Love & Other Drugs (2010)

Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a smooth salesman who charms his way into most women’s beds and into doctors’ offices in 1990s Pittsburgh. He meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), a 26-year-old with early-onset Parkinson’s disease who wants sex without strings and has no interest in being anyone’s project. Both think the deal is simple, until it isn’t.

What it shows about dating

The first half is a clear picture of a natural flirt at work: eye contact, confident touch, humour and zero hesitation. Jamie never seems to fear a no. What the film then asks is what happens when charm stops being enough, because Maggie sees through the routine at once and keeps her distance for her own reasons.

What you can learn

• Say what you want, early. Maggie and Jamie’s blunt “no strings” agreement is honest; the trouble starts when feelings quietly change and nobody says so.
• Charm opens the door, vulnerability keeps it open. Jamie gets further when he drops the act.
• Don’t treat distance as a game. Someone who keeps you at arm’s length often has a real reason to.

A good watch for the difference between a fuck buddy arrangement on paper and one in practice.