What's the longest date you've been on? Yes, a date-- a stage where you're still trying to get to know someone and figuring out if he or she is someone you can see yourself with in the future. Would you go on a third date that lasts a couple of hours? How about a few days? For one couple, which is the subject of Netflix's upcoming documentary, however, their third date last a total of 79 days.
Longest Third Date is Netflix's upcoming documentary that follows a real-life couple who went out of the country for a third date and got stuck thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two were forced to have an extended stay in Costa Rica and extensively get to know each other in the middle of a global lockdown.
Here's what you need to know about the docuseries.
How Did Matt Robertson and Khani Le Meet?
In February 2020, when things were somewhat still normal, Matt Robertson, 32, and Khani Le, 30, decided to go on a first date after they got matched on a dating app called Hinge. Since things turned out okay between the two New Yorkers, they decided to go on a second date. On their first two dates, the couple went to an Indian restaurant and an ax-throwing bar. They hit it off so well that for their third date, they decided to go to Costa Rica.
Unfortunately for the two, their third date happened in March 2020; a time when the world closed down its borders and people were forced to stay at home. This was because it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What was supposed to be a romantic weekend in Central America turned into a 79-day adventure for the couple.
They decided to film their experience using their smartphones, which is what Netflix used for the Longest Third Date documentary.
How Did the Couple Survive the Pandemic?
The two stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica for a weekend. But when their return flight got cancelled, they had no choice but to stay put in Central America.
In an interview with The Post, Robertson, an account executive for a film production company, shared:
"There were definitely a couple of moments where I was overwhelmed. You go from everything being normal to, all of a sudden, living with someone you barely know, in a foreign country during a pandemic."
They decided to use this as a chance to learn more about each other. Le, a brand publicist, shared that Robertson "doesn't get stressed out or freak out at every challenge. We figure it out together."
Throughout the next few months, the two made their way throughout backpacking around Costa Rica. When their original resort shut down, the two roughed it out and carried their stuff with them. They've stayed in a treehouse and even in a tent in the jungle. When they were finally able to return home, it cost them nearly $1,000 each. This was a far cry from the $200 fare they paid when they first left in March.
Is the Longest Third Date Couple Still Together?
So in June 2020, the two finally got back in US soil. They landed in Houston but decided to continue with the new adventure they accidentally found themselves in. Robertson and Le decided to go on a road trip to the former's hometown, Maine. After visiting his family and friends, Le was warmly welcomed by everyone. "You guys are going to get married."
Next, they went to visit Le's parents in Seattle, Washington. Le's father originally thought his daughter got stranded in Costa Rica with some girlfriends. He only knew of Robertson days before they arrived. Robertson said:
"I had a lot of pressure, but things went well, and I seemed to have passed the first of what I expect will be many tests."
Robertson was referring to eating a Filipino delicacy: a fertilized duck egg called balut. The two then decided to adopt a French bulldog and named him Banks and stay with Le's family.
They finally returned to New York in February 2021 and decided to move in together.
"We haven't gone a day apart. I wouldn't change anything," Le said.
When Is Longest Third Date Coming Out on Netflix?
Using the material from their smartphones and interviews, the documentary gives us a look into the life of a new couple forced to spend months with each other during the pandemic. The producers of the show were so intrigued by the accidental love story and even compared it to a modern rom-com with an unexpected social experiment.
The documentary is directed by Brent Hodge, who shared with Tudum:
"I loved hearing about Matt and Khani's story. It begged the question: Can you get to know someone and fall in love during the most bizarre and uncertain time in the world? Their story felt like a real-life rom-com playing out in front of us."
Longest Third Date will be coming out on Netflix on April 18, 2023. You can watch the trailer of the documentary here:
Longest Third Date is coming out on April 18, 2023.
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