The Holiday (2006)

More from Love Factually All episodes →

1. 

   9 Feb 2026 · 56 min

   Romeo + Juliet (1996) with Donovan Sherman

   Should we wear rose-colored glasses? What happens when we feel like we're being pressured to marry someone? Why are words sometimes not enough? Paul and Eli—joined by Shakespearian scholar Donovan Sherman —take a psychedelic and operatic mystery tour through Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann's utterly gonzo adaptation of the timeless classic. 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

2. 

   26 Jan 2026 · 53 min

   Love & Basketball (2000)

   Why is it important to understand a loved-one's identity? Which sorts of people are likely to hold grudges? Is having a "jacked-up" attitude worse if you're a woman? Paul and Eli contemplate Love & Basketball, Gina Prince-Bythewood's exploration of ambition, attachment, and gender at a time when the world sadly lacked the WNBA. 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

3. 

   19 Jan 2026 · 50 min

   Deep Dive: Evolutionary Mythbusting

   Eli and Paul dial up the controversy as they discuss Paul's upcoming book, Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection . They pick apart two central concepts in evolutionary psychology: gender differences and mate value. Paul and Eli discuss how men and women don't actually differ in what they want in a partner, where gender differences in the sex drive appear larger vs. smaller, and why mate value matters a lot less than you think. Plus: Can evolutionary psychologists - and their critics - find better ways of talking the practical implications of a biological discovery?…

4. 

   12 Jan 2026 · 45 min

   A Star Is Born (2018)

   Why is it so important to feel needed? Do men struggle when their partner outshines them? How can personal growth destabilize a relationship? Paul and Eli dive off the deep end into the rich and melodramatic spectacle of the 2018 iteration of "A Star Is Born," featuring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. 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

5. 

   29 Dec 2025 · 53 min

   My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

   What happens when a narcissist decides she wants something? Why is it complicated when your best friend is also your ex? Why is it so important to keep alternatives at bay? Paul and Eli revisit Julia Roberts' unforgettable and unrivaled transformation into rom-com anti-hero in "My Best Friend's Wedding." 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

6. 

   8 Dec 2025 · 33 min

   Deep Dive: The Compatibility Puzzle

   In this special episode, Eli interviews Paul about his upcoming book, Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection . Part 1 of this series is devoted to complexities of romantic compatibility. They discuss how they began studying attraction in the first place, why online dating failed to live up to its potential, and why a relationship is what you make it. Plus: Why is it wise to have a few intimacy-inspiring questions in your back pocket? Pre-order your copy today, submit your receipt here , and receive a "book plate" that turns your book into a signed copy! Book plate gift…

7. 

   1 Dec 2025 · 55 min

   It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

   Does giving to others makes us happy? Why is expressing vulnerability so powerful? How can we feel grateful for what we already have? In collaboration with the Pods Fight Poverty campaign, Paul and Eli fire up Frank Capra's immortal and inspiring It's a Wonderful Life (1946), the generosity-filled holiday classic. With Giving Tuesday right around the corner, we hope you'll consider donating to #PodsFightPoverty, in which your favorite social science podcasts ("The Happiness Lab," "You Are Not So Smart," "Hidden Brain," and many others) join forces to lift three entire villages in Rwanda out…

8. 

   24 Nov 2025 · 50 min

   Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

   How do friend networks facilitate relationship formation? What happens to those networks when people fall in love? Are wedding guests just looking to hook up? Paul and Eli find answers lurking at both wedding altar and graveyard in the very British rom-com, Four Weddings and Funeral. 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. 

   17 Nov 2025 · 50 min

   Bonus Episode: Beaches (1988) with Nina Badzin and Rebekah Jacobs

   Do opposites attract? When is intimacy scary? Can offering forgiveness inadvertently escalate conflict? In this special crossover episode of the Dear Nina: Conversations about Friends podcast, Paul and Eli chat with Nina Badzin and Rebekah Jacobs about Beaches, the Bette Midler musical showcase about lifelong friendships.

10. 

    10 Nov 2025 · 46 min

    Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

    What happens when our self-esteem is tied to our looks? How can significant others make us feel confident? What is the nature of found families? Paul and Eli travel to the gorgeously trippy world of Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Hayao Miyazaki's anti-war fable about the power of love and hair dye. 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