New couple faces challenges in online dating docu; language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
a lot
Swear words include "ass," "a--holes," "bitch," "damn it,""f--k," "f--king," "hell," "piss," "pissed," and "s--t." Use of slur "crazy." The word "girl" is used to describe a 29-year-old woman. Stereotypical reference to Asian people being bad drivers. Mention of verbal lashing out during past dating relationships.
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References and images include online dating apps; a couple flirting, kissing, engaging in sex on a beach, and sleeping together; nude flashing; use of birth control and pregnancy possibilities; menstrual cycles; orgasms; cohabiting with a partner; and having a child out of wedlock.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
References to possibility of death from being on a date with someone you don't know, image of a large iguana crawling throughout a house, archival footage and photos of COVID-19 pandemic shutdown around the world, home infestation by insects that bite residents.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Images include apparel with logos and messages, tattoos, dating apps, social media and GPS websites, vlogging, smartphones, and laptops.
Positive Messages
some
Act responsibly with internet use. Learn how to do online background checks of other individuals before engaging in a possible relationship. Kids and teens can consider social media careers such as influencers and vloggers.
Positive Role Models
some
Khani Le's mom, Maj, is a New York City hospital nurse assigned as a frontline worker to treat COVID-19 patients. Maj and her husband, Paj, also periodically check on the well-being of their daughter living outside of the United States during the global pandemic and advise her to be careful with internet use. Costa Rican residents help Le and Matthew Robertson remove their vehicle involved in an accident.The couple engages in online exercise classes together during the pandemic to stay fit and are supportive of each other's needs as a new couple during this unexpected time.
Diverse Representations
some
Images include BIPOC and White young and older adults in a variety of occupations, such as entrepreneur, public relations, journalist, and vlogger. The film and cast include people who are American, Canadian, and Vietnamese natives, as well as a biracial couple: a Vietnamese American woman and a White American man.
Parents need to know that Longest Third Date is a documentary about a couple engaged in an online dating relationship during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Images and references include the possibility of death from being on a date with someone you don't know, engaging in sex on a beach, menstrual cycles, cohabiting with a partner, and having a child out of wedlock. There's excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages, images of bottles of beer and alcohol, cocktail drinks, and contraceptive pill use to prevent pregnancy. Swear words include "ass," "a--holes," "bitch," "damn it," "f--k," "f--king," "hell," "piss," "pissed," and "s--t." There's also the slur phrase "crazy," the word "girl" used to describe a 29-year-old woman, a stereotypical reference about Asian people as bad drivers, and a mention of verbal lashing out during past dating relationships. Learning how to act responsibly with internet use and doing online background checks of others before engaging in a possible relationship are the documentary's positive messages. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I personally loved it. It’s not dirty but there is a part where they talk about sex in a provocative way which definitely feels like its for 17+
What's the Story?
LONGEST THIRD DATE is a documentary about the online dating journey of Khani Le, a 29-year-old Vietnamese American woman who works in marketing and public relations, and her match with Matthew Robertson, a 31-year-old White male vlogger, entrepreneur, and marketing executive. The film, through firsthand interviews and archival footage and photos, documents the New Yorkers' first, second, and third dates, with a detailed focus on the latter during the couple's lengthy stay in Costa Rica due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Documentarian Brent Hodge (I Am Chris Farley) depicts an intense interpretation of a young couple who manage to connect through a dating app. As the pair pursue their relationship in Longest Third Date, Khani Le and Matthew Robertson unexpectedly face a global pandemic. Their relationship "went from zero to 100 real quick," recalls Le. And Robertson notes about Le that she "knows what she wants. That's kind of sexy."
Initially, Le doesn't share with her parents the real companion she's spending time with during the pandemic. "Growing up, I had a compulsive lying disorder because I had so much to hide from my parents," she says. "They were very strict." In contrast, Robertson feels "super lucky" to have had supportive family and friends who, he says, may have helped him achieve his confidence and outlook on life. During their time of personal self-discovery and growing chemistry as a couple, viewers may be entertained by the trials and tribulations of contemporary online dating, especially during a pandemic, and, after it all, finding out whether Le and Robertson decide to stay together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the communication of the cast in Longest Third Date. How do they also demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
After looking at Matthew Robertson's vlogging site, Khani Le later admits that she wouldn't have gone on a date with him. Why might it be important to check someone's social media presence before meeting the individual?
In the film, Le indicates that she lies to and hides things from her parents. Do you think this is a good or bad idea? Why, or why not?
What do you think about the consumption of alcohol by the couple in the documentary? What role might drinking play in a person's dating behavior?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sabrina McFarland
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
