Eternally Confused and Eager For Love Review: You may want to swipe left on Netflix's breezy adulthood drama

Eternally Confused and Eager For Love 

Director: Rahul Nair 

Creator: Rahul Nair 

Cast: Vihaan Samat, Suchitra Pillai, Rahul Bose, Dalai, Ankur Rathee 

Streaming Platform: Netflix 

Coming of age stories have entertained us since forever. Netflix's latest original Eternally Confused and Eager For Love tries hard to fit into this bracket with its combination of romance and adulthood. The series revolves around Vihaan Samat as Ray and his inner voice (Jim Sarbh) which is personified by a wizard figurine named Wiz. Ray has had the China-made Wiz figurine since as long as he can remember and as his inner voice it is his guiding light.

Set in the plush lanes of South Mumbai, Ray, a privileged young adult, lives with his parents (Suchitra Pillai and Rahul Bose) and works at a Japanese investment firm. While he may be average in his professional space, Ray has zero luck in the dating or relationship zone. The series begins with Ray crushing over the girl who plays football with. But, we quickly move into Ray's life or rather his dating life. 

In the first few episodes, the makers establish that this socially awkward young adult tries very hard to talk to women but fails almost every time. ECEL starts off on a promising note but loses steam mid-way. Spread across eight episodes, the show keeps going round in circles over Ray's dating attempts, disastrous dates and a party every other night. You may actually wonder whether these young adults have a life outside of clubbing and house parties. 

Throughout, Ray keeps trying his luck at dating as his childhood friend Riya (Dalai) helps him with ample opportunities. While ECEL is relatable in bits and pieces, it never fully impresses you. If anything, objectification of women is borderline problematic 

The highlight of ECEL is Ray's inner voice, which is voiced by Jim Sarbh. The actor does a fab rendition of the inner monologue that Ray is constantly having with himself. The timing of the inner voice within the actual dialogues seamlessly flow through. Another highlight is Rahul Bose as Ray's father. From giving advice to being a grumpy old man at times, Rahul Bose delivers a few chuckles with the few lines he's given on paper. 

Creator Rahul Nair doesn't dish out much to hold on to as a viewer and thus makes it hard to stay invested into Ray's story. While the overall feel of this adulthood drama is breezy, it's not necessarily interesting. Watch it if you want to take a break from thrillers and intense dramas, otherwise, you may want to swipe left on this one. 

ALSO READ: Eternally Confused and Eager for Love Trailer shows Vihaan Samat’s quest to find love