An Acquired Taste

Written by Jeanette Campbell

Warning – This review contains spoilers.

An Acquired Taste follows Hugh, an introverted young man trying to navigate the world of online dating in a hilariously unconventional way. Rather than being himself, Hugh studies each of his potential dates’ interests and shifts his persona to match, hoping to impress or at least score a date. His journey quickly turns into a comedy of errors as he juggles multiple personalities, all while dealing with the expectations of his parents and the lingering effects of a past relationship. Hugh’s struggle to find authentic love in a world of online personas is both relatable and entertaining, and it drives the heart of this story. The chemistry between Hugh and his best friend adds to the narrative’s charm, grounding the absurd situations he finds himself in with real emotional stakes.

While the screenplay is packed with witty dialogue and entertaining scenarios, it occasionally struggles with its tone. Hugh is written as someone in his mid-20s, but much of the humor and character behavior feels more suited to a teenage comedy. There’s a sense of immaturity that doesn’t quite align with the character’s age or the challenges of early adulthood. Some of the jokes also miss the mark, leaning into juvenile humor that may feel a bit out of place for the story’s themes. Despite these issues, the core narrative remains engaging, particularly because it highlights the ridiculousness of modern dating while keeping Hugh’s personal journey at the forefront. With some fine-tuning to better reflect Hugh’s age and maturity level, the story could have even stronger emotional resonance.

An Acquired Taste is well-executed overall from a technical point of view. The screenplay is formatted correctly, with clear grammar, spelling, and punctuation throughout. The dialogue, which is central to the story, is crisp and flows naturally, helping to maintain a lively pace. However, the structure could be improved by tightening some of the character switches, especially when Hugh adopts his different personas. The change in names and characteristics is sometimes confusing, but the humor and rhythm of the dialogue largely make up for it.

The screenplay’s action descriptions are concise and easy to follow, making the story flow smoothly. There are a few minor spelling errors and formatting inconsistencies, such as an extra page after the cover and some errors with scene headings, but these are relatively minor and don’t detract from the readability.

An Acquired Taste is a well-written script that is both accessible and entertaining. With its relatable themes and humorous approach to modern romance, this screenplay has the potential to shine in a table read setting or on the silver screen.