Newness (2017) is a romantic drama directed by Drake Doremus that explores the complexities of millennial dating and emotional intimacy in the digital age. Premiering at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival
Rain drummed a slow rhythm on the corrugated roof of the small cinema, a place that smelled of buttered popcorn and old velvet. The marquee outside read NONTON NEWNESS — 2017 in hand-painted letters, the word “newness” wobbling like a promise. Inside, only three rows of mismatched seats filled the dim room: an elderly man with a wool cap, two high-school girls sharing a backpack, and Arif, who’d come because the poster in the market had suggested the film might answer a question he hadn’t yet learned how to ask. nonton newness -2017-
Furthermore, Newness offers a profound commentary on the difference between pain and suffering in a relationship. All relationships have friction and pain; that is inevitable. However, the film shows how technology amplifies suffering. When Martin and Gabi fight, they retreat to their phones. They spy on exes via social media, seek emotional affairs through DMs, and use the app as a threat—a tangible reminder that they are replaceable. The film’s most devastating scenes aren’t the explicit sexual encounters, but the quiet moments where two people lie in bed together, yet are completely alone, scrolling through their phones. Newness (2017) is a romantic drama directed by
However, the core tragedy of Newness is that this raw authenticity cannot be sustained without trust. As the initial high fades into the mundane realities of cohabitation and routine, both partners fall back on the very digital crutches they sought to escape. The "open phone policy" they adopt—a desperate attempt to prove loyalty—backfires, transforming intimacy into surveillance. Martin’s eye wanders to Instagram likes; Gabi re-downloads the app out of boredom and insecurity. The film’s most devastating insight is that the app is not the villain; it is merely a tool. The villain is the internalized logic of the marketplace: if something is difficult, or boring, or painful, you can simply find a newer, shinier model. Inside, only three rows of mismatched seats filled
: You can stream the film directly on Netflix in select international regions where they hold the active streaming video-on-demand rights.
Perlu diketahui, film ini memiliki rating . Terdapat adegan seks eksplisit dan frontal yang tidak biasa untuk film independen. Namun, berbeda dengan film dewasa pada umumnya, adegan seks di sini tidak dibuat untuk sensasi semata. Adegan-adegan tersebut justru berfungsi sebagai narasi: bagaimana pasangan modern sering menggunakan seks sebagai pelarian untuk menghindari komunikasi yang sebenarnya.