Love Factually

We're just two professors standing in front of a rom-com, asking it to be the subject of our podcast. Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel explain what your favorite romantic films get right -- and wrong -- about the science of romance. Because it's time for scientists to take Ryan Gosling as seriously as you do.

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) 12/29/2025

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) What happens when a narcissist decides she wants something? Why is it complicated when your best friend is also your ex? Why is it so important to keep alternatives at bay? Paul and Eli revisit Julia Roberts’ unforgettable and unrivaled transformation into rom-com anti-hero in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39479555

The Holiday (2006) 12/15/2025

The Holiday (2006) Can a change of scenery help people find a partner? What is the nature of unrequited love? How do people react to sexual overtures from strangers? Paul and Eli savor impeccable kitchens and exquisite real estate in The Holiday, Nancy Meyers’s 2006 starring vehicle for Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39362695

Deep Dive: The Compatibility Puzzle 12/08/2025

Deep Dive: The Compatibility Puzzle In this special episode, Eli interviews Paul about his upcoming book, . Part 1 of this series is devoted to complexities of romantic compatibility. They discuss how they began studying attraction in the first place, why online dating failed to live up to its potential, and why a relationship is what you make it. Plus: Why is it wise to have a few intimacy-inspiring questions in your back pocket? your copy today, submit your receipt , and receive a “book plate” that turns your book into a signed copy! Book plate gift with preorder: US Residents, 18+. Ends February 10, 2025. See terms at prh.com/lovefactually Hosted, produced, and edited by and Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39194150

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 12/01/2025

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Does giving to others makes us happy? Why is expressing vulnerability so powerful? How can we feel grateful for what we already have? In collaboration with the campaign, Paul and Eli fire up Frank Capra’s immortal and inspiring It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), the generosity-filled holiday classic. With Giving Tuesday right around the corner, we hope you’ll consider donating to #PodsFightPoverty, in which your favorite social science podcasts (“The Happiness Lab,” “You Are Not So Smart,” “Hidden Brain,” and many others) join forces to lift three entire villages in Rwanda out of extreme poverty. Most of these ~700 families live on less than $2 a day and struggle to afford the basics: food, education, medical care, and the like. It’s astonishing how much difference a donation of $100, or even $25, can make for one of these families. If you appreciate our show, please express that gratitude by supporting Pods Fight Poverty (). For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39194125

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) 11/24/2025

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) How do friend networks facilitate relationship formation? What happens to those networks when people fall in love? Are wedding guests just looking to hook up? Paul and Eli find answers lurking at both wedding altar and graveyard in the very British rom-com, Four Weddings and Funeral. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39135450

Bonus Episode: Beaches (1988) with Nina Badzin and Rebekah Jacobs 11/17/2025

Bonus Episode: Beaches (1988) with Nina Badzin and Rebekah Jacobs Do opposites attract? When is intimacy scary? Can offering forgiveness inadvertently escalate conflict? In this special crossover episode of the podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Nina Badzin and Rebekah Jacobs about Beaches, the Bette Midler musical showcase about lifelong friendships. /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/39040645

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) 11/10/2025

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) What happens when our self-esteem is tied to our looks? How can significant others make us feel confident? What is the nature of found families? Paul and Eli travel to the gorgeously trippy world of Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Hayao Miyazaki’s anti-war fable about the power of love and hair dye. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38631235

The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005) 10/27/2025

The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005) Are some people just late bloomers? Is asking questions a good dating strategy? What does it mean to be a good lover, anyway? Paul and Eli unpack The 40 Year-Old Virgin—the 2005 transgressive comedy from Judd Apatow—and reflect on how times (and they themselves) have changed in the intervening 20 years. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38581305

Bonus Episode: Paul and Eli on the Speaking of Psychology Podcast with Kim Mills 10/20/2025

Bonus Episode: Paul and Eli on the Speaking of Psychology Podcast with Kim Mills In this special crossover episode of the APA podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Kim Mills about the helpful and harmful lessons we absorb from romantic films. /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38014785

Ghost (1990) 10/13/2025

Ghost (1990) How does it feel to lose a loved-one? Do we benefit from having a partner who speaks our love language? What’s so sexy about creativity? Paul and Eli take a nostalgia trip back to Ghost (1990), the romance/murder mystery/revenge epic/moral fable/all-around sensation starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38543540

Phantom Thread (2017) 09/29/2025

Phantom Thread (2017) How is romantic attachment similar to parent-child attachment? Can the fear of intimacy make someone controlling? What’s the connection between relationships and food? Paul and Eli revisit Paul Thomas Anderson’s majestic Phantom Thread (2017), the Best Picture nominee that served up one of cinema’s most deliciously warped loved stories. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38314235

Bonus Episode: First Anniversary Show! 09/25/2025

Bonus Episode: First Anniversary Show! Year one of Love Factually is in the books! Paul and Eli first review their favorite moments from the first year of the show, and then (at 42:20) they count down the Top Five most accurate movies they've covered to date. /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38186890

Top Gun (1986) with Matt Rhodes 09/15/2025

Top Gun (1986) with Matt Rhodes What assumptions lurk behind the man-approaches-woman default? Why is double-dating a good idea? Does the military take grief seriously? Paul and Eli invite the former naval aviator to discuss Top Gun, the 1986 blockbuster featuring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, and a sex scene unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed in a PG movie. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/38036855

