The Idea of You is electric, swoonworthy, and everything a romcom should be. It delivers a feel-good story, that will have you smiling the whole way through.
The Idea of You Movie Review
Based on Robinne Lee’s contemporary romance novel by the same name, The Idea of You shines flawlessly as a film adaptation. It embodies and fully embraces the definition of romantic comedy.
Anne Hathaway stars as Solene, a 40-year-old single mom to her teenage daughter, Izzy (Ella Rubin). Solene lives and breathes for her daughter. The chemistry shown between Hathaway and Rubin is unmatched. The two even resemble one another. Some of my favorite scenes in The Idea of You focused around their presence onscreen together.
Solene’s ex-husband, Daniel (Reid Scott), is remarried with an obnoxious wife, Eva (Patty Mattfeld). Going into the movie, you can’t help but see Daniel as the bad guy. After all, who would be cheering for someone who cheated on his wife?
Things quickly kick off when Solene takes Izzy and her friends to Coachella. There she unknowingly runs into the lead singer of popular boy band, August Moon, Hayes Campell (Nicholas Galitzine). Solene and Hayes have instant chemistry from the second their eyes meet. Audiences will be drawn to their characters developing relationship, despite their age gap. Hayes is 24 years old.
While some viewers might frown upon the age difference, I think the importance of this story is that these people both offer each other something that’s been missing in their lives. Carefree happiness. Solene is unlike anyone Hayes has ever met. She’s not a typical “fan girl.” She’s a breath of fresh air. In return, Hayes challenges Solene to color outside of the lines and go outside of her comfort zone. They have a whirlwind romance, and the happiness and passion they have with each other is undeniable. It’s impossible to not root for them.
“People hate happy women,” and that rings true to the backlash Solene receives from Hayes’ adoring fans. While it’s not uncommon to see an older man and younger woman, this story turns it around and it’s fascinating how people have such strong opinions and negative statements in this case.
I feel women will be able to relate to Solene’s character. She’s a mid-age mother, and up until this point, she’s lived her life around her child. Mom’s sometimes forget who they were before they became a mother, and watching Solene discover this new version of herself is breathtakingly beautiful.
Do you have to read the book before you watch The Idea of You? Absolutely not, but I would absolutely encourage you to. I read it a few years ago, and after watching the film, I’m eager to reread the story. The movie is a true retelling, but I felt more connected to the characters due to the performances of Hathaway and Galitzine. I would love for Robinne Lee to write a sequel to this story.
Overall Thoughts
The Idea of you is everything this 40-something year old mom was hoping for. You’ll need a cold shower after watching the chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. I was rooting for their happiness the whole way through. This is how romcoms should be done. Take note.
The Idea of You Synopsis
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
The Idea of You is rated R for some language and sexual content. It has a runtime of 1 hour 55 minutes. Stream The Idea of You on Prime Video May 2, 2024.
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