Movie Spotlight: I Suck at Dating

Jay can't pick the right woman. He knows this. He goes to therapy about it, although his reasons for going to therapy are not entirely about growth. His therapist is attractive, and Jay is Jay. That's the premise of I Suck at Dating, and it's also basically the whole problem the film is diagnosing. Director Deriyun McGee wrote the film, co-directed it, and plays Jay himself. The autobiography is not an accident.

McGee has thought about why people fail at love. His conclusion: narcissism, usually. "We are usually blinded by narcissism," he says. "Most of us have no idea what we are signing up for." The film puts that thesis into a comedy, then throws Jay onto a viral dating show and watches what happens when someone who has been picking wrong their entire life suddenly has to pick in front of everyone.

The therapist was never about therapy

Jay doesn't go to therapy because he wants to change. He goes because he has a crush on the therapist. McGee was clear about this: "He only went to therapy because he had an online crush on the therapist. No matter how bad Jay's dating experiences have been, he is bold and goes after what he wants." The joke is the character. The character is the joke.

McGee actually went on the show

The viral dating show in the film isn't entirely invented. McGee appeared on episode 47 of Pop the Balloon or Find Love and says it changed him. He matched with someone. He learned what a narcissist is. "I haven't been the same," he says, with a laugh implied. The film came after. Writing from that experience gave Jay something most romantic comedy protagonists don't have: a filmmaker who genuinely lived the embarrassment.

Tampa wanted in

The film was shot in Tampa, which McGee describes as one of the fastest-rising cities in Florida. That energy was on set. "This city was excited to be a part of this movie because of that." The film's comedy has a loose, improvisational quality that fits a city still figuring out what it is.

One person, many jobs

McGee wrote the script, co-directed with Carisa Johnson, and starred. The tradeoff was real: fewer resources meant fewer shots, but it also meant nobody could second-guess the material. "It was difficult and fun," he says. "I could have gotten better shots if I had more help. But it was a learning experience. Hopefully this film generates enough money to hire some help next time." That's honest.

What to know before you press play

"Prepare to laugh for damn near an hour straight and listen for gems and nuggets that are educational and relatable." McGee wrote that. The film earns it: the jokes come from real frustration, and the frustration comes from someone who has actually been out there getting it wrong in public. I Suck at Dating is not a film about a hopeless romantic. It's about someone who keeps picking badly, knows it, and does it again anyway.

Comedy

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Streaming now on Relay.