

Love Factually
Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel
We're just two professors standing in front of a rom-com, asking it to be the subject of our podcast. Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel explain what your favorite romantic films get right -- and wrong -- about the science of romance.
Because it's time for scientists to take Ryan Gosling as seriously as you do.
Because it's time for scientists to take Ryan Gosling as seriously as you do.
Episodes
Mentioned books

14 snips
Oct 27, 2025 • 52min
The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Are some people just late bloomers? Is asking questions a good dating strategy? What does it mean to be a good lover, anyway? Paul and Eli unpack The 40 Year-Old Virgin—the 2005 transgressive comedy from Judd Apatow—and reflect on how times (and they themselves) have changed in the intervening 20 years. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

9 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 38min
Bonus Episode: Paul and Eli on the Speaking of Psychology Podcast with Kim Mills
In this special crossover episode of the APA Speaking of Psychology podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Kim Mills about the helpful and harmful lessons we absorb from romantic films.

Oct 13, 2025 • 47min
Ghost (1990)
How does it feel to lose a loved-one? Do we benefit from having a partner who speaks our love language? What's so sexy about creativity? Paul and Eli take a nostalgia trip back to Ghost (1990), the romance/murder mystery/revenge epic/moral fable/all-around sensation starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

Sep 29, 2025 • 46min
Phantom Thread (2017)
How is romantic attachment similar to parent-child attachment? Can the fear of intimacy make someone controlling? What's the connection between relationships and food? Paul and Eli revisit Paul Thomas Anderson's majestic Phantom Thread (2017), the Best Picture nominee that served up one of cinema's most deliciously warped loved stories. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

16 snips
Sep 25, 2025 • 57min
Bonus Episode: First Anniversary Show!
Year one of Love Factually is in the books! Paul and Eli first review their favorite moments from the first year of the show, and then (at 42:20) they count down the Top Five most accurate movies they've covered to date.

Sep 15, 2025 • 46min
Top Gun (1986) with Matt Rhodes
What assumptions lurk behind the man-approaches-woman default? Why is double-dating a good idea? Does the military take grief seriously? Paul and Eli invite the former naval aviator Matt Rhodes to discuss Top Gun, the 1986 blockbuster featuring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, and a sex scene unlike anything you've ever witnessed in a PG movie. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

12 snips
Sep 1, 2025 • 55min
The Lobster (2015) with Yuthika Girme
Is society prejudiced against single people? How does culture control our sexual behavior? Do we need to find a partner who shares a hyper-specific similarity? Paul and Eli invite Yuthika Girme—one of the world's foremost experts in the science of both romantic relationships and singlehood—to discuss The Lobster (2015), Yorgos Lanthimos's deadpan, absurdist, and deeply unsettling romantic satire. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

27 snips
Aug 18, 2025 • 54min
Titanic (1997)
Explore the allure of secret relationships and how vulnerability fosters intimacy. Delve into the nature of heroism, revealing that women also embody interpersonal bravery. Discover how Jack's validation of Rose deepens their connection, while examining historical contexts that shaped women's choices in 1912. The discussion includes critiques of character portrayals and relationship dynamics, alongside reflections on Titanic's cultural impact. Throughout, the hosts blend humor and insight, navigating the complexities of love and loss.

Aug 4, 2025 • 55min
Moonstruck (1987)
Do men chase women because they fear death? Do partners in love drive each other crazy? How do people navigate breakups? Paul and Eli gradually unravel as they discuss the mayhem in Moonstruck, featuring an Oscar-winning performance by Cher and an unhinged performance by Nicolas Cage. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil

Jul 21, 2025 • 49min
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
How does marriage vary across economic systems? Do partners exchange beauty for status? Why do perceptions of a potential partner change over time? Paul and Eli pay homage to the one-and-only Jane Austen by revisiting the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. For show notes, click here. Hosted, produced, and edited by Paul Eastwick and Eli Finkel. Music by Andrew Fraker and Sons Artwork by Katie Keil


