Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Feel-good NYC romance has language, sex, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Perfect Find
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE PERFECT FIND opens with fashion pro Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) still hiding out in her parents' house and reeling from a public breakup and firing a year ago. When she decides to get back into the game in the city, she has to beg competitor Darcy (Gina Torres) to give her a job. She gets six months to help bring more subscribers to Darcy's fashion outlet Darzine. There, she's paired with handsome young film school graduate Eric (Keith Powers). She and Eric had met and made out at a party before she knew he was her coworker and, as it turns out, Darcy's son. The two make creative magic and find themselves falling in love despite their age difference and Darcy's likely disapproval.
Is It Any Good?
This feel-good romance features an entirely Black cast led by Union and Powers, a foot-tapping soundtrack, and a modest dose of humor. Starting with vibrant, jazzy collage-style opening credits and continuing with a story set in the Brooklyn and New York fashion magazine scene, The Perfect Find aims for a sexy, urban vibe. Some scenes capture this more than others, like a relaxed bedroom heart-to-heart where the lead couple's dialogue runs longer than the filmed snapshots of them snuggling. It's a charming scene that conveys two people falling in love unexpectedly.
Other scenes, particularly those featuring Torres as the diva Darcy, are purposefully over the top but can ring false in their campiness. The film's humor and timing aren't always on point and there seems to be some timeline confusion in the backstory, but it's an endearing watch driven by two attractive leads and an amiable secondary cast. A nod to the history of female Black icons and actresses, like Nina Mae McKinney, adds a layer of meaning to the tale.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Black icons mentioned in The Perfect Find. Did you recognize people in the pictures shown? Who was Nina Mae McKinney, for example? Where could you go for more information?
Do you think the age difference between Jenna and Eric should have mattered? Why or why not?
How does the film use fashion and music to craft its tone and also to depict its New York setting?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : June 23, 2023
- Cast : Gabrielle Union , Keith Powers , Gina Torres
- Director : Numa Perrier
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Writer(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Arts , Book Characters , Friendship
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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