The festival world is dominated with thought provoking, dark, heart retching, depressing films that spiral to a soul crushing conclusion. FIRST DATE is the perfect antidote to that festival fare. This is a very convoluted quick-witted comedy wrapped around the universal theme of teen first date.

A shy teen, Mike, played deftly by new-comer Tyson Brown is egged on by his best friend to ask his crush, the beautiful sassy Kelsey played Shelby Duclos, on a date. Miraculously she accepts. Over the moon with joy Mike quickly agrees to pick her up at 8. There’s only one small problem, Mike doesn’t have a car and his parents are pulling out of the driveway for a long-delayed vacation. Not one to let the opportunity of a teen’s lifetime slip away, Mike begins the quest for transportation with minimal funds and everyone attempting to be his friend and/or rip him off. 

The acquisition of the car, a shady 65 Chrysler is only the first step in an evening that no teen or reasonable person would ever forget. There are drug dealers, cops who love the car for all the wrong reasons, miscommunications, amorous seniors, marital issues resolved with bullets, big gun fights and a sense that if Kelsey and Mike can the survive the night could really have something. The pacing and the scenes are quick because this is the type of movie where you don’t want to dwell on the details. We know we are just along for the adventure. 

This is a purely enjoyable film in the same frame as Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, and similar to Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance. It’s a winning entrant in the ‘one crazy night” movie genre and it’s a solid love story at its core. The cast includes an impressive array of actors you will recognize but may not remember their names. Tyson Brown has the unenviable task of carrying the film. He is able to demonstrate teen confusion, desire and a moral compass with just enough grit to survive the night. Shelby Duclos is superb in her role of interested girlfriend to be, willing combatant and voice of reason on a madcap night of adventure.

— Eric Cotten, Festival Programming Associate, MdFF 2021

Content Considerations: Strong language, depictions of gun violence and physical violence, depictions of sex

This screening will be followed by a Q&A with Co-director, Manuel Crosby moderated by Festival Programming Associate, Eric Cotten