The film stars Jessica Barden as Blake Conway, a journalism student whose romance column receives attention when she begins to write about her experiences as a sugar baby.

The film also stars Hayley Law, Brett Dier, Avan Jogia, Timm Sharp and Camila Mendes.

Blake is a student journalist who writes a column about her love life, The Hopeless Romantic, for her school paper.

At an editorial meeting the following day Blake learns that fellow journalist Jacob is applying for an award for Gonzo journalism and is being supported by River.

After weighing Ian's offer, Blake decides to go on a date with him with her primary motivation being her desire to compete with Jacob for the journalism award.

One afternoon when Blake is high on MDMA after having accidentally ingested a laced cupcake prepared by Nikki, Ian turns up with a diamond bracelet asking her to attend a wedding with him.

Disturbed by what happened at the wedding Blake begins to question her relationship with Ian and struggles to understand how it is different from prostitution.

Returning home Blake is confronted by Ian who has finally read the writing sample she sent him and discovered she is documenting their relationship.

There Jacob does a poor reenactment of the final scene of Sleepless in Seattle which he watched after learning Nora Ephron was Blake's favourite writer.

The website's critics consensus reads: "The New Romantic doesn't quite achieve the level of storytelling sophistication it aspires to, but Jessica Barden's performance elevates this enjoyable rom-com with a twist.