Is A Movie A Good First Date? (10 Reasons It Is)

A classic first date is to go to a movie that you think both of you will enjoy.

Since it’s a classic first-date activity, you may wonder if it’s a good idea or not.

After all, even though lots of people have their first dates at the movies, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the date is a success.

Here are 10 reasons why going to the movies on a first date is actually a good idea.

Is a Movie A Good First Date? (10 Reasons It Is)

1. Gives You An Idea Of Their Likes

One of the reasons going to a movie is a good first date idea is that it gives you a glimpse into what they like.

For example, if you’re going to a horror movie, and they’re excited about it, you can probably assume that they enjoy the horror genre.

If you enjoy the horror genre, too, then you might have a few things in common.

It can also make setting up additional dates a bit easier.

For example, you both might want to go to a haunted corn maze or go through a haunted house during October.

Likewise, if they like romantic comedies, and you don’t, that might also indicate that you may not be as compatible as you originally thought.

While having different opinions on movie genres shouldn’t spell the end of a relationship, it can maybe indicate a few more personality traits of the individual.

For example, if they like romantic comedies, maybe they enjoy romance as a whole, too.

If you’re a bit more pragmatic and not into PDA, you and your prospective partner might have intimacy issues moving forward.

They might want more than you’re willing to give, for example.

Going to a movie is a great first date because it can help you glean some insights about the likes and dislikes of your date.

2. Affordable

Another reason a movie is a great first date activity is that it’s affordable.

First dates should be memorable, but that doesn’t mean that you need to break the bank to make them so

While movie theater ticket prices vary based on which theater you go to, you can always find a local theater with cheap tickets.

Since they’re cheap, you can also show a bit of chivalry and buy your date’s ticket for them.

You can take that a step further and buy any snacks or drinks that they want, too.

Not only is the gesture usually positively received, but it also doesn’t hurt your wallet too much either.

This is important for a first date because you’re both testing the waters to see if establishing a relationship and going on more dates is something you both want to do.

It’s totally acceptable that you’ll both walk away not feeling the connection.

If that happens, you won’t have wasted a lot of money on the investment.

While you should look to spend a bit of money to impress your date or demonstrate that you do have an interest in them, you don’t need to spend a ridiculous amount of money to do so.

Movie theaters also have ways of saving money, too.

If you’re in a pinch, you can always join their membership clubs, if they have one, beforehand.

In many cases, movie theater memberships allow you to see free films or discounted films after seeing a certain number of movies or paying a certain amount of money.

Through a membership, you can make the date even more affordable.

Finally, you can also share popcorn to save on costs.

It also makes eating the popcorn a bit more intimate.

3. Arcade Games

A lot of movie theaters have a few arcade games tucked away somewhere.

It’s another way for them to generate a bit more money.

Some of their arcade games are classics like Pac-Man or Mortal Kombat.

A few others might invest in more modern arcade games.

They also often have some sort of crane game where you can try to win stuffed animals and other prizes.

A few even have air tables or pool tables.

This makes going to the movies a good first date activity because it gives you both something to do while you’re waiting for the movie to open its doors.

One great way to take advantage of this to make the date more memorable is to have you and your date arrive at the movie theater early.

This gives you a chance to sit down and have some light conversation.

You can spice up the conversation by having some fun in the arcade.

Like at a fair or carnival, you can try to win your date a prize with the crane game.

If you manage to get something, you might just impress them.

At the very least, it makes the date a bit more memorable, too.

Another benefit of playing the arcade with your date is that it can also reveal how competitive they are.

If there’s something like Mortal Kombat or an air table, you can see how they do with winning or losing.

If they’re graceful winners or losers, then that might give you some confidence about their personality in certain situations.

If they’re sore losers or try to make you feel bad for winning or losing, this can give you a red flag about their personality.

4. A Good Appetizer For The Rest Of Your Date

If you feel as though the date is going well by the end of the movie, you can always suggest going to dinner afterward.

Going to a movie is a great first date activity because it serves as a launching point, or appetizer, for the rest of the date.

You can even consider your popcorn and snacks to be an actual appetizer for the rest of your date.

Movies tend to last anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours.

For a first date, it’s not a bad idea to choose a movie that’s a bit on the shorter side, if possible.

This allows you both to finish the movie while still feeling comfortable.

Going to see a long movie might exhaust you both to the point where you want to end the date early even though you both enjoyed one another.

