Matthew has been waiting for this one for awhile! John Maclean and Rory McCann join us to talk about both their new film, Tornado and the brilliant, Slow West.

What are the risks of being a people pleaser? Why do weddings fall apart? Why is it so important to be authentic in relationships? Paul and Eli try on “27 Dresses” (and decode some Elton John lyrics) in pursuit of some insights. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons…

Notice: this episode was recorded in February, so please forgive any outdated references! Timmy Williams of The Whitest Kids U Know is back for a double feature discussion about 80/90s sci-fi classics The Hidden and I Come in Peace/Dark Angel.

The legend herself, Veronica Cartwright joins us to discuss her new film The Ruse as well as today's Overdue Rental, The Witches of Eastwick. Of course, there is some Alien and Invasion of the Body Snatchers talk in there, too.

What’s special about sibling relationships? How do people with different attachment styles cope with stress? Why is it risky to get engaged to somebody you met that day? The megahit Frozen—starring the inimitable Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel—flips the traditional Disney script and offers some answers. This is a clean episode - suitable for all age…

The first Love Factually mailbag episode! Eli and Paul answer your questions about friends-first relationships, wedding stress, and memory erasure. Plus, we reopen the debate: When do relationships benefit from therapy, and why? See the graph of friends-first relationshipsBy Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel

Double drop day! Sorry everyone, we had a little tech issue but are back up now. So, you can no enjoy our discussion with the great Emily Watson about her new film, The Legend of Ochi, as well as her turn in Paul Thomas Anderson's, Punch Drunk Love.

WHOOPS! We had a little technical difficulties everyone, so this is coming to you a little later. We have the wonderful Cynthia Addai-Robinson with us to discuss The Accountant and he growing role in The Accountant 2, which is in theaters now!

What happens when we view marriage in terms of winning and losing? How does divorce affect children? What are the consequences of taking a relationship for granted? Paul and Eli sift through the wreckage in Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach’s lacerating, multiple-Oscar-nominated masterpiece starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. For show notes, c…

You might here some different intro music on this episode. That is Sènaderé by uKanDanZ off their debut album; Yetchalal. Oh, and what is that? You also here some music between the end of our interview and our post interview discussion? That is uKanDanZ's cover of War Pigs from their new album, Evil Plan. If you're unfamiliar with the band and thei…

Our final interview for The Ballad of Wallis Island is here! We have director James Griffiths to discuss translating the short to a feature film, as well as his 2014 film, Cuban Fury.

Can interactions with strangers fulfill our need to belong? Does ironic detachment mask attachment insecurity? Should we try to change ourselves into somebody else’s ideal partner? Paul and Eli immerse themselves, again and again, in Groundhog Day, the timeless philosophical redemption tale starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. For show notes, …

Continuing our coverage of The Ballad of Wallis Island, we have co-writer and star Tom Basden to discuss transforming the short into a feature length film, as well ad his 2022 underseen, Venice at Dawn.

In this special crossover episode of the Dateable podcast, Paul and Eli chat with hosts Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu about how people should - and shouldn't - apply lessons from the movies to their dating lives.By Julie Krafchick, Yue Xu, Paul Eastwick, and Eli Finkel

Is striving to avoid mistakes a good romantic strategy? Can couples who are mismatched on hotness get together? Does relationship success require that you be a desirable person? Paul and Eli dust off Hitch, the 2005 rom-com vehicle for Will Smith and Eva Mendes, in search of answers. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul …

It finally has happened, we finally got Tim Key on the show with us. There is a lot of listen to here, from a little No More Jockeys opening, to The Ballad of Wallis Island, with a little Mickey 17 thrown in, and of course, the Overdue Rental on tap; Alan Partirdge: Alpha Papa.

We speak with so many generous and perfectly nice people on a daily basis. But, there is no one more kind, giving, and lovely than the legend himself, Mr. Paul Guilfoyle. Maybe you don't know him by name, but you certainly know the man's work. His new film, Any Day Now is currently in select theaters and he is absolutely brilliant in the film. But,…

The great Joe Wilkinson joins us this week to discuss his involvement in Last One Laughing UK for Amazon Prime. While he is with us, it was great to discuss his love and fondness for the Steve Martin/Carl Reiner film, The Man with Two Brains.

