Courtship or Coercion? Angelfish Outlines Dating Rules

What?

Patrick and Claire go on a date. Patrick invites Claire to his house to see his angelfish. Claire agrees to go. Pretty normal, isn't it? But Dane McCusker in 6 minutes tries to shatter the normalcy of what unfolds next. The growing conversations about consent and courtship lift the veil of what earlier seemed like 'normal dating culture'. Patrick assumes that Claire is okay kissing him, because she agreed to go his house. More often than not, girls blame themselves for having agreed to go in the first place. However, what lacks here, is the understanding of crossing lines. For men, now, the line between courtship and persistence is very blurry. The failure to take a hint, to understand 'no' or to fathom the idea that the girl must really have wanted to just chill is a result of countless years of entitlement. The may not be assaulting actively or touching a random girl on the street, but to define boundaries within the dating sphere, after the woman has agreed to go out with a man is the need of the hour. 'Angelfish' takes a closer look at defining spaces, understanding conversations and questioning general dating norms.

Why Watch?

• A conversation starter: The film acts as defining moment for how things after a date can take the wrong turn, thus initiating talks about deeper issues.
  
• A nuanced look: The ease with which a friendly chat turns to uncomfortable persistance is how usually things unfold in reality. The conflict between the characters gives a detailed look.
  
• The aftermath: The final shots of Patrick facing himself and failing to evaluate his behavior is an example of how these situations should not be dealt and what is entirely wrong with it.
  

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