Newness

Living in Los Angeles, Martin is a divorced pharmacist while Gabriella is a physical therapy assistant from Spain. One night, the two go out with people they met on a dating app. After both dates end badly, they return to the app and match with each other. Meeting at a bar, they spend the rest of the night talking and getting to know each other. In the morning, they return to Martin's apartment and have sex. Soon after, they begin a relationship and Gabriella moves in with Martin.

Visiting Martin's parents, his father tells Gabriella that his mother has dementia. She also sees photos around the house of Martin's ex-wife, Bethany, and of an unknown girl. At home, Gabriella confronts Martin for not mentioning his mother's condition or the girl in his childhood photos. Frustrated, he accuses her of being nosy and reveals he had a sister who died when she was 16. They have a heated argument where Gabriella storms out. The next day, an acquaintance invites Gabriella to a dinner party. Meanwhile, Martin goes clubbing with his co-workers. They both cheat on each other that night, but confess the next morning, and then decide to begin an open relationship.

Gabriella's friend, Blake, invites them to a party at her boss, Larry's house. There, they both spend the night flirting with others, Martin with Blake and Gabriella with Larry who is a much older man. They then continue a string of hookups with other people until Gabriella suggests a threesome, to which Martin requests for Blake but is rebuffed by Gabriella because of their friendship. She soon starts spending more time with Larry and his daughter.

Meanwhile, Martin discovers his ex-wife recently had a child. Unsettled, he watches old home videos and later goes to a bar where he runs into Blake. After a night of drinking, it is revealed Bethany miscarried when they were together and he has unresolved feelings for her. The conversation makes Blake uncomfortable and she leaves. Martin returns home immediately to talk to Gabriella but she dismisses him. Later, Larry gives Gabriella a necklace, which she hides from Martin and they have sex. The next morning, Gabriella admits she climaxed during sex with Larry, which disturbs Martin as her other dates have never done so.

Gabriella discovers Martin's private messages to his ex-wife and he reveals he found the hidden necklace from Larry. The two have another fight and break up. Gabriella then moves in with Larry. Larry reveals that in two weeks, he will be leaving on a 2-year business trip around Europe, inviting Gabriella to join him, so she can visit her family. Meanwhile, Martin meets up with Bethany where she says she is now content with her life and wishes him well before they amicably part ways.

At a party hosted by Larry, Gabriella demands him to uninvite Blake to which he refuses and calls her immature. She immediately leaves to a club where she seduces two men before breaking down and texting Martin. The next day, Gabriella tries to apologize to Larry but he belittles her and she leaves him. Later, she returns to Martin's apartment who admits he was never comfortable with an open relationship. The two reconcile and redeclare their love for each other.

{{Cast listing|

• Nicholas Hoult as Martin Hallock
• Laia Costa as Gabriela "Gabi" Silva
• Danny Huston as Larry Bejerano
• Courtney Eaton as Blake Beeson
• Matthew Gray Gubler as Paul
• Pom Klementieff as Bethany
• David Selby as Artie Hallock
• Amanda Serra as Jean "Jeannie" Hallock
• Jessica Henwick as Joanne
• Albert Hammond Jr. as Roland
• Daniel Zovatto as Oren
• Eric Edelstein as Angeleno
• Kai Lennox as Bret Jackson
• Esther Perel as herself
• Maya Stojan as Quinn

}}

The film was financed and produced quickly, and shot during fall 2016.{{cite web|url=http://theplaylist.net/surprise-drake-doremus-film-newness-starring-nicholas-hoult-donald-trump-doc-headed-2017-sundance-film-festival-20170109/|title=Surprise Drake Doremus Film 'Newness' Starring Nicholas Hoult & Donald Trump Doc Headed To 2017 Sundance Film Festival|website=The Playlist|first=Kevin|last=Jagernauth|date=January 9, 2017|accessdate=January 11, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821183826/https://theplaylist.net/surprise-drake-doremus-film-newness-starring-nicholas-hoult-donald-trump-doc-headed-2017-sundance-film-festival-20170109/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-drake-doremus-secret-online-dating-film-newness-nicholas-hoult-1201767743/|title=Sundance 2017: Inside Drake Doremus' Secretive Online Dating Film 'Newness'|website=Indiewire.com|first=Graham|last=Winfrey|date=January 12, 2017|accessdate=January 12, 2017|archive-date=August 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819144504/http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/sundance-2017-drake-doremus-secret-online-dating-film-newness-nicholas-hoult-1201767743/|url-status=live}}