How does it feel to confront hard relationship choices? How can we truly listen to one another? What counts as infidelity? Paul and Eli unpack Before Sunset—the sequel to Before Sunrise—which features Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) unexpectedly reunited in Paris, confronting the past and changing the future. For show notes, click here…

It is a special one time only extravaganza! We have taken two interviews for Guns of Redemption and smashed them into one big episode. Casper Van Dien returns, this time to talk about Sleepy Hollow. Followed by Jeff Fahey talking about The Lawnmower Man!

We've always loved Atom Egoyan's films, but after this discussion, he is one of our favorite people! Atom came to discuss his new film, Seven Veils. And while we are talking about The Sweet Hereafter as well as his Overdue Rental, we also get a lot of The West Memphis Three and Devil's Knot in there, too.…

We're going fast and furious this week! We have Dito Montiel with us discussing his new film, Riff Raff, as well as his debut feature, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.

How can people navigate the “friendzone”? Do men need romantic relationships more than women do? Does confusion about one’s identity undermine relationships? Paul and Eli search for answers in the 2023 film Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s feminist fantasia featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by …

We are back with part 2 of our No Address coverage. This week we have William Baldwin, and while we had him in the ODR shop with us, we had to also talk about the one and only, Backdraft!

Xander Berkeley is arguably one of the hardest working actors in the industry. He is starring in the new film No Address which hits theaters on February 28th. A film that deals with the subject of homelessness; 50% of all the ticket sales will go to charities that assist people in need. While we had Xander with us to discuss this movie and the cont…

Why is it so important to be able to celebrate with someone? Is parenting sexy? What are the challenges of being in a relationship when you don’t know who you are? Paul and Eli search for answers in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, Cameron Crowe’s endlessly quotable rom-com, featuring acclaimed performances from Renée Zellweger, Tom Cruise, and Cuba Go…

In this special crossover episode of The Happiness Lab podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Laurie Santos about lessons learned from fact-checking rom-coms.By Laurie Santos, Paul Eastwick, and Eli Finkel

It's always great to go deep diving into films with out good friends and colleagues. This week we are joined by Brandon Norwood of The Film Blerds to discuss one of this all time favorite Overdue Rentals; Night of the Hunter. Note: This discussion was recorded in December of 2024.

What are the benefits of optimism? How do people transfer attachments from parents to romantic partners? What exactly counts as stalking? Paul and Eli team up with Laurie Santos (Yale professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast) to dive into the nice-guy manifesto Say Anything, starring (sigh) John Cusack and Ione Skye. For show notes, click he…

When the film gods reach back into the mid to late 80s to bring back a film that should have had a long storied franchise, it usually fails. To our surprise though, when the new iteration of Street Trash came to life, it made so many right moves. We have producer Matt Manjourides, who also produces and co-created the return of Joe Bob Briggs with T…

How does a transactional mindset undermine relationship well-being? What’s the nature of stereotypes? How can we tie our hands to achieve our goals? Paul and Eli invite Katy Milkman (Wharton professor and host of the Choiceology podcast) to discuss Pretty Woman, a Cinderella tale featuring Julia Roberts in a star-making performance. For show notes,…

There is no other way to put it--your about to listen to a fantastic discussion about between us and Lateef the Truthspeaker about music, films, life, and most importantly; 1987's groundbreaking, Hollywood Shuffle. Stop reading and hit play! You will not regret it.

