Netflix kicks off its 2021 holiday movie season with Love Hard, a rom-com with a catfish twist. The film stars Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, and Darren Barnet. Nina Dobrev plays Natalie, a columnist who unfortunately specialises in disastrous dates. But at least she’s able to turn her romantic misfires into cash by penning a bad date column under a pseudonym. But after she matches with a guy who seems totally too good to be true and somehow isn’t (Never Have I Ever’s Darren Barnet), the future of her column is totally up in the air. With Christmas coming up, Natalie decides to fly from Los Angeles to Lake Placid, New York to surprise her online boyfriend Josh. And when she arrives, she learns that Josh really was too good to be true. The guy behind the profile, the real Josh, is actually a nerdy, constantly overlooked guy who just wants to make candles (Jimmy O. Yang). Love Hard is, of course, held together by a trio of perfect performances from Dobrev, Yang, and Barnet. Natalie is a protagonist who feels completely of the moment; she’s smart and snarky. Yang’s Josh goes on a real journey as the film tries to redeem him after his cat fishing. And balancing out the two is Barnet, the boy with the granola hottie bag. Overall, Love Hard is a fresh and funny rom-com that jolts new life into the old formula.