Casino Royale (2006)

In his first mission as 007, James Bond (Daniel Craig) has to bankrupt the terrorist financier Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) in a high-stakes poker game at Casino Royale in Montenegro. The British Treasury sends Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) along to watch the money, and Bond is not pleased.

What it shows about dating

Their first meeting on a train is a lesson in banter. Vesper reads him within seconds, he reads her back, and neither lets the other off the hook. It is flirting as a duel: confident, a little rude and never needy. Away from the table, Bond keeps the same calm under pressure, which is much of his appeal.

What you can learn

• Banter beats compliments. Being sharp and teasing with someone who matches you is more attractive than flattery.
• Stay calm when she tests you. Bond doesn’t get defensive when Vesper pokes at him, he just gives it back.
• A strong frame needs a weak spot to be human. Bond’s coldness is a shield; the film shows what it costs him when he finally lowers it.

Watch it for the alpha male fantasy at its most polished, and for how much of it is simply presence.