In this special crossover episode of the Sex and Psychology podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Justin Lehmiller about how sex and relationships are depicted in movies.By Justin Lehmiller, Paul Eastwick, and Eli Finkel

Our good friend, colleague, film maker, and co-host of The Film Blerds, Jeff Stewart stopped by at the beginning of December to talk film with us Overdue Rental boys. While we talk a little bit about end of the year movies, we are also talking about Jeff's Overdue Rental choice, the 1986 buddy comedy, Running Scared.…

Does the double standard linger for men and women? What exactly is sex positivity? Do people make unfounded assumptions about self-esteem and casual sex? Paul and Eli join forces with Justin Lehmiller (host of the Sex and Psychology Podcast) to discuss Easy A, the teen comedy adaptation of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. For show notes, click here.…

To close out our coverage of Nickel Boys, we have the wonderful Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor with us. Now, we know there is some serious discussions to have involving Nickel Boys, but that doesn't mean we don't have time to be silly and also talk about the wonderful, Undercover Brother. Don't waste any more time. Get to listening, or else The Man wins!…

Christmas time is here, and you know that means...VAMPIRES! The one and only Willem Dafoe joined us to talk about his role in Robert Eggers adaptation of Nosferatu. This also seemed like the perfect opportunity to discuss one hell of an Overdue Rental with Willem; Shadow of the Vampire. Before Eggers was even out of high school, Dafoe stepped into …

What does jealousy do to a person? How are relationships interwoven with identity? What are the many forms of sex and sexual desire? Paul and Eli welcome in special guest Peter Sagal (host of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!) to chat about Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrick’s eternally fascinating swan song. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced,…

In the continuation of our coverage of the new film, Nickel Boys, we have Daveed Diggs join us to talk his experience working with RaMell Ross and company. We also are talking about his 2018 film, Blindspotting. There is a lot to get into here, so less typing from us so you can go listen to it now.

Welcome to episode 1 of or 3 episode special on the new film Nickel Boys. RaMell Ross hits the scene with his first full length feature (non-documentary) with the adaptation of the award winning book of the same name. The film is already getting best picture nods before its official release, including the recent nomination for best drama for the Go…

What are the joys and miseries of singlehood? Is “playing hard to get” an effective dating strategy? Why does it feel so good to be adored “just as we are”? Paul and Eli revisit “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” the 2001 rom-com starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth—which Vanity Fair recently ranked as the fourth best romantic comedy of all …

If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night and wondered if you transformed into a dog in the middle of the night and caused havoc around your neighborhood; you're not alone. Though, as Amy Adams experiences in her new film, Nightbitch, the reality of her experiences come from more of a deep place of lost identity compared to just some fun a…

While David Gordon Green has helmed some big studio pictures and popular TV Shows, he has never turned away from his true indie roots. His new film, Nutcrackers, is a testament to heart and soul film making that jump started his career with George Washington. While we had David with us, we also had to talk to him about his bigger budget fantasy epi…

How does family disapproval affect the course of love? Can volatile relationships flourish? Does love cure dementia? Paul and Eli consider these questions, and more, in their analysis of “The Notebook,” the 2004 romantic melodrama starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling—and the winner of the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss. For show notes, click her…

Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel are two professors who use psychological science to explain what your favorite romantic films get right -- and wrong -- about attraction and relationships.By Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel

What does it mean to share your life with someone? How does sexual compatibility work? Can new relationships help us get over old ones? Paul and Eli consider these questions, and more, in their analysis of “Her,” Spike Jonze’s 2013 boy-meets-operating-system romance starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. For show notes, click here. Hosted…

You may not see George Huang's name officially credited for as many projects he has his hands in. And while his new film, Weekend in Taipei is a slice of East Asian action pleasure, George's first film was a slice of life about the trials and tribulations of working in Hollywood. Swimming With Sharks is a sharp witted, comically dark tale from the …

What are the consequences of believing in the idea of a soulmate? How do relationships develop from the first day to the last? How well does the reality in our heads match the reality in the world? Paul and Eli consider these questions, and more, in their analysis of (500) Days of Summer, the 2009 romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Z…

There has been a lot of movement in recent years with younger generations getting into classic spoof films. The Zucker, Abrams, Zucker and family classics from Airplane, to The Naked Gun, to Hot Shots! are making waves with new audiences. But one great spoof that was pretty much lambasted by critics on its release still remains under the radar for …

How does passionate love feel? What does it mean to pay attention to each other? Are there distinctive characteristics in the emergence of same-sex attraction? Paul and Eli consider these questions, and more, in their analysis of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the gorgeous period drama depicting forbidden love in late-eighteenth-century France. For sh…