The Lobster (2015) with Yuthika Girme 09/01/2025

The Lobster (2015) with Yuthika Girme Is society prejudiced against single people? How does culture control our sexual behavior? Do we need to find a partner who shares a hyper-specific similarity? Paul and Eli invite —one of the world’s foremost experts in the science of both romantic relationships and singlehood—to discuss The Lobster (2015), Yorgos Lanthimos’s deadpan, absurdist, and deeply unsettling romantic satire. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37979225

Titanic (1997) 08/18/2025

Titanic (1997) Are secret relationships especially alluring? How can we cultivate intimacy in a new relationship? What is the nature of heroism for men and women? Paul and Eli dive into Titanic – the 1997 epic that launched Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio to stardom – to learn whether hearts go on and on. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37841375

Moonstruck (1987) 08/04/2025

Moonstruck (1987) Do men chase women because they fear death? Do partners in love drive each other crazy? How do people navigate breakups? Paul and Eli gradually unravel as they discuss the mayhem in Moonstruck, featuring an Oscar-winning performance by Cher and an unhinged performance by Nicolas Cage. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37643260

Pride and Prejudice (2005) 07/21/2025

Pride and Prejudice (2005) How does marriage vary across economic systems? Do partners exchange beauty for status? Why do perceptions of a potential partner change over time? Paul and Eli pay homage to the one-and-only Jane Austen by revisiting the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37461905

High Fidelity (2000) 07/07/2025

High Fidelity (2000) Are mismatched couples doomed? Why is it essential to calibrate our expectations? What happens when we seek closure on past relationships? Paul and Eli revisit High Fidelity—the seminal text that proclaimed “What really matters is what you like” —and find themselves on a semi-traumatic trip down memory lane. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37266760

Materialists (2025) 06/23/2025

Materialists (2025) What happens when we treat dating like a business proposition? How important is height in determining a man’s desirability? If love isn’t “the math,” then what is it? Paul and Eli race from Celine Song’s Materialists to the recording booth, hoping to make sense of the modern dating landscape. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/37095325

Brokeback Mountain (2005) 06/09/2025

Brokeback Mountain (2005) Is romantic love like an addiction? What is the nature of anti-gay prejudice? How do people come to understand their own sexual identity? Paul and Eli revisit “Brokeback Mountain” in preparation for its , while marveling at some truly legendary performances. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36880620

Deep Dive: Grand Romantic Gestures 06/02/2025

Deep Dive: Grand Romantic Gestures The first Love Factually Deep Dive! Grand romantic gestures pervade romance films. Are they effective? Are they sometimes unethical? Cornell professor Vanessa Bohns () and bestselling author Dan Pink () join Paul and Eli for a freewheeling discussion that reaches some unexpected conclusions. /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36802640

27 Dresses (2008) 05/26/2025

27 Dresses (2008) What are the risks of being a people pleaser? Why do weddings fall apart? Why is it so important to be authentic in relationships? Paul and Eli try on “27 Dresses” (and decode some Elton John lyrics) in pursuit of some insights. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36633955

Frozen (2013) 05/12/2025

Frozen (2013) What’s special about sibling relationships? How do people with different attachment styles cope with stress? Why is it risky to get engaged to somebody you met that day? The megahit Frozen—starring the inimitable Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel—flips the traditional Disney script and offers some answers. This is a clean episode - suitable for all ages! For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36442080

Mailbag: Friends-first, Weddings, & Therapy 05/05/2025

Mailbag: Friends-first, Weddings, & Therapy The first Love Factually mailbag episode! Eli and Paul answer your questions about friends-first relationships, wedding stress, and memory erasure. Plus, we reopen the debate: When do relationships benefit from therapy, and why? /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36340870

Marriage Story (2019) 04/28/2025

Marriage Story (2019) What happens when we view marriage in terms of winning and losing? How does divorce affect children? What are the consequences of taking a relationship for granted? Paul and Eli sift through the wreckage in Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach’s lacerating, multiple-Oscar-nominated masterpiece starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36301590

Groundhog Day (1993) 04/14/2025

Groundhog Day (1993) Can interactions with strangers fulfill our need to belong? Does ironic detachment mask attachment insecurity? Should we try to change ourselves into somebody else’s ideal partner? Paul and Eli immerse themselves, again and again, in Groundhog Day, the timeless philosophical redemption tale starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/36088805

BONUS episode: Paul and Eli on the Dateable Podcast with Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu 04/07/2025

BONUS episode: Paul and Eli on the Dateable Podcast with Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu In this special crossover episode of the , Paul and Eli chat with hosts Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu about how people should - and shouldn't - apply lessons from the movies to their dating lives. /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/35969080

Hitch (2005) 03/31/2025

Hitch (2005) Is striving to avoid mistakes a good romantic strategy? Can couples who are mismatched on hotness get together? Does relationship success require that you be a desirable person? Paul and Eli dust off Hitch, the 2005 rom-com vehicle for Will Smith and Eva Mendes, in search of answers. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/35892585

Before Sunset (2004) 03/17/2025

Before Sunset (2004) How does it feel to confront hard relationship choices? How can we truly listen to one another? What counts as infidelity? Paul and Eli unpack Before Sunset—the sequel to Before Sunrise—which features Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) unexpectedly reunited in Paris, confronting the past and changing the future. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/35699990

Barbie (2023) 03/03/2025

Barbie (2023) How can people navigate the “friendzone”? Do men need romantic relationships more than women do? Does confusion about one’s identity undermine relationships? Paul and Eli search for answers in the 2023 film Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s feminist fantasia featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. For show notes, click . Hosted, produced, and edited by and . Music by Artwork by /episode/index/show/4bfb63fb-9778-4b24-8755-17a4eff7cc39/id/35490155

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