Puppy Love

Puppy Love (2023) is a romantic comedy starring Lucy Hale as Nicole, a wild, impulsive woman who has a disastrous first date with Max, a socially anxious man played by Grant Gustin. Determined to move on, the two agree to forget each other's numbers, but their plans unravel when they discover that their dogs have fallen in love and now there are puppies on the way. Forced into an awkward shared responsibility, Nicole and Max must keep interacting as they navigate co-parenting the dogs, emotional baggage, and their very different personalities. The story leans on a familiar enemies-to-lovers setup, but with a pet-centered twist that drives the relationship forward. It was released in 2023, runs 1 hour 46 minutes, and blends light comedy with romance.

Critical reception for Puppy Love was mixed-to-negative overall. Rotten Tomatoes lists the film at 44% on the Tomatometer from 16 critic reviews, while its audience score is much stronger at 85% from 250+ ratings, suggesting the movie connected better with general viewers than with reviewers. IMDb's user rating is 6.3/10, which points to a moderate audience response rather than a breakout hit. Metacritic's critic coverage is sparse but leans low, with cited reviews from Paste Magazine and Screen Rant both landing at 40/100; those reviews describe the film as dull, heavily reliant on clichés, and lacking sharp writing, though one review notes that the lead chemistry and the puppy premise help sustain interest. Overall, the reception suggests a charming concept and appealing stars, but uneven execution and thin comedy kept it from winning over critics. Fans of breezy romance and dog-centered hijinks may find it more agreeable than reviewers did.