This Always Happens

By Omeleto

They swiped right. Now one potential couple is on their first date, and all seems to be going well… until they begin talking about astrology.

This short is a modern riff on one of the most fundamental stories of the human condition: two people meet, circle one another as they try to figure out if they’re a fit and then clash over differences.

But it’s what happens during the date and afterward, that makes this a unique and intriguing film. What starts off with the trappings of a romantic comedy quickly becomes more resonant, thanks to finely honed, compelling dialogue and acutely poignant performances that deepen the initial personae that both main characters present to one another. Both actors render the tension, conflict and attraction between them with great skill and sensitivity, feeling like full-fledged people in the span of under 15 minutes.

“This Always Happens” then goes to a deeper place of self-reflection, questioning why we self-sabotage our own aspirations for happiness and feel the need to judge others so quickly and harshly. The result is a film that goes beyond its topic of dating and romance and feels vulnerable, achingly open and courageously personal.

Transcript provided by YouTube:

00:06
[Music]
00:21
when’s your birthday July 3rd your
00:25
cancer so so I’m a Virgo
00:34
cancer and Virgo or like
00:48
what’s wrong I just I just hate all that
00:54
shit what shit all that astrology shit
01:00
you hate astrology kid forget it I just
01:12
I’ve never heard of someone like hating
01:15
astrology before you’re right
01:19
I love astrology have you ever looked
01:22
herself up yes and it was pretty
01:26
accurate it’s fucking cool right it’s a
01:28
parlor trick what do you mean it uses
01:31
vague open-ended statements so when you
01:33
have enough of them is true for
01:34
basically every person on this planet
01:36
mine wasn’t fake no no it was actually
01:41
like creepy how accurate it is does it
01:43
tell you your blood type or a genetic
01:45
disposition for dementia
01:47
no right
01:52
serving others physical fitness
01:54
perfectionist hypochondriac I mean it is
01:56
like it is me like all my friends okay I
02:00
have this friend Natalie who like works
02:01
with clay Jesus okay
02:05
who cares it’s not like I’m playing my
02:08
life right doesn’t no one cares that’s
02:11
the fucking problem no one cares about
02:14
anything it’s like like we discovered
02:17
that the earth is round and it’s like
02:18
we’ve been on this slow steady descent
02:20
back to that point ever since friends
02:22
aired how can you believe in something
02:25
that’s so full of holes it’s like have
02:27
some fucking conviction pretty sure
02:32
about all this huh I mean yes it’s all
02:34
bullshit basically yeah yeah how do you
02:38
know
02:38
I mean well there’s science science hmm
02:47
you’re heard of that what is that
02:49
whatever no no please hey guys no stop
02:54
guys stop I this this guy he just told
02:59
me about science have you heard of it
03:03
yeah okay thanks guys
03:09
yeah huh
03:12
thanks no thank you
03:16
science whatever think I’m pretty stupid
03:23
huh
03:24
what irrational I never said that
03:27
come on any time have a little
03:30
conviction all right look
03:37
we’re sort of drunk okay we’re sort of
03:40
getting to know each other I think this
03:42
is a miscommunication touch me
03:45
great I should have known what this all
03:52
this shit what the fuck does that mean
03:56
means I should have known that this
03:57
would happen when I looked at your basic
03:59
fucking profile like Oh our wine Pizza
04:03
traveling PR you know normally I would
04:06
swipe left on any of that shit but
04:07
you’re really hot so I thought maybe
04:09
she’s different
04:11
this always fucking happens yes huh yeah
04:16
if I had a dime for every time some
04:18
idiot asked me what my goddamn star sign
04:21
was I could fly the fuck out of your
04:23
business class
04:37
all right
04:51
wait
04:53
why shut up
04:58
you know you really hurt my feelings
05:00
just now which is weird because you
05:05
don’t know anything about me and I was
05:08
having a good time with you
05:09
I was astrology is fun you know it’s
05:15
just something to talk about it’s a way
05:17
in it’s a way to get to know somebody
05:19
who gives a shit if it’s real people are
05:24
real and when you hide behind an easy
05:28
argument to make others feel small and
05:31
make yourself look like an asshole you
05:36
don’t think I’ve had this argument
05:37
before this exact argument
05:39
I work in pharmaceutical PR okay I know
05:43
what the fucking science is in fact I
05:46
probably know the arguments against
05:47
astrology better than you because I
05:49
actually know what I’m talking about but
05:51
I get it yeah I being certain makes you
05:54
feel good about yourself certainty is
05:57
fucking boring Anton
06:04
I’m sorry that this always happens to
06:06
you if you ask me that sounds like a
06:08
personal problem
06:14
yeah
06:17
I like pizza wine traveling
06:23
cuz those things are fucking awesome
06:54
fuck
07:20
yeah goddamn it Jill
07:24
I just called you cars here what hey
07:28
where are you going Jill come on
07:32
60-seconds okay come on what the to 5510
07:37
yes please
07:39
what the fuck are you doing sixty
07:42
Seconds okay I’m going home Anton
07:43
alright so get the fuck out you cannot
07:47
dump all that shit on me and then just
07:49
walk away like I can do whatever I want
07:51
sir if she wants you to get out of the
07:53
car mind your own fucking business
08:00
fuck ma’am I’m sorry
08:02
what are you doing in time I’m I’m tired
08:08
okay I’m done so just get out of the car
08:18
you’re right
08:22
I’m right
08:26
what you said
08:30
about how I was using the argument
08:34
arguing about astrology how I was trying
08:37
to hurt you
08:41
you’re right
08:44
it’s like I’m in a thick fog or
08:47
something like a drowning
08:51
I’m gonna grab something like there’s
08:54
this thing that I know like I know I’m
08:56
right and that’s all that matters
09:00
and it’s like fuck everyone else because
09:03
I’m not gonna drown I don’t deserve that
09:09
it’s stupid
09:13
it’s so fucking stupid
09:18
I mean I show up to meet some girl and
09:24
it’s just like every step of the way I
09:26
just want to turn around just go home
09:30
you know like fuck it fuck this all the
09:38
others turned out to be a waste of time
09:40
so why should she be any different but I
09:45
show up
09:48
say hello smile buy a drink
09:55
try to make you laugh run down the
09:58
checklist you know just kiss you doesn’t
10:03
matter it’s just another girl just
10:09
another magical night where anything’s
10:10
possible
10:17
it’s a lie
10:27
because I’m terrified
10:31
and I’m lonely and I’m angry
10:40
it never works never fucking works
10:48
it works for everyone else so why
10:53
doesn’t it work for me
11:13
the best first date ever
11:32
listen I’m sorry
11:37
I’m sorry for what I said because you’re
11:41
right I don’t know you I don’t and I was
11:49
horrible
12:04
what you said to me
12:12
that took a lot of courage
12:17
and gave me a lot of courage
12:22
so
12:57
ready
13:00
yeah
13:29
a sparrow is fragile
13:37
just way too
13:39
[Music]
13:42
stay until your
13:45
[Music]
13:56
take a chance
13:59
[Music]