If you plan to see a movie that lasts about an hour and a half, you still have plenty of time to fill the date with a few more activities.

One great activity that you can add after a movie is dinner.

You’re both likely still hungry unless you gorged on a big bucket of popcorn.

The movie, and the experience you shared, do a great job of breaking the ice and setting you up for the next activity.

Movie theaters are often in areas where a lot of other entertainment venues are, too.

That makes hopping from one to the next simple.

You don’t have to worry about traveling a long distance just to get to the next fun activity.

Going to a movie is a good first date activity because it can serve as a convenient launching point for other activities for your date.

5. Breaks The Ice

One of the best things about going to a movie for a first date is that it’s the perfect ice breaker.

First dates can be quite awkward.

This is especially true if it’s a blind date or a date with someone you hardly know.

You may not know how to start the conversation or even what to say.

Going to a movie is great because it gives you a topic to focus on.

You can easily talk about the movie, anything you know about the movie, and movies similar to it.

While you shouldn’t focus on yourself on a first date, you can use the topic of films to learn more about your date.

For example, you can ask them about their favorite movie genre.

You can ask them about their favorite actors or actresses.

If they’re a cinephile, you can dig even deeper and ask about their favorite directors.

Even if your date doesn’t seem to be that interested in movies, you can launch off of that topic to other similar topics.

For example, you can ask them about their favorite TV shows.

If they don’t watch a lot of television, then you can ask about their hobbies.

One topic can lead to another.

It makes learning about your date a bit easier.

The movie also serves as a great way to break the ice after it’s over.

If you go to dinner afterward, for example, and the nervous butterflies start to happen, then you might get a little tongue-tied.

Talking about the movie can be a way to break the ice after you’ve watched it, too.

6. Restaurant-Quality Food

The classic movie theater experience has changed over the years.

With some movie theaters struggling financially, a few have turned to other services to help make money and attract more people to the theater.

One of those ways is to serve food while you’re watching the movie.

As an example, AMC Dine-in theaters serve restaurant-quality food while you enjoy a movie on the big screen.

You’re able to order the food that you want at the concession stand as usual.

Then they bring your food to your seat in the movie theater when it’s ready.

While they try to get your food to you before the movie starts, it isn’t always possible.

As such, they’ll do their best to deliver your food to you as discretely as possible.

It’s essentially like visiting a restaurant while watching a movie on a big screen.

It makes for a great first date because it’s a bit more impressive than a standard popcorn meal and movie.

It feels a bit more intimate and classy.

You can also get desserts if you have a bit of a sweet tooth.

This is a benefit because it allows you to skip going to a restaurant after the movie.

You’re able to combine both eating out and a movie in one setting.

Since it saves you time, you can go to another activity after the movie is over instead of going to a restaurant.

If you’re someone that has a few things you want to do with your date after the movie, going to a theater that serves real food can be ideal.

7. Great Opportunity For Cuddling

Perhaps one of the best reasons that going to a movie is a good first date activity is that it offers plenty of opportunities to cuddle.

While some seats make cuddling a bit difficult, all you need to do is lift the armrest that separates the two of you.

Of course, the movie genre can sometimes dictate whether cuddling is appropriate or not.

It’s a bit easier to go in for a cuddle during a romantic film or horror film, for example.

It can also be a bit difficult to read your date’s body language since you’ll be sitting in the dark.

By going slow, however, you can initiate a cuddle which can set the mood for the rest of the date.

It’s a respectful way to indicate your interest.

8. Helps Determine Ability To Compromise

When you’re planning to see a movie for a first date, it shouldn’t be you or the date who picks the movie.

It’s a decision that you should make together.

This is a great first test to determine how well you compromise together.

Compromising is an essential part of any successful relationship.

Being able to find or choose something that you both agree with can spare you from fights or feelings of dissatisfaction.

It all starts with choosing a movie to see.

If you discover that your date is very much of the “my way or the highway” mindset, this can help you glean some information about how they’ll be in a relationship, too.

That might encourage you to step away after the date is over.

Likewise, it can reveal a few things about you, too.

If you’re the one who’s adamant about seeing a movie and not letting them voice their opinion, they might have some negative thoughts about you, too.

On the other hand, if you’re both able to talk and discuss the various movies that you’re interested in and come to a decision together, this demonstrates a few things.

It shows that you’re able to communicate effectively with one another.

It also shows that you both might have a similar interest in certain genres.

Finally, it indicates that you’re both willing to make some compromises for one another.