Date At Your Own Risk Review, Plot, and Ending, Explained

Lifetime’s ‘Date At Your Own Risk’ is a thriller film centered on Eva, a lawyer who is struggling to find the perfect date in her busy city life. During a conversation with her friend Jessa, Eva learns about an online chat forum where women share posts about men they have dated who show signs of toxic/predatory behavior. Matters get complicated when Eva finds a post about a man who closely resembles her ex-boyfriend, Will, describing him as a harasser. When he suddenly reappears in her life, Eva begins to wonder whether she knows him at all or if there is a shark waiting under human skin. Meanwhile, the death of a local girl only adds to the confusion and paranoia. Subsequently, the protagonist must investigate the truth behind the subject without bringing any attention to herself. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Review: A Slightly Obvious But Effective Suspense Drama

‘Date At Your Own Risk’ works well as a contemporary piece that discusses the dangers of modern dating, especially via the online route. The film dives into the anxiety, fears, and perils of meeting strangers through dating apps without verifying their background and character. Its central plot succinctly illustrates these concerns, providing a look into what it’s like to live through a worst-case scenario. To that end, the premise offers an engaging and entertaining ride due to the tension and conflict inherently built into the narrative. As Eva tries to figure out whether Will is who he says he is, there is a battle between her instincts and her desire to hope for the best. It highlights how difficult it can be to extricate emotions from a personal situation where someone close might be a monster in hiding.

While the dating aspects are executed quite commendably, there are some issues in the film with regard to the plot. For instance, the film’s attempts at keeping the identity of the killer a secret are quite feeble and become obvious early on. The entire story hinges on hiding the source of the danger, which sometimes falls short because of how the characters behave and how the plot moves. Still, it achieves the important aspect of a thriller narrative: to keep the audience guessing until the end of the story. Additionally, Eva’s resilience and her never-give-up attitude when investigating the matter are well done and provide a layer of context to the character. It showcases how seriously she takes the matter of saving the lives of women who may be in danger of a predatory man.

Date At Your Own Risk Plot Synopsis

The movie begins with Eva having a discussion with Jessa outside work. The two talk about a new online platform named “Does He Belong to Anyone?” which is a place where women can share posts and anecdotes about men they have dated or hooked up with who have questionable characters. Eva finds it interesting and thanks Jessa for the information. They discover a post about a young woman named Brooke Adams, who was found dead after going missing from her apartment. Not long after, Eva encounters Will, her ex-boyfriend who recently moved back to the city. She comes across him and his mom at a lunch meeting with the latter. Subsequently, she and Will have a heart-to-heart about their old relationship, making amends about what happened.

Eva’s life is slightly upended when, one day, she finds an online post about a man named Mike on the “Does He Belong to Anyone?” forum. To Eva’s horror, the man closely resembles Will. She feels even more suspicious when she notices a young woman named Zuri stalking Will everywhere. After Zuri’s so-called “harassment” becomes too much, Will hires Eva to represent him. Although she tries to believe his words, she still feels doubtful about why Zuri would follow him everywhere unless he did something wrong. Will maintains his innocence and continues to work with Eva to stop Zuri’s attempts to disrupt his life. However, deep down, Eva cannot shake off the feeling that Mike, the man on the chat forum, and Will are somehow the same person.

Date At Your Own Risk Ending: Are Will and Mike the Same Person?

At the end of ‘Date At Your Own Risk,’ Eva becomes increasingly agitated about Will hiding something. She keeps persisting with her investigation into the affair, even though it seems like an emotional roller coaster at times. At first, she thinks he and Mike are the same person but under different names. However, after deciding to trust Will, she changes her mind. By the end, Eva finally learns the truth when she gets a text message from Zuri asking her to come visit Mike’s house. She decides to accept the invitation and shows up at night. Once inside the house, she discovers a cell phone but no living person. Moments later, Will enters the building from a side entrance. He meets up with her, informing her that Zuri invited him just like her. Eva decides to trust him, only to find out seconds later that he is lying.

Eva runs into the basement and closes the door on Will. While stuck inside, Eva discovers Zuri’s dead body, which finally confirms that Will and Mike are the same person. He eventually breaks through the basement door while the protagonist finds a hiding spot. Subsequently, he explains the reasons behind his dual identity and his murder spree. It turns out that Will has been repressed all his life by a strict mom who gave him no leeway. As a result, he developed a grudge against all women, blaming them for his inability to express himself for who he is. Thus, he took on the role of Mike to help him live out a fantasy identity where he could indulge in abusive and violent behavior without the fear of being exposed. The revelation is shocking and somewhat predictable for Eva, especially given the clues littered throughout the narrative.

Is Will Arrested? What Does Eva Do?

After listening to Wil recite his personal backstory, Eva manages to hit him on the back of his head with a makeshift weapon. She then tries to flee through the basement entrance but is jumped by Will. He gets ready to kill her, just as he killed Zuri and Brooke earlier. However, the police arrive in time to stop Will in his tracks and catch him red-handed. Thanks to Jessa, who tracked down Eva’s location using her cell GPS, the police are able to rescue the protagonist before the worst happens. Eva is led outside, where she is interrogated by the police about the whole matter. Meanwhile, she watches as the cops bring out Will and put him inside the police car. With all the evidence stacked against him, he is finally ready to be put away for good.

The movie’s final scene showcases Eva stepping outside the court, possibly after attending Will’s trial. She is greeted by her law firm boss, who congratulates her on her work. The protagonist tells him that she wishes to work on more cases involving women’s safety. Even Will’s mom congratulates and consoles her for fighting the tough battle against predators like her son. Subsequently, Eva meets up with her friends Jessa and Beth, the admin from “Does He Belong to Anyone.” The latter informs her that more cases are piling up of women who have suffered instances of assault and stalking. Eva decides to get to work on them, hinting that her journey to help other vulnerable women is just beginning to take shape.