, tomorrow, or next week.
The Documentary Is 75 Minutes Long
Unlike some of the other Netflix documentaries and docuseries consisting of multiple parts, or runtimes that will lead you to a weekend-long binge session, Longest Third Date is remarkably short, clocking in at 75 minutes. But, don’t let this brief runtime fool you, as there’s a lot that goes down before this one is over.
Longest Third Date Has A Rating Of TV-MA
The film has a rating of TV-MA due to the language that’s present throughout its runtime. Though it’s nothing as bad as anything you’ll see in one of the popular Netflix true crime documentaries, there are a lot of choice four-letter words. If adult language, lots of drinking, and talk about the pandemic aren’t your thing, then maybe sit this one out.
Well, hopefully this helps you decide if you want to check out Longest Third Date or not. If you do end up checking it out, remember you’ll need a Netflix subscription to do so. Regardless of which way you go, don’t forget to check out the 2023 new movie releases to see what other films are coming to Netflix, other streaming services, and the big screen this year.