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-adds-drake-doremus-newness-trump-doc-962773|title=Sundance Adds Donald Trump Doc, Drake Doremus' 'Newness' to Lineup|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Ashley|last=Lee|date=January 9, 2017|accessdate=January 11, 2017|archive-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110135242/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-adds-drake-doremus-newness-trump-doc-962773|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sundance.org/projects/newness|title=Newness|website=Sundance Film Festival|accessdate=January 11, 2017|archive-date=October 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016054736/http://www.sundance.org/projects/newness|url-status=dead}} Shortly after, Netflix acquired worldwide SVOD distribution rights for the film.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/netflix-svod-newness-drake-doremus-nicholas-hoult-laia-costa-1202113706/|title=Netflix Landing SVOD Rights To Drake Doremus' 'Newness'|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=2017-06-14|work=Deadline|access-date=2017-06-15|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617131013/http://deadline.com/2017/06/netflix-svod-newness-drake-doremus-nicholas-hoult-laia-costa-1202113706/|url-status=live}} It was released on November 3, 2017.{{cite web|url=http://people.com/movies/nicholas-hoult-falls-in-love-and-into-a-sexy-open-relationship-in-first-newness-trailer/|title=Nicholas Hoult Falls in Love - and Into a Sexy Open Relationship - in First Newness Trailer|website=People|first=Ale|last=Russian|date=October 3, 2017|accessdate=October 6, 2017|archive-date=October 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006082901/http://people.com/movies/nicholas-hoult-falls-in-love-and-into-a-sexy-open-relationship-in-first-newness-trailer/|url-status=live}}

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 71 percent based on reviews from 17 critics, with an average rating of 6.30/10.{{cite web |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/newness_2017/ |title= Newness (2017) |website= Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate= April 18, 2020 |archive-date= November 28, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171128200351/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/newness_2017/ |url-status= live }} On Metacritic, the film has a score of 50 out of 100, based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |url= https://www.metacritic.com/movie/newness |title= Newness |website= Metacritic |accessdate= April 18, 2020 |archive-date= August 3, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200803125830/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/newness |url-status= live }}

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "As a sympathetic look at two likeable lovers who don't know what's good for them, it's enough to give us a rooting interest — even if we're rooting for the two protagonists to accept the consequences of their mistakes and move on."{{cite web |date= Feb 2, 2017 |author1= John DeFore |author-link1= John DeFore |title= 'Newness': Film Review {{!}} Sundance 2017 |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/newness-971146 |website= The Hollywood Reporter |access-date= April 19, 2020 |archive-date= March 12, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200312011906/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/newness-971146 |url-status= live }}

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote: "The trouble with Newness — and the reason it's shot in such a clinical vérité fashion — is that it’s a thesis movie, heady and ambitious yet overly thought out."{{cite web |date= 23 January 2017 |last= Gleiberman |first= Owen |author-link= Owen Gleiberman |title= Sundance Film Review: 'Newness' |url= https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/newness-review-sundance-1201966751/ |website= Variety |access-date= 19 April 2020 |archive-date= 12 March 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200312011906/https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/newness-review-sundance-1201966751/ |url-status= live }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|6408226}}

{{Drake Doremus}}

Category:2017 films

Category:2017 romantic drama films

Category:Films set in California

Category:American romantic drama films

Category:Films about online dating

Category:Scott Free Productions films

Category:Films shot in Los Angeles

Category:Films directed by Drake Doremus

Category:2010s English-language films

Category:2010s American films

Category:English-language romantic drama films