This month sees the film locations for “Dating & New York” posted on otsoNY, which stars “Stranger Things” Francesca Reale as Wendy Brinkley and Jaboukie Young-White as Milo, who connect through a dating app, meet once and then ghost each other. When they finally rendezvous again, Wendy has drawn up a written contract for a ‘best friends with benefits’ arrangement. The two embark on a relationship they refuse to acknowledge as such.

Dating & New York Movie Poster

A winning cast helps sell that familiar premise not just Reale and Young-White, who have definite chemistry and an easy-flowing banter, but also the brassy, scene-stealing Catherine Cohen, as Jessie, a friend of Wendy’s and the new girlfriend of Milo’s friend Hank played by Brian Muller. This fantasised New York is, as the characters acknowledge, a small world.

Stylistically, “Dating & New York”, a first feature from the writer-director Jonah Feingold, insists on selling its charm. The peppy, fast-paced cutting and constant references to Instagram and podcasts, the movie wouldn’t want you to forget it’s about millennials, as if Feingold were employing the directorial equivalent of push alerts. And for all the tech, the New York of “Dating & New York” feels like it’s been formed from hazy impressions of a less overloaded, less distractible era. The film does score, though, with a one-liner about a man who would lie about his age to land on a ‘30 under 30’ list.

The film was shot in New York and took just 15 days to complete with locations such as Central Park, Washington Square Park, Tompkins Square Park, and Alphabet Scoop.

Francesca Reale

American actress Francesca Reale is best known for her roles on the Netflix series “Haters Back Off” and “Stranger Things”. Born in Los Angeles, California on 24th August 1993, Francesca Luisa Reale grew up with dreams of working in Hollywood as an actress. She studied in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the highly esteemed New York University, then the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and Stonestreet Studios. When she returned to L.A., Reale worked as a crew member in the costume and wardrobe department of the short films “The Furies of War” and “Hunger”.

Actress Francesca Reale

Her first acting role came in the short 2015 film “Goodbye Charm City” where she played the role of Izzy. In 2016, she got her first big break with an appearance on the CBS series “Blue Bloods”, portraying Gabriella Moretti, the victim of a serial killer. The part showcased Reale’s acting skills and granted her access to more film projects. Later that year, she worked as Naomi and Naomi D on the TV movie “Paradise By Dashboard Light”. Reale acted in a 14-minute short horror film titled “Cabin” before landing the role of Emily in the Netflix series “Haters Back Off!”. She appeared in 16 episodes of the show, boosting her profile significantly and opening the door for future roles with Netflix studios.

Actress Francesca Reale

In the rated-R 2019 film “Yes God Yes”, Reale worked with future co-star Natalie Dyer before landing her most famous role yet as Heather in the third season of Netflix sci-fi horror series “Stranger Things”. In 2020, she starred in director Steven Soderbergh’s TV series “Wireless”, appearing in seven episodes, playing the role of Dana Harris. Reale got the chance to act in the lead role of “Dating & New York”, a romantic comedy. In 2022, she offered her voice acting skills as Nel in “Horizon Forbidden West”. Reale is currently working on the film “September 17th”, which is in post-production.