Streaming platforms are constantly churning out content, and sometimes, expectations have to be adjusted. Prime Video’s latest teen movie, How to Date Billy Walsh, unfortunately, lands on the less impressive end of the spectrum. While aiming to be a charming, quirky British rom-com, it mostly delivers boredom and highlights its own flaws. So, what can we learn about dating from this movie, and more importantly, what should we avoid? Let’s dive in, taking notes from Archie and Amelia’s chaotic journey.
The Archie Approach: A Masterclass in What Not To Do
The movie centers around Archie, played by Sebastian Croft, who’s been secretly in love with his best friend Amelia (Charithra Chandran) since forever. Archie’s primary dating strategy seems to be… inaction and silent suffering. His lifelong cowardice prevents him from simply telling Amelia how he feels. Lesson number one: Communication is key. Hiding your feelings and hoping your crush is a mind-reader is rarely a successful tactic in the dating world.
When the titular Billy Walsh, a handsome American transfer student (Tanner Buchanan), arrives and catches Amelia’s eye, Archie’s terrible dating strategies escalate. Instead of being honest and direct, he resorts to sabotage and deception. He pretends to be an 80-year-old “love doctor” to give Amelia terrible advice, using a cheap AI aging app. This contrivance, meant to be comedic, instead highlights another crucial dating mistake: Don’t be someone you’re not. Authenticity is far more attractive than a poorly constructed facade, especially one built on lies and digital age filters.
Archie’s actions fall squarely into the “red flag” territory. His attempts to control Amelia’s romantic interests are not only manipulative but also deeply disrespectful of her autonomy. Dating should be about connection and mutual respect, not control and sabotage. If your approach to dating involves elaborate schemes to undermine someone else’s potential happiness, it’s time to seriously reconsider your methods.
Billy Walsh: The Nice Guy Enigma
Billy Walsh himself is presented as a mostly vacant, albeit nice and handsome, love interest. The movie title suggests he’s the key, but the film barely explores how to actually date him. He’s more of a catalyst for Archie’s disastrous choices. However, Billy’s character, or lack thereof, offers another subtle lesson. While being nice is certainly not a bad thing, relying solely on being the “nice guy” might not be enough to build a meaningful connection. Charm and genuine personality are crucial. Billy’s appeal seems to stem more from his looks and newness rather than any deeply explored personality traits. In real dating, personality and shared interests often outweigh just being “nice.”
Amelia’s Perspective: Navigating Friendship and New Crushes
Amelia’s character initially comes across as smart and grounded. She’s dealing with personal loss and navigating the typical teenage social scene. Her interest in Billy seems natural, driven by his charm and novelty. However, as the plot contorts to serve Archie’s schemes, Amelia’s character unfortunately suffers. She starts making choices that feel out of character, all to push the narrative forward.
From Amelia’s side, we see the importance of staying true to yourself even when navigating confusing romantic feelings. While the movie’s writing lets her down, the initial portrayal of Amelia suggests a young woman trying to balance long-term friendships with new romantic possibilities. This highlights the common dating dilemma of how to explore new relationships while maintaining existing, important friendships.
Is “How to Date Billy Walsh” Good Dating Advice?
Ultimately, How to Date Billy Walsh isn’t really a helpful guide on dating. In fact, it serves better as a cautionary tale. The movie’s flaws – its lack of charm, inconsistent tone, and reliance on tired rom-com tropes – mirror the pitfalls of bad dating habits: lack of genuine connection, forced scenarios, and inauthenticity.
If you’re looking for actual dating advice, you’re better off skipping this movie and focusing on real-life strategies: be honest, be yourself, communicate openly, and respect the other person’s choices. How to Date Billy Walsh might offer a few laughs at its own expense, but its dating “lessons” are best left in the realm of fictional, and frankly, poorly executed, teen rom-coms. Instead of learning How To Date Billy Walsh, perhaps learn from the movie what not to do when navigating the complexities of teenage romance.
