Andrew Garfield's Chicken Shop Date becomes a real-life romantic comedy

Ten years of Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Date has all been leading to this, the moment where the lines of premise and reality start to blur and we’re left with something that feels like an actual, genuine romantic comedy. She’s had dates that were funny (Keke Palmer) and dates that felt real (Paul Mescal) and dates that interrogated the premise (Matty Healy). But on Friday she shared a date that combined all of that and more with the one and only Andrew Garfield.

To appreciate this date fully we have to peel back its many layers. First and most importantly, Garfield and Dimoldenberg have met publicly on multiple occasions; the chemistry between the pair was palpable during their red carpet interviews, and the build-up of anticipation for when he’d finally be a guest on her show adds a delicious tension to the episode. Second, as part of Dimoldenberg’s incredibly dry comic persona, she’s always insisted that her chicken shop dates are a real quest for love despite the fact that it’s obviously a professional gig with boundaries in place. And third, though Garfield has become known for being refreshingly candid and vulnerable as a celebrity, he’s still a very talented actor who is currently promoting a romance (We Live In Time). The man knows exactly what he’s doing; that was evident from the episode teaser, when he gave Dimoldenberg a once-over with a coy “Hi” and a bite of his lips.

That brings us to the actual episode, where all those layers create a dynamic so textually rich that romance writers everywhere are seething in jealousy. Garfield presents as inescapably aware of the meta element at play, worrying that the episode might not live up to the hype after all that build-up and acknowledging that they’ve already had a “meet cute.” He’s certainly flirtatious, admitting that he prefers women who are funnier than him, and even manages to set Dimoldenberg back on her heels a bit by asking her questions for a change. For her part, Dimoldenberg enjoys having a guest “seeing what I’m doing… and naming it,” she says. “And calling you on it, and you go slightly red,” Garfield points out.

At multiple points throughout the 10-plus minute interview, Garfield can’t help but question the premise, whether the date is real, whether his connection with Dimoldenberg is real, or if it even is real would it work outside the cameras and publicity? The cherry on top is the brief hint, here and there, at a private connection made off-camera, as when Dimoldenberg reminds Garfield he can contact her because “you asked for my number at a party.” Oh, the complicated dance between private and public, fantasy and reality! It’s the best rom-com that’s come out this year, possibly even better than the romance movie Garfield is currently promoting. Whatever happens next, at least they’ll always have the chicken